Vogtle Unit 3

Vogtle Unit 3
Name	Vogtle Unit 3
Country	United States
Location	Burke County, Georgia
Operator	Southern Nuclear
Status	Operational
Reactor type	AP1000
Supplier	Westinghouse Electric Company
Construction begin	2013
Commissioning	2023
Capacity mw	1,117

Vogtle Unit 3 Vogtle Unit 3 is a pressurized water reactor located at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Georgia. The unit is part of the Plant Vogtle expansion and represents the first new large-scale reactor to begin operation in the United States in the 21st century. Its deployment involved major firms and institutions including Southern Company, Westinghouse Electric Company, Bechtel Corporation, and oversight from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Introduction

The unit employs the AP1000 reactor design developed by Westinghouse Electric Company and was constructed adjacent to existing units at Plant Vogtle. The project involved partnerships with Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, and Dalton Utilities. Major milestones included licensing actions by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and financing arrangements involving the U.S. Department of Energy and state-level entities.

Design and Specifications

The reactor is a Generation III+ pressurized water reactor featuring passive safety systems derived from the AP1000 design certification. Core and reactor vessel components were supplied under contracts with Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction and engineered with input from BWX Technologies and Bechtel Corporation. The unit's nominal net electrical output is about 1,117 megawatts electric, enabled by a single-loop turbine-generator manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and balance-of-plant systems designed by Westinghouse Electric Company. Safety systems include passive residual heat removal and core makeup tanks influenced by research from Argonne National Laboratory and design approval processes involving Institute of Nuclear Power Operations standards. Fuel assemblies are compatible with enrichment and fabrication technologies used by AREVA NP and Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas suppliers.

Construction and Commissioning

Construction began after issuance of combined construction and operating licenses by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and after supply agreements with Westinghouse Electric Company and construction management by Bechtel Corporation. The project experienced litigation and contractual restructuring following the Westinghouse bankruptcy chapter, engaging firms such as Toshiba Corporation and contractors including The Shaw Group. Financing and cost-sharing involved Georgia Public Service Commission approvals and federal loan guarantees overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy. Key on-site activities included reactor vessel installation performed with cranes from Bigge Crane and Rigging and containment construction following standards from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Commissioning tests coordinated with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission culminated in fuel loading and first criticality after extensive startup testing modeled on protocols from Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers standards.

Operational History

After achieving initial criticality, the unit entered commercial operation and synchronized to the regional grid managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation interconnection standards adapted for Southeastern power grid operations. The operator, Southern Nuclear, integrated the unit into dispatch schedules coordinated with Georgia Power and wholesale partners including Oglethorpe Power Corporation. Early operations included power ascension testing, performance verification against NRC technical specifications, and participation in industry benchmarking conducted by the Nuclear Energy Institute and reporting to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission through event notification systems.

Safety and Regulatory Oversight

Regulatory oversight was conducted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with inspections and reviews referencing codes from the American Nuclear Society and standards from the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations. Safety culture assessments involved independent reviews influenced by lessons from the Three Mile Island accident and policy frameworks informed by post-accident reviews such as those following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Emergency planning and offsite response coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state authorities including the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. Security arrangements comply with directives from the Department of Homeland Security and include physical protection measures consistent with guidance from the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Economic and Environmental Impact

The project had significant economic implications for Georgia through construction employment, local procurement, and long-term operations involving suppliers like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction. Rate and cost recovery mechanisms were overseen by the Georgia Public Service Commission, affecting customers served by Georgia Power and municipal members such as Dalton Utilities. Environmental assessments referenced the National Environmental Policy Act processes and permitting with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The unit contributes low-carbon baseload generation cited in state energy planning and interacts with regional renewables integration involving entities like Southern Company and grid operators. Lifecycle considerations involve spent fuel management policies aligned with federal frameworks and organizations such as the Nuclear Waste Policy Act stakeholders and research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Category:Nuclear reactors in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:AP1000 reactors