The expansion of Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro is further underway, as Vogtle Unit 3 has safely reached initial criticality, Georgia Power announced Monday, March 6.
Initial criticality is the state in which a nuclear chain reaction becomes self-sustaining for the first time and is required to generate enough heat to produce electricity. The atoms are being split, nuclear heat is generated, and can then produce steam. This period in the startup testing sequence demonstrates that operators have safely started the nuclear reaction inside the reactor.
“We remain focused on safely bringing this unit online, fully addressing any issues and getting it right at every level. Reaching initial criticality is one of the final steps in the startup process and has required tremendous diligence and attention to detail from our teams,” said Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. “When you consider the history of safe and reliable operations at Vogtle Units 1 and 2 for decades now, it puts today’s milestone in perspective that Plant Vogtle will be a four-unit site making it the largest of its kind in the U.S. This is a truly exciting time as we prepare to bring online a new nuclear unit that will serve our state with clean and emission-free energy for the next 60 to 80 years.”
The fuel load into the Vogtle Unit 3 reactor core began in October 2022, roughly two months after the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission confirmed that it had been constructed. Startup testing commenced soon after, and Southern Nuclear projected the unit would enter service by May or June of this year.
A hiccup in January threatened to push back the anticipated service date, when the company discovered pipes within Unit 3’s cooling system were vibrating during startup testing, and so filed a report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Since the Unit 3 reactor has now reached criticality, operators will continue to raise power in order to synchronize the generator to the electric grid and begin producing electricity, increasing power until reaching 100%.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
