Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle units 3 and 4 will be the first new nuclear units built in the United States in more than three decades, using the Westinghouse AP1000 advanced pressurized water reactor technology. We are prioritizing safety and quality. Once complete, the four Vogtle units in Waynesboro, Georgia, will produce enough clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to power 1 million Georgia homes and businesses.
Operating 24/7/365, nuclear energy facilities produce more than half of all U.S. carbon-free electricity. Plant Vogtle will play an essential role in supporting our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
A diverse fuel mix, including nuclear, is essential to maintaining a reliable and affordable energy infrastructure that attracts new investment, supports economic growth and creates jobs. With more than 7,000 workers on site, and more than 800 permanent jobs available once the units begin operating, Vogtle 3 and 4 is currently the largest jobs-producing construction project in the state of Georgia.
Vogtle Unit 3 Fuel Load
Georgia Power currently projects a Unit 3 in-service date in the first quarter of 2023. Unit 4 is projected to be complete in either the third or fourth quarter of 2023.
On December 7, the cold hydro testing of Unit 4 was completed. The testing confirmed the reactor’s coolant system functions aligned with design standards. The reactor coolant system was filled with water and pressurized above-normal operating conditions, then lowered to normal design pressure while being extensively inspected. This process verified the welds, joints, pipes and other components of the coolant system and associated high-pressure systems do not leak under pressure.
The cold hydro testing is required to support hot functional testing, which is projected to begin by the end of Q1 of 2023. Hot functional testing is the final major test remaining for the reactor.
Recent Project Milestones
The Vogtle Electric Generating Plant is jointly owned by Georgia Power (45.7%), Oglethorpe Power Corporation (30%), Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (22.7%) and Dalton Utilities (1.6%).