Georgia Power provides update on Plant Vogtle 3 and 4 construction projects

Work on the expansion of Plant Vogtle nuclear power facility in Georgia is nearing completion, Georgia Power officials reported.

Georgia Power, which is owned by the Southern Company, filed papers with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to say that the expansion is now 87 percent complete. The company said it is on track for the target in-service dates of November 2021 for Unit 3 and November 2022 for Unit 4.

Recently, closed vessel testing for Unit 3 was completed. This verifies that the pipes and valves in the Unit 3 reactor coolant system were installed as designed and helps ensure safety systems function properly. The site also completed the structural integrity test and integrated leak rate test on Unit 3, demonstrating that the containment vessel meets construction quality and design requirements.

Also, the water tank that sits atop the containment vessel, known as module CB-20, was put in place. It will hold approximately 750,000 gallons of water ready to flow down in the unlikely event of an emergency to help cool the reactor. Further, officials completed open vessel testing for Unit 3, demonstrating how water flows from the key safety systems into the reactor vessel, ensuring the paths are not blocked and the systems function as designed.

Vogtle 3 and 4 are the largest jobs-producing construction projects in the state of Georgia with more than 7,000 workers on site. There will be 800 permanent jobs available once the units begin operating.