The 1.4 million-pound steam generator was lifted into the unit three nuclear island, which was the first major lift under the recently established service agreement with Westinghouse.
The deal is said to place Southern Nuclear as in charge of oversight activities at the construction site. Southern Nuclear is the Southern Company subsidiary, which operates the existing units at Plant Vogtle.
With around 80ft long, steam generators are heat exchangers that will help to convert water into steam by using the heat generated in a nuclear reactor core.
Each new AP1000 unit at Plant Vogtle needs two steam generators. They were fabricated in South Korea and transported to the site through the Port of Savannah and then via rail.
Other recent advancements at the project includes the placement of the first of four 85,000 pound accumulator tanks for the new units, as well as the KQ22 and KQ23 modules within the unit three containment vessel.
Georgia Power holds 45.7% stake in the new nuclear units, while other stake holders include Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities.
By the end of this month, Georgia Power intends to complete its comprehensive schedule and cost-to-complete assessment, as well as cancellation cost assessment for the Vogtle nuclear expansion project.
As part of the 17th Vogtle Construction Monitoring (VCM) report, the final recommendation is expected to be filed with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), helping to determine the best path forward for customers.
Image: Georgia Power has installed first steam generator at the Vogtle nuclear expansion project. Photo: courtesy of PRNewsFoto / Georgia Power.
