Vogtle Electric Generating Plant

Vogtle Electric Generating Plant
Name	Vogtle Electric Generating Plant
Location	Burke County, Georgia
Coordinates	33, 08, 26, N...
Owner	Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, Dalton Utilities
Status	Operational
Construction began	1976 (Units 1 & 2); 2013 (Units 3 & 4)
Commissioned	1987 (Unit 1), 1989 (Unit 2), 2023 (Unit 3), 2024 (Unit 4)
Type	Pressurized water reactor
Ps electrical capacity	~4,500 MW

Vogtle Electric Generating Plant is a major nuclear power facility located near Waynesboro in Burke County, Georgia. Owned by a consortium including Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, and Dalton Utilities, the plant is a critical source of baseload power for the Southeastern United States. The site originally housed two operating pressurized water reactor units, with two additional advanced reactors recently entering service, making it one of the largest nuclear generation facilities in the United States.

History

The plant is named after former Southern Company board chairman Alvin W. Vogtle. Initial planning for the facility began in the early 1970s during a period of rapid expansion for the U.S. nuclear industry, with construction on the first units commencing in 1976. The project faced significant delays and cost overruns, influenced by the regulatory changes following the Three Mile Island accident and increased scrutiny from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Units 1 and 2 eventually entered commercial operation in 1987 and 1989, respectively. In 2009, the NRC approved combined licenses for two new reactors, marking the first new nuclear construction authorization in the U.S. in decades, a decision supported by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Design and construction

The original Units 1 and 2 are Westinghouse four-loop pressurized water reactors. The newer Units 3 and 4 utilize the AP1000 reactor design, also from Westinghouse, which features passive safety systems. The construction of the AP1000 units was a massive undertaking, managed initially by a consortium including Westinghouse and CB&I and later by Bechtel. The project encountered severe challenges, including the bankruptcy of Westinghouse in 2017, which caused further delays and financial strain. The completion of these units represents a significant milestone for the U.S. Department of Energy, which provided loan guarantees under the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Operations

The plant is operated by Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of the Southern Company. The original units have consistently provided reliable power to the grid operated by the Southeastern Electric Reliability Council. The addition of Units 3 and 4 has substantially increased the site's output, supporting regional energy demands and contributing to carbon dioxide emissions reduction goals. Day-to-day operations are conducted under the oversight of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which maintains a resident inspector office on site. The facility's output is integrated into the transmission network managed by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator.

Units

The facility comprises four individual reactor units. **Unit 1**, a 1,215 MWe reactor, achieved commercial operation in June 1987. **Unit 2**, also 1,215 MWe, followed in May 1989. **Unit 3**, an approximately 1,117 MWe AP1000 reactor, entered commercial operation in July 2023. **Unit 4**, an identical AP1000 unit, reached commercial operation in April 2024. Each unit has its own turbine generator building and cooling systems, with all four units utilizing the Savannah River for cooling water.

Safety and environmental impact

The plant's safety protocols are governed by regulations from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The AP1000 design incorporates advanced passive safety features intended to cool the reactor without operator intervention or AC power for an extended period. Environmental monitoring is conducted for radiological emissions, thermal discharge into the Savannah River, and impacts on local wildlife, including species in the adjacent Sumter National Forest. The facility manages its spent nuclear fuel in on-site dry cask storage systems, pending a federal solution from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Economic aspects

The construction of Units 3 and 4, with total costs exceeding $30 billion, has had profound economic implications. The project created thousands of construction jobs and employs hundreds of permanent staff. Financial strain from cost overruns has affected the plant's owners, including Oglethorpe Power and the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, and has led to rate increases for customers of Georgia Power. The project benefited from federal loan guarantees from the U.S. Department of Energy and state legislation like the Georgia Nuclear Energy Financing Act, which allowed cost recovery during construction.

Category:Nuclear power stations in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Buildings and structures in Burke County, Georgia Category:Southern Company