22 Nov (NucNet): Georgia Power said workers at its Vogtle plant expansion project in the US yesterday completed placement of basemat structural concrete for the nuclear island at unit 4, the second new Westinghouse AP1000 unit at the site.
It was the fourth new nuclear unit to begin construction this year in the US, following the basemat pours in March for Vogtle-3 and South Carolina Electric & Gas’s Virgil C. Summer-2, and Virgil C. Summer-3 earlier this month.
Georgia Power said the basemat concrete placement was completed in just under 41 hours, matching the best time achieved worldwide for the AP1000.
Georgia Power expects Vogtle-3 to begin commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2017, followed a year later by Vogtle-4.
Eight AP1000 reactors are now under construction at Vogtle, Virgil C. Summer, and at Sanmen and Haiyang in China. Westinghouse said “significant progress” is being achieved in the construction of all eight units at these locations.
