Throughout this past year, I bet you didn’t realize that something big was happening in a small town in Georgia.
Something that has employed more than 7,000 workers since the project’s beginning and is the first technology of its kind in the U.S.
I’m talking about Units 3 and 4 of Plant Vogtle, the first completely new nuclear reactors to be built in the U.S. in over 30 years.
In a year that brought us new trends, a royal wedding and the union and quick dissolution of this year’s second most talked about couple, 2018 marked some exciting updates for this project, which is projected to be fully online by November 2022.
As the year concludes, we’ve broken down five things you need to know about these landmark reactors that will soon be a massive generator of carbon-free energy for Georgia and the entire Southeast.
- Vogtle Units 3 and 4 will be the first in the U.S. to use the AP1000 advanced pressurized water reactor technology. A key component of this technology is that the nuclear cores can be cooled even without operator interventions or mechanical assistance. Innovations like this make the AP1000 safer and more economical than previous generations of nuclear reactors. Though these two reactors will be the first of their kind in the U.S., there are already four AP1000s connected to the electricity grid in China. With the construction of Vogtle we are well on our way to regaining our worldwide nuclear leadership, which is crucial for national security.
- The passage of the nuclear production tax credit in February was a huge win for ensuring Vogtle’s success. There is no question that building energy facilities of any type is a costly endeavor, so ensuring companies are eligible for a production tax credit for constructing nuclear plants is critical to getting these carbon-free energy sources online. The passage of the bill was also significant because it was the result of a large budget deal that was a bipartisan effort in both the House and the Senate. The support from both sides of the aisle demonstrates a significant commitment to completing the Vogtle project as well as building other advanced reactors and new nuclear technologies.
- The construction of reactors 3 and 4 at the Vogtle site is currently the largest jobs-producing construction project in the state of Georgia. Georgia Power has more than 7,000 employees onsite to construct the two massive reactors, accomplishing such feats as the placement of the final containment vessel ring for Unit 3, which weighs just under two million pounds. Once in operation, the two reactors will provide 800 permanent jobs and generate increased economic revenue and hundreds of more jobs in surrounding communities.
- Despite potential setbacks, a crucial vote in September reaffirmed the industry’s commitment to the project and our clean energy future. All four co-owners of Vogtle reached an agreement that made it possible for construction to continue, generating newfound excitement in the future of our number one source of carbon-free energy. Speaking of which...
- These two reactors will generate enough carbon-free electricity to power 500,000 homes and businesses. Each reactor will be able to generate about 1,117 megawatts of electricity. And since nuclear consistently has the highest capacity factor of any electricity-generating fuel type, Vogtle will be as close to a 24/7, 365-days-a-year carbon-free energy source as you can get.
With 2019 approaching and Vogtle construction humming along, it’s clear that we’re another year closer to the future of nuclear energy. And no matter what happens in 2019, clean, carbon-free nuclear is always on trend.
