2018 Annual Report

Construction Progress at
Vogtle Units 3&4

Final regulatory approval for the project was received in February 2012 when the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the Construction and Operating Licenses for Units 3&4. Since then over 18 million man-hours have been logged on the project.

The addition of Vogtle Units 3&4 will create the only four-unit nuclear generating site in the United States. The construction project includes support facilities to serve all four units, including engineering, maintenance and security buildings.

The construction methods for these units incorporated assembly of large structures or modules outside of the main construction area in order to facilitate improved quality and reduced congestion at the work site.

Major equipment for the units, such as this steam generator, are improved versions of this equipment found in other Westinghouse pressurized water reactor units. These improvements incorporate 50 years of successful nuclear unit operating history.

Construction activities into 2018 focused on completing structures and installing major equipment for both units. Unit 4 continues with this focus while the work scope on Unit 3 is transitioning to system completions and turnover to testing.

Vogtle Units 3&4 continue their progress towards the November 2021 and November 2022 commercial operation dates. The project achieved all major construction milestones for 2018 and will carry that momentum into the 2019 project activities.

The assembly of the steam turbine and supporting equipment for Unit 3 is a good example of completion of structures and equipment. The piping and electrical scope on this unit is now focused on specific systems in order to support the testing phase of the project.

Unit 3 reached a major milestone in March 2019 with the placement of the tophead on the containment vessel. Completion of this structure allows for work around the clock without weather impacts and supports the start of system clean-up and testing activities for the nuclear systems.