ATLANTA, Feb. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers at Georgia
Power's Vogtle 3 & 4 project have completed the final concrete
placement inside the Unit 3 containment vessel, which houses the
unit's reactor. Completing this milestone is an important step that
allows for the installation of machinery that will be used to load
fuel into the unit.
Last year, the company announced it had ordered the first
nuclear fuel load for Unit 3, the first nuclear fuel order to be
placed in more than 30 years for a newly-designed reactor in the
U.S. Consisting of 157 fuel assemblies with each measuring 14 feet
tall, the fuel will eventually be loaded into the Unit 3 reactor
vessel to support startup once the reactor begins operating.
Enough concrete for a sidewalk from Miami to Seattle
A total of 11,700 cubic yards -
more than 22,000 tons - of concrete has been placed inside the Unit
3 containment vessel since construction began. In Unit 4, the final
concrete placement of the operating deck has been completed,
marking the last substantial concrete placement ahead of the
containment vessel top lift in the coming months. Since the
beginning of the project, more than 680,000 cubic yards of concrete
have been placed for the new units, enough to build a sidewalk from
Miami to Seattle.
Project workforce reaches all-time high
In addition,
the project workforce has reached an all-time high with
approximately 9,000 workers now on site. With more than 800
permanent jobs available once the units begin operating, Vogtle 3
& 4 is currently the largest jobs-producing construction
project in the state of Georgia.
New construction time-lapse video highlights progress since
groundbreaking
Georgia Power has released a new video of
the nation's only new nuclear units currently under construction.
From the removal of four million cubic yards of soil, to historic
module and concrete placements, the video includes milestones
throughout the project's history. Once completed, units 3 & 4
are expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately
500,000 homes and businesses.
The company has also released new aerial photos of the site, and
a flyover video highlighting the progress being made at the site of
the nation's first new nuclear units in more than 30 years.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest
electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's
premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and
Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.6
million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to
delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates
below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse,
innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural
gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind.
Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its
customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by
J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer
satisfaction. For more information, visit
www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook
(Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and
Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
Certain information contained in this release is
forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans
that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information
includes, among other things, statements concerning the expected
schedule for construction and generating capacity of Plant Vogtle
Units 3 and 4. Georgia Power cautions that there are certain
factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from the
forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is
cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking
information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is
subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of
which are outside the control of Georgia Power; accordingly, there
can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized.
The following factors, in addition to those discussed in
Georgia Power's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2018 and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual
results to differ materially from management expectations as
suggested by such forward-looking information: the ability to
control costs and avoid cost and schedule overruns during the
development, construction, and operation of facilities, including
Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, which includes components based on new
technology that only recently began initial operation in the global
nuclear industry at this scale, and including changes in labor
costs, availability and productivity; challenges with management of
contractors, subcontractors or vendors; adverse weather conditions;
shortages, delays, increased costs or inconsistent quality of
equipment, materials, and labor; contractor or supplier delay;
nonperformance under construction, operating, or other agreements;
operational readiness, including specialized operator training and
required site safety programs; engineering or design problems;
design and other licensing-based compliance matters, including the
timely submittal by Southern Nuclear of the Inspections, Tests,
Analyses, and Acceptance Criteria documentation for each unit and
the related reviews and approvals by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission ("NRC") necessary to support NRC authorization to load
fuel; challenges with start-up activities, including major
equipment failure, system integration or regional transmission
upgrades; and/or operational performance; the ability to construct
facilities in accordance with the requirements of permits and
licenses (including satisfaction of NRC requirements), to satisfy
any environmental performance standards and the requirements of tax
credits and other incentives, and to integrate facilities into the
Southern Company system upon completion of construction; legal
proceedings and regulatory approvals and actions related to
construction projects, such as Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 and
pipeline projects, including public service commission approvals
and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and NRC actions; under
certain specified circumstances, a decision by holders of more than
10% of the ownership interests of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 not to
proceed with construction, and the ability of other Vogtle owners
to tender a portion of their ownership interests to Georgia Power
following certain construction cost increases; the inherent risks
involved in operating and constructing nuclear generating
facilities; and the ability of counterparties of Georgia Power and
its subsidiaries to make payments as and when due and to perform as
required. Georgia Power expressly disclaims any obligation to
update any forward‐looking information.
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SOURCE Georgia Power