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Nuclear Energy Insight

March 2009—The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) last month approved a request by the Georgia Power Company for certification to build two new reactors at its Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant in southeast Georgia. This certification is required under Georgia law.

The PSC also adopted a motion to allow Georgia Power to recover the cost of financing the plant during construction, known as Construction Work in Progress or CWIP. In addition, both entities will jointly develop a mechanism to provide shared risk protection to taxpayers from significant cost overruns. In February the Georgia Senate also voted to allow the company to recover its financing costs during construction of the reactors. 


Georgia Power spokeswoman Carol Boatwright said recovering project financing costs from customers as they are incurred will save customers about $300 million.

The PSC agreement set Georgia Power's portion of the certified cost of the new units at nearly $6.5 billion. Georgia Power is also required to file semi-annual and quarterly status reports with the PSC.

In February the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its final safety evaluation report on Southern Nuclear’s request for an early site permit for Vogtle. The permit allows site-related issues to be addressed and some limited construction work to begin before a full construction and operating license is granted. The company expects the NRC to issue the Vogtle permit, and its request for limited work authorization, toward the end of this year.

According to John Pemberton, Southern Company Vice President for governmental affairs, the company is currently preparing for construction by removing old buildings, and conducting soil compaction tests and soil stabilization activities.



The site currently houses two reactors with a total capacity of 2,300 megawatts, which started operation in 1987 and 1989. These units, of an earlier Westinghouse design, produce enough electricity for more than 1.5 million homes.

The photo shows construction of a wall test section of pre-built concrete panels that will be used around the sides of the foundation excavation to stabilize the soil as the units are built.

The illustration shows Southern Company’s expected timeline for preparations leading to the construction and operation of the new reactors at Vogtle. [Illustration and photo courtesy of Southern Company]

—Read more articles in Nuclear Energy Insight and Insight Web Extra.