PHOTOS: Plant Vogtle expansion update

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PHOTOS: Plant Vogtle expansion update

Despite Georgia Power’s early confidence about staying on track, the massive nuclear expansion of Plant Vogtle south of Augusta is more than three years behind schedule.

The company’s share of costs are at least $1.4 billion, or 23 percent, over original projections — enough to build two new Braves stadiums and still have a fortune left over.

Georgia Power leaders say that even with the delays and rising costs, economic benefits to consumers are massive over what they predict will be the 60-year or longer life of the plant.

Cost overruns would be higher if not for two big items in customers’ favor: lower-than-expected interest rates and federal guarantees and credits for the project.

The costs to complete the Vogtle expansion could add at least another $36 a year to the typical Georgia Power residential bill, for an annual Vogtle total of $117.

Georgia Power maintains the overruns will have “minimal impact” on customer bills.

This is one of the two new cooling towers under construction at Plant Vogtle.

More than a dozen cranes are being used in the construction for expansion of Plant Vogtle.

Buzz Miller, Georgia Power’s executive vice president for nuclear development, said recently that the biggest surprise since the expansion started “is that people would be surprised that a project this size is taking a little longer.”

The expansion is gargantuan, with about 5,500 workers on the site. New cooling towers will be taller than all but the highest Atlanta skyscrapers. The new reactors will be able to power half a million homes and businesses.

The project is the first new U.S. nuclear power plant in 30 years.

More than a dozen cranes are being used at the construction site in Waynesboro.

The construction of two new nuclear plants at Plant Vogtle has fallen three years behind schedule.

Massive amounts of rebar, a steel reinforcing rod in concrete, are used for the containment structure.

Workers are seen inside the partly built containment structure on of one of the two new nuclear power plants being built at Plant Vogtle.

Construction of containment walls, which are partly built off site, have been one source of delay at Plant Vogtle.

This photo shows a containment structure on of one of the two new nuclear power plants being built at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro.

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Despite Georgia Power’s early confidence about staying on track, the massive nuclear expansion of Plant Vogtle south of Augusta is more than three years behind schedule.

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