Georgia Power has placed the nuclear reactor vessel inside Unit 4 containment at the Vogtle nuclear expansion project near Waynesboro, Georgia. Standing 35 feet tall, the reactor vessel functions as a heat source from the nuclear fission process to produce steam that will generate electricity for homes and businesses throughout Georgia.
The Vogtle nuclear expansion is being completed using components and materials from across the United States, as well as being delivered via an international supply chain. The 306-ton reactor vessel was fabricated by Doosan Heavy Industries in South Korea, shipped through the Port of Savannah and arrived at the construction site via train on a specialized rail car.
The placement of the reactor vessel is the latest milestone accomplished at the Vogtle site. Earlier this month, Georgia Power announced the placement of 2,400 cubic yards of concrete for the Unit 4 “turbine tabletop.” The company also recently filed the 18th Vogtle Construction Monitoring report with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) highlighting additional progress at the site through the end of 2017. The report also noted improved productivity with direct construction work tracking ahead of the plan to achieve the target in-service dates of November 2021 (Unit 3) and November 2022 (Unit 4).
