15 Mar (NucNet): The pouring of first concrete was completed yesterday for the first of two new Westinghouse AP1000 reactor units at the Vogtle nuclear plant site in the US state of Georgia, Georgia Power said.
The pouring means that in the span of a few days, the foundations have been successfully completed for two new AP1000 units in the southeastern US – the first new nuclear plants to start construction in the country in three decades.
On 11 March, South Carolina Electric & Gas completed a similar foundation pour for its new Virgil C. Summer-2 unit, also an AP1000. That pour marked the first time a power reactor basemat has been poured in the US in 30 years.
The pour for the basemat at Vogtle started at about 21.00 local time on 12 March and was finished about 14.00 on 14 March, a total of about 41 hours, Georgia Power said.
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.
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