By Greentech Lead Team: Southern Company announced that
Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the Combined Construction and
Operating License (COL) for its subsidiary Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle units 3
and 4, the first such license for a U.S. nuclear plant. Vogtle is the site of
America’s next new nuclear units, the first to be built in a generation.
Â
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission voted 4-1 to approve
Southern Co.’s request to build two nuclear reactors at its Vogtle site.
Georgia Power expects Unit 3 to begin operating in 2016 and Unit 4 in 2017.
“Southern Company has consistently promoted an
energy policy that is grounded on the principle of energy security and argues
for taking advantage of all of our nation’s energy resources – nuclear, 21st
century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency. No single
technology will solve all of our challenges, but it is clear nuclear energy is
a big part of the solution,” said Southern Company CEO Thomas A. Fanning.
The company expects to deliver to Georgia Power customers
more than $1 billion in benefits from the Department of Energy loan guarantees,
production tax credits and recovering financing costs during
construction.  Â
Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of Southern Company,
will operate the two new 1,100-megawatt Westinghouse AP1000 units for Georgia
Power and co-owners Oglethorpe Power Corporation, the Municipal Electric
Authority of Georgia and Dalton Utilities. Georgia Power owns 45.7 percent of
the new units, with a certified cost of $6.1 billion.
“Not only will the addition of units 3 and 4 provide
our customers with clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity, but this
project is putting people to work. The Vogtle investment is expected to create
25,000 direct and indirect jobs, including 4,000 to 5,000 jobs on site during
peak construction, and 800 permanent jobs once the units are in
operation,” said Georgia Power CEO W. Paul Bowers.
Â
editor@greentechlead.com