Snapshot

In February 2010, the Department of Energy offered a conditional commitment for an $8.33 billion loan guarantee to support the construction of the nation’s next generation of advanced nuclear reactors.  The Vogtle project will build two Westinghouse AP1000 Generation III reactors at Georgia Power’s Alvin W.  Vogtle Electric Generating Site, which currently has two older generation pressurized water reactors in operation.  The project is the first deployment of the Westinghouse AP1000 Generation III nuclear reactors in the U.S.

Innovation

The project is the first U.S. deployment of the Westinghouse AP1000 Generation III reactor.  The AP1000 was designed by Westinghouse as the next generation nuclear reactor that could provide a standardized design for the U.S. utilities market.  The reactor is an evolutionary improvement over existing reactors, featuring advanced safety components.  For example, the AP1000 can shutdown passively without external power or human intervention.  The AP1000 is built with modules manufactured off-site and then assembled onsite at Vogtle.   This improves quality and eases construction when compared to the last generation of nuclear reactors built in the U.S.  The AP1000 has a smaller footprint and uses less land than older designs.  It also provides an option for continued use of nuclear power, one of the few large-scale sources of baseload power that is carbon-free and does not generate greenhouse gases.

Development

This project will create 3,500 onsite construction jobs and will provide permanent 800 jobs once the units begin operation.

Impact

Upon completion, this project will generate enough electricity to power more than 1.5 million homes.  It will also avoid almost 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to the emissions of more than two million vehicles.