Georgia nuclear plant can start loading fuel into second new reactor, feds say

abcnews.go.com:

Federal regulators have approved plans to load radioactive fuel into a second new nuclear reactor in Georgia

ATLANTA — Federal regulators have approved plans to load radioactive fuel into a second new nuclear reactor in Georgia.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Friday that Georgia Power Co. and its co-owners can begin loading fuel into unit 4 at Plant Vogtle, southeast of Augusta.

It's a key step toward completing the two-reactor project, which is seven years late and $17 billion over budget.

Georgia Power, a unit of Atlanta-based Southern Co. has said it anticipates loading fuel by the end of September.

The milestone comes as a Monday deadline nears for unit 3 to reach commercial operation. The current deadline to reliably send electricity to the grid came after a leaking turbine seal forced another month’s wait. The reactor was producing power at 98% of capacity on Friday, according to Nuclear Regulatory Commission records.

Two older reactors are also operating at Plant Vogtle.

Georgia Power said Friday that it’s making final preparations to load the 157 fuel assemblies into the reactor core. All of the fuel has already been inspected and is being stored at the site.

Once fuel is loaded, operators will conduct tests and begin splitting atoms, which creates the high temperatures that boil steam that drives turbines, which generates electricity. The company says unit 4 is supposed to reach commercial operation by March 2024.

In Georgia, almost every electric customer will pay for Vogtle. Georgia Power currently owns 45.7% of the reactors. Smaller shares are owned by Oglethorpe Power Corp., which provides electricity to member-owned cooperatives, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and the city of Dalton.