- Vogtle Nuclear Power Station’s Unit 4 has successfully synchronized and connected to the electric grid, marking a significant milestone in its startup testing phase.
- The Westinghouse-supplied AP1000 nuclear power plant, which reached first criticality on February 14, is now undergoing further testing to raise reactor power for electricity generation.
- Once all startup testing is completed and the unit is ready for reliable dispatch, Vogtle-4 will enter commercial operation, expected in the second quarter of 2024.
Unit 4 at the Vogtle nuclear power station in the US state of Georgia has achieved a significant milestone by synchronizing and connecting to the electric grid for the first time. This accomplishment marks a crucial step in the startup testing phase for the Westinghouse-supplied AP1000 nuclear power plant, which reached first criticality on February 14.
Georgia Power, the majority owner of the Vogtle nuclear station, has announced that operators will continue to increase reactor power for electricity generation while conducting tests at various power levels, with the ultimate goal of reaching 100% power.
Upon successful completion of all startup testing and the unit being deemed ready for reliable dispatch, Vogtle-4 will enter commercial operation, which is currently planned for the second quarter of 2024.
Vogtle-4 is the second Westinghouse AP1000 plant at the Georgia site, with Vogtle-3 having begun commercial operation on July 31, 2023.
While Vogtle-3 and -4 represent the first nuclear units to be built in the US in more than three decades, they have faced challenges in the form of cost overruns and delays.
The original cost of Vogtle-3 and -4 was estimated at $14 billion (€13 billion), but this figure has since ballooned to more than $30 billion. Georgia Power, with a 45% share of the project, is expected to bear about $15 billion of this cost.
Construction of Vogtle-3 commenced in March 2013, followed by Vogtle-4 in November 2013. The in-service date for Vogtle-3, as approved in 2012, was initially set for 2016.
However, in October, Georgia Power announced that the in-service date for Vogtle-4 was being postponed to 2024 due to a motor fault in one of the four reactor coolant pumps.
Excluding Vogtle-4, the US currently has 93 operating commercial nuclear reactors at 55 sites in 28 states, which collectively generate about 18% of the country’s electricity. Vogtle-4 is the only unit currently under construction.
Georgia Power owns 45.7% of Vogtle, with Oglethorpe Power owning 30%, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG) Power owning 22.7%, and Dalton Utilities owning 1.6%.
Vogtle also houses two older reactors that began commercial operation in the late 1980s.
