On 29 April Georgia Power announced that Unit 4 of its NPP Vogtle had entered commercial operation and is ready to provide emissions free energy for the next 60 to 80 years.
Unit 3 at the plant entered commercial operation on July 31, 2023, so with all four units now in operation, Plant Vogtle is the largest generator of clean energy in the USA, expected to produce more than 30 million MWh hours of electricity each year. The plant is operated by Southern Nuclear on behalf of the co-owners including Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities, and in 2023 with Plant Hatch in Baxley, Georgia, provided more than 25% of Georgia Power's generation.
The construction of Vogtle 3 & 4 was originally approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission as part of the continuous Integrated Resource Plan process. This regulatory process includes robust analysis and discussion of the company’s plan, typically filed every three years, outlining how it will continue delivering energy for millions of customers over a 20-year planning horizon. In addition to the Vogtle expansion, this process has helped bring new renewable energy to Georgia as well as new technologies such as battery energy storage systems.
In addition to providing a new source of clean, reliable energy, the construction of the new units at Plant Vogtle has provided billions of dollars of positive economic impact for Georgia and local communities – 800 permanent jobs have been created and the site employed more than 9000 onsite jobs at the peak of construction.
Image: Vogtle unit 4 (courtesy of Georgia Power)
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