New nuclear reactor enters commercial operation, first in US in 30 years
Breanne Deppisch
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Georgia Power announced Monday that its Plant Vogtle 3 nuclear reactor has entered commercial operation, becoming the first new U.S. nuclear reactor to come online in more than 30 years.
Operators said the Vogtle 3 reactor has completed testing and is reliably supplying power to the grid.
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The reactor will both provide an estimated 1,000 megawatts of power to the state, enough to power 500,000 homes and businesses, developers said. Once the new units are online, the four-reactor nuclear power plant will be the largest generator of clean energy in the nation.
“Today is a historic day for the State of Georgia, Southern Company, and the entire energy sector, as we continue transforming the way we power the lives of millions of Americans,” Southern Company President Chris Womack said in a statement.
“With Unit 3 completed, and Unit 4 in the final stages of construction and testing, this project shows just how new nuclear can and will play a critical role in achieving a clean energy future for the United States,” he added.
The Plant Vogtle nuclear project was long stalled and is years behind schedule and billions over budget. Construction on Unit 3 began in 2013, and the project as a whole is $17 billion over budget.
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On Friday, Georgia Power said it has been cleared by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to begin loading radioactive fuel into its other new reactor, Unit 4, which it plans to do beginning in September.
Unit 4 is expected to be placed in service during the late fourth quarter of 2023 or the first quarter of 2024.