Nuclear News: Plant Vogtle's Unit 3 has reached maximum energy output

Georgia Power announced Monday that Plant Vogtle's Unit 3 reached 100% energy output. This marks the first time the unit has reached its expected output of approximately 1,100 megawatts of electricity, which can power about 500,000 homes and businesses.

Unit 3 is expected to be placed in service in June. In the meantime, it is undergoing a full range of tests to ensure the unit can safely run at various power levels over the next 60 to 80 years.

This has been a longtime coming as the expansion project to add Units 3 and 4 was first authorized in 2009 and has been hit with multiple delays and cost overruns since. The initial plan was to bring Unit 3 online in 2016 and Unit 4 the year after. Unit 3 began producing electricity in April. U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan said last month that Unit 4 should be online in December. It has cost more than double the projected $14 billion.

Georgia Power spokesman John Kraft said in his Monday news release that the new units are essential to the company's commitment to delivering energy to its 2.7 million customers. Southern Nuclear will operate the new units on behalf of the co-owners: Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities.

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This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle Unit 3 reaches maximum energy output