One of Georgia Power’s two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle has been offline for a week after a valve problem that emerged in one of the unit’s cooling systems triggered a shutdown.
The reactor where the issue occurred is known as Unit 3 and is one of four nuclear units at the power plant near Waynesboro. Unit 3 has been in commercial operation since July 2023, when it became the first new nuclear reactor built from scratch to enter service in the U.S. in more than three decades.
A report filed with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the shutdown occurred in the early hours of Sept. 17, after a valve that helps remove heat from the reactor became stuck in the open position. The stuck valve automatically tripped the reactor and triggered the shutdown, but all safety systems responded normally and the unit was safely cooled down, the report says.
“At no time was the safety of the employees or community at risk,” a Georgia Power spokesman said in a statement.
The company spokesman said repairs to fix the issue have been completed, but would not disclose when Unit 3 might return to service, citing “competitive reasons.” As of Tuesday afternoon, the NRC’s power reactor status dashboard still showed Unit 3 at 0% power. At full tilt, each of the new Vogtle reactors can generate enough electricity to power about 500,000 homes and businesses.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
The recent snag is not the first technical problem Unit 3 has experienced in its short time in operation. In July, a problem with a pump that supplies feedwater to the unit’s steam generator knocked the reactor offline for more than a week.
The construction of the two new reactors was plagued by construction quality issues and other problems. The project reached the finish line roughly seven years later than expected and was completed at a total cost of around $35 billion, more than $20 billion more than what initially was forecast.
The Vogtle expansion’s full tab began hitting Georgia Power customers in June, leading to sharp bill increases for many. For the average residential ratepayer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month, Vogtle’s costs ultimately will have contributed to raising their monthly bills by about $15. For those who use more electricity, even larger increases are likely.
Georgia Power owns the largest share in the Vogtle expansion with 45.7%, followed by Oglethorpe Power (30%), the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (22.7%) and Dalton Utilities (1.6%). Most of Georgia Power’s portion of the project costs are coming out of ratepayers’ pockets.
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