Posted on 08/01/2008 5:57:43 PM PDT by kellynla
Georgia Power asked Georgia utility regulators to approve its request to build two, 1,102 MW nuclear generating units at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant. Its share of the plant would be between $4.4 billion and $6.6 billion.
The regulatory body is expected to rule on the proposal in March 2009.
Georgia Power also informed the PSC that it is in the final stages of evaluating the conversion of Plant Mitchell, an older coal-fueled power plant, to burn biomass wood. If approved, this plant would be one of the largest wood biomass plants in the United States. Georgia Power expects to complete this analysis in late August.
"We must add large-scale base load generation to meet Georgia's growing energy needs," said Mike Garrett, Georgia Power president and CEO. "Additional nuclear energy capacity will help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, at a time when fossil fuel prices are increasing significantly."
Georgia Power also asked regulators to approve the costs of a study to assess new coal generation as an alternative to nuclear. And it sought approval of a method to address cost adjustments associated with changes in commodity costs during construction.
A solar research project, renewable energy, energy efficiency and demand response programs to meet between 11 to 18 percent of future resource needs over the next 10 years rounded out the company's supply-side regulatory filing.
Georgia Power said its portion of the cost of Vogtle units 3 and 4 is expected to be $6.4 billion without "construction work in progress" (CWIP) in the rate base for consumers to pay. With CWIP included, the utility's cost of the nuclear power units is estimated to be almost $2 billion lower.
The company also sought regulatory approval of its recommendation to install environmental controls at Plants Branch and Yates.
Earlier this year, Georgia Power, acting for itself and for Plant Vogtle's co-owners (Oglethorpe Power, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia [MEAG Power] and Dalton Utilities), entered into an Engineering, Procurement and Construction contract (EPC) with Westinghouse Electric Company LLC and The Shaw Group Inc.'s Power Group, for the development and construction of two AP1000 nuclear units.
Go get’em Ga Power. Nuke up baby. Get Vogtle and SRP full on and lower my AC bill!
Awesome!
Can I just observe that here is part of the problem? Georgia regulators can’t make a decision on this for eight months. If they can’t, they should hire in experts and task them with reviewing this process for them.
Every step in the process, government drags it’s feet. And then we wonder why it takes so long to get anything done.
You could cut off half a year in this process, if the government would just pull it’s head out and let others get about their business.
That’s the way Ga. Power..Nuclear is the way to go...We heard that 40 years ago and we are still waiting..looks like people’s thinking has finally caught up with available technology- That’s the way societies change—technology changes first, then people change their ideas about it...welcome to the 21st Century...
Excellent! That, along with TVA’s recent restart of Browns Ferry Unit 1 and the completion of the second Nuclear unit at Watts Bar are a great addition to the power supply in the south. The need is obvious to those of us working in the industry.
It took several years for AEP to get a major transmission line approved by all the regulatory bodies. The government loves to drag their feet.
delay=grease+palm
Georgia leadership and action. We need to get things done the old American way. The European model so loved by Congress and liberals does not work, never has.
Go Georgia Power!
Speaking of NEW TECHNOLOGY...
PEBBLE BED REACTOR BUMP!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebble_bed_reactor
BTTT!
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