Coming online: Plant Vogtle unit generates electricity

A nuclear reactor and two cooling towers are shown at Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant Friday, Jan. 20, 2023, in Waynesboro, Ga. Georgia Power Co. is again delaying the projected startup for two new units at its Vogtle nuclear power plant near Augusta, saying its share of the costs will rise by a projected additional $200 million. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) (John Bazemore, Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla – JEA says electricity has been produced and added to the grid from Plant Vogtle.

Georgia Power says the generator at Vogtle Unit 3 has generated electricity for the first time.

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Meanwhile, at Vogtle Unit 4, nuclear operators began hot functional testing last month. Both achievements represent significant steps toward operations.

JEA says once the units are online, Plant Vogtle will add zero carbon emissions to the energy mix.

The plant Vogtle site has had its issues for the past decade. JEA is responsible for $3 billion of its cost and that bill is coming due soon.

Plant Vogtle was discussed during a JEA Board meeting last week. Rate increases could be on the way for customers.

“In the long run, part of the reason we had the rate change was in order to help fund and pay for Plant Vogtle and we will have some future rate increases in the next couple of years, again, in large part to address the cost of Plant Vogtle when it provides us clean energy for years to come,” said JEA CEO Jay Stowe.

The total cost of the project to build a third and fourth reactor at Vogtle will cost all its owners more than $30 billion. Georgia Power owns 45.7% of the project, while Oglethorpe Power Corp. owns 30%, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia owns 22.7% and the city of Dalton owns 1.6%.


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