Georgia Power pushes back in-service dates for Vogtle 3 and 4

Georgia Power revised its Vogtle 3 & 4 nuclear expansion project schedule, pushing back the in-service dates by a few months.

Currently, the company projects that Unit 3 will be in-service in the third quarter of 2022, and Unit 4 will be in-service in the second quarter of 2023. These dates are roughly three months later for each unit than initially anticipated.

The shift is primarily due to the need for more time to address continued construction challenges and allow for the comprehensive testing necessary to ensure that quality and safety standards are fully met.

The Unit 3 fuel load could occur as early as the first quarter of 2022, but a fuel load date as late as May 2022 should support a third-quarter 2022 in-service date.

“As we’ve said from the beginning of this project, we are going to build these units the right way, without compromising safety and quality to achieve a schedule deadline,” Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power, said. “We have endured and overcome some extraordinary circumstances building the first new nuclear units in the U.S. in more than 30 years. Despite these challenges, progress at the site has been steady and evident.”

At present, Unit 3 direct construction is 99 percent complete, with the total Vogtle 3 & 4 expansion project approximately 95 percent complete.

Once they are in operation, the two new units at Plant Vogtle will power more than 500,000 homes and businesses.

Vogtle 3 & 4 are the largest construction project in the state of Georgia as there are more than 7,000 workers on site. It will create than 800 permanent jobs available once the units begin operating.