Posted on 10/14/2022 7:09:38 PM PDT by FreedomPoster
Georgia Power announced tonight that fuel load into the Vogtle Unit 3 reactor core has begun at Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro, Ga. The fuel load process marks a historic and pivotal milestone toward startup and commercial operation of the first new nuclear units to be built in the U.S. in more than three decades.
"The Vogtle 3 & 4 nuclear units represent a critical, long-term investment in our state's energy future, and the milestone of loading fuel for Unit 3 demonstrates the steady and evident progress at the nuclear expansion site," said Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. "We're making history here in Georgia and the U.S. as we approach bringing online the first new nuclear unit to be built in the country in over 30 years. These units are important to building the future of energy and will serve as clean, emission-free sources of energy for Georgians for the next 60 to 80 years."
The start of Unit 3 fuel load comes after Southern Nuclear received a historic 103(g) finding from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in August which signified that the new unit has been constructed and will be operated in conformance with the Combined License and NRC regulations.
During fuel load, nuclear technicians and operators from Westinghouse and Southern Nuclear are scheduled to safely transfer 157 fuel assemblies one-by-one from the Unit 3 spent fuel pool to the Unit 3 reactor core in the coming days.
Startup testing will begin next and is designed to demonstrate the integrated operation of the primary coolant system and steam supply system at design temperature and pressure with fuel inside the reactor. Operators will also bring the plant from cold shutdown to initial criticality, synchronize the unit to the electric grid and systematically raise power to 100%. Vogtle Unit 3 is projected to enter service in the first quarter of 2023.
Southern Nuclear will operate the new unit on behalf of the co-owners: Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities.
The new Vogtle units are an essential part of Georgia Power's commitment to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to its 2.7 million customers. Once operating, the two new units, which will be clean energy sources that produce zero air pollution, are expected to power more than 500,000 homes and businesses.
Article from the Atlanta Journal:
“Utility begins loading fuel at new Georgia nuclear plant”
https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/utility-begins-loading-fuel-at-new-georgia-nuclear-plant/VDCEP3ZXGFHXVO6ZZY4EEZHXNY/
Lots of people are to surprised to find out
that Georgia is about to bring two new reactors online.
I had NO idea! That's great news. If the green kooks are serious, then there should be lots more of these.
News to me as well. They must have snuck in under the radar to not have been blocked by some enviro nut group or backwards government regulation.
Now if the same people would actually build new reactors somewhere nearby, you would think the costs may go down a little because we know what we are doing now. But probably not due to inflation.
These are new Westinghouse AP1000 PWRs, the first in the US. Maybe the only ones if the anti-human greens get their way. If we are serious about energy independence and want to at least partially decouple our economy from wild swings in the oil and gas markets, we will need a whole lot more.
Meanwhile in China there are 22 plants under construction.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_China
It's a miracle we got any built after all.
At long last.
The last “new” nuclear plant in the US was a TVA “restart” of a never-completed plant on the Tennessee river a bit north of Chattanooga.
I worked on its operating brother for a while on its turbine blades.
Made a full 3D CAD model of the preliminary AP1000 design many years back.
China, on the other hand, has built several dozen new nuclear plants recently. Many, many more coal-fired plants.
Fuel load approved is a big deal. Next big milestone is initial criticality
Its long past time we built more nuclear power plants.
Very much so.
The reason these plants exist is that George W. Bush got a regulation changed to say that if you get a permit to build a new plant to a specific design that is approved - and you build it to the design - then they have to issue a permit to operate it.
Previously you had to get a permit to build a plant to a design.
Then while you were building the plant the government could change the design regulations - forcing you change what you’ve already built. This could - and did - happen many times during the build.
When you finally got the darn thing built, they sometimes then denied you the permit to operate it.
Midland Michigan had one that was 98% complete - needing only fuel load - that they canceled. So they converted it to - I think - natural gas powered.
Based upon all that, who would want to build one?
A company based in Midland, MI.
Dow Chemical and a company planning to build small, modular nuclear reactors have signed a contract for a joint venture to build and install small modular nuclear plants (80MW single units) to be installed initially in Dow production facilities...initially in Louisiana or Texas. The plants will be helium cooled, carbon moderated "pebble bed" type and provide process heat, steam, and electric power.
“ These are new Westinghouse AP1000 PWRs, the first in the US. Maybe the only ones if the anti-human greens get their way. If we are serious about energy independence and want to at least partially decouple our economy from wild swings in the oil and gas markets, we will need a whole lot more.”
Amen to that. But Governor Stacey Abrams would put a quick stop to that.
I’ve been watching this with interest. Good for Georgia!
I looked up Alvin W. Vogtle. Lawyer, business executive, WWII fighter pilot and the inspiration for the novel and movie “The Great Escape.” Pretty cool.
Good news! I’m happy to have contributed my small part in creating the fuel for it.
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