Georgia Power issues report on Plant Vogtle expansion milestones in 2015

The lower ring for Unit 4 at Plant Vogtle being placed in December.
The lower ring for Unit 4 at Plant Vogtle being placed in December. | Courtesy of Georgia Power

Georgia Power this week released a report detailing the progress that has been made at the Plant Vogtle expansion project near Waynesboro, Georgia, in 2015.

Throughout the construction of two new reactors, four milestones were achieved last year: placement of the 950-ton lower ring in Unit 4 in December; placement of the first set of shield building panels and the 1,140-ton CA01 module in Unit 3, both in August; and placement of the 32-ton CA04 module, or reactor vessel cavity, for Unit 4, in June.

The report also said a total of 26,000 cubic yards of concrete was poured and approximately 4,200 tons of steel were installed at the site.

The company said both reactors will be operational by 2020. Earlier this month, the company was able to settle claims involving Georgia Power, fellow co-owners of the project and the contracting companies, Westinghouse and CB&I. The expansion is owned by Oglethorpe Power Corp., Dalton Utilities and the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia.

Georgia Power said that upon completion of the expansion project, the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant will be capable of producing a higher amount of electricity than any other plant currently in operation. Each new reactor is expected to produce a maximum of 1,117 megawatts of electricity.