Ever-increasing energy needs and the benefits of carbon-free nuclear energy have led two Southeast companies to take important steps toward building new nuclear power plants to serve the region’s burgeoning population.

Southern Nuclear Operating Co. filed a combined construction and operating license application with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build two new reactors at the Vogtle plant in Georgia. Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power Corp., the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and Dalton Utilities own the plant. 

Meanwhile, SCANA Corp.’s South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. (SCE&G) and Santee Cooper filed a license application for two new reactors at the utilities’ V.C. Summer plant in South Carolina.  The two filings bring the number of new-reactor license applications to nine.

Southern Nuclear officials recognize increased energy needs and the benefits of new nuclear energy for the future.

“We expect demand for electricity in the Southeast, specifically in Georgia, to increase significantly,” said Barnie Beasley, Southern Nuclear president and chief executive officer.  “Nuclear power is a safe, reliable, cost-effective power source that has a low impact on the environment. Submitting this application preserves nuclear energy as an option to meet future electricity needs.”

In addition to approval from the NRC, Georgia Power also would need approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission before making a final decision to build the new reactors.

Like its Southern Nuclear counterparts, SCE&G officials have not committed to building new reactors but plan to have new electric generation on line around 2016.

“We’re confident that new nuclear is the right decision for South Carolina,” said Kevin Marsh, president of SCE&G.  “It’s a clean, safe, non-emitting generation choice that will ultimately result in a significant reduction in emissions for our state.”

“Nuclear power can be a key part of meeting South Carolina’s growing energy needs,” said Lonnie Carter, president and CEO of Santee Cooper.  “Santee Cooper is ever mindful of our responsibility to provide reliable, environmentally friendly power to our 2 million direct and indirect customers, and today’s action represents our ongoing plans to keep nuclear power as an option.”

With the filing of the application, the NRC will begin an approximately three- to four-year review process and could issue the combined license in 2011. Construction could begin shortly thereafter, subject to approval from the South Carolina Public Service Commission. SCE&G and Santee Cooper estimate that baseload generation will be needed for both utilities at that time.

SCE&G is a member of the NuStart Energy Development consortium.  Formed in 2004 by 10 U.S. energy companies and two nuclear reactor vendors, NuStart allows member companies and the nuclear vendors to combine their expertise to develop reference applications for reactor technologies, including the Westinghouse AP1000.  Those applications contain standard licensing, engineering, technical, quality and safety information that future applicants can use to develop their own site-specific applications more efficiently.

Both companies selected the Westinghouse AP1000 reactor for their applications.