Vogtle Unit 3 Completes Nuclear Fuel Load

On October 17, Georgia Power stated that fuel loading into the Vogtle Unit 3 reactor core at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, Georgia, had been finished. The process of adding fuel to the first new nuclear units to be constructed in the United States in for in three decades is an important and historic turning point on the way to startup and commercial operation.

According to Chris Womack, chairman, president, and CEO of Georgia Power, “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 reflects the steady and visible progress at the nuclear expansion site.” As we get closer to bringing online the first new nuclear unit to be built, we’re making history here in Georgia and the United States.

After Southern Nuclear got a historic 103(g) finding from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in August, which indicated that the new unit has been built and will be operated in compliance with the Combined License and NRC regulations, Unit 3 fuel loading has begun. In the upcoming days, 157 fuel assemblies are expected to be securely transferred one-by-one from the Unit 3 spent fuel pool to the Unit 3 reactor core during fuel load by nuclear technicians and operators from Westinghouse and Southern Nuclear.

Vogtle Unit 3

Fuel use.

The primary coolant system and steam supply system will be operated in unison at design temperature and pressure with fuel within the reactor throughout the following startup testing phase.

For the co-owners Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power, and Dalton Utilities, Southern Nuclear will run the new unit.

The new Vogtle units are a crucial component of Georgia Power’s mission to providing its 2.7 million customers with clean, safe, dependable, and cheap energy. More than 500,000 homes and businesses are anticipated to be powered by the two new units, which will be clean energy sources with no air pollution once they are operational.

A portion of the information in this release contains forward-looking statements that are based on present assumptions and plans that are subject to risks and uncertainties. A few examples of forward-looking information are predictions on when Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 will go into service. Georgia Power issues a warning that there are some variables that could significantly alter the outcome from the forward-looking information that has been given. The reader is advised not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information as it is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to numerous risks and other factors, many of which are beyond Georgia Power’s control, making it impossible to guarantee that the suggested results will be attained.