Nuclear Regulatory Commission finding clears Georgia’s Vogtle Unit 3 for startup

With a newly received 103(g) finding in hand from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the recently completed Vogtle Unit 3 near Waynesboro, Georgia — a project undertaken by Georgia Power and Southern Nuclear — has been cleared for operation.

The 103(g) authorization clears Southern Nuclear both to load fuel and initiate the nuclear unit’s startup sequence. It acts as confirmation that the facility will be operated in conformance with the Combined License and NRC regulations, after reviews of submitted documentation on hundreds of inspections, tests, analyses and accepted criteria (ITAACs) as laid out in Southern Nuclear’s Combined License. It is, in essence, a key nuclear safety and quality standard assurance mechanism.

“Today’s finding by the NRC helps ensure we have met our commitment to building Vogtle 3 & 4 with the highest safety and quality standards,” Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power, said. “These new units remain a strong long-term investment for this state, and, once operating, are expected to provide customers with a reliable and resilient, clean, emission-free source of energy for the next 60 to 80 years. That’s why we’ve been so committed to getting this project done right — it’s about serving our customers today and for decades to come.”

In all, Unit 3 passed 398 ITAACs over the years. Each ITAAC had to be individually verified by the NRC before fuel load and operations could begin. Over the coming weeks, nuclear technicians will proceed with work to support loading onsite fuel into the unit’s reactor. Startup testing will follow over the course of months, which will demonstrate the integrated operation of the unit’s primary coolant system and steam supply system. These will run at design temperature and pressure with fuel inside the reactor.

Once operational, Georgia Power anticipates that Vogtle’s two new units will be able to power more than 500,000 homes and businesses.