Pressurizer set inside Vogtle Unit 3 containment vessel

Another key milestone for Georgia Power's Vogtle nuclear expansion project was achieved earlier this month with the placement of the Unit 3 pressurizer, which will provide pressure control inside the reactor coolant system once the unit begins operating. The 225,000-pound pressurizer for Vogtle Unit 3 arrived via rail at the construction site in August 2014. The component was fabricated in Italy and shipped to the Port of Savannah, before being loaded onto a railcar for the final leg of its journey. View a time-lapse video of the placement on Georgia Power's YouTube channel.

This latest milestone continues momentum at the site of the only new nuclear units under construction in the U.S. In December, 1,300 cubic yards of concrete was placed inside the Unit 4 containment vessel in a continuous placement that lasted 21 hours. In November, the last of the "Big 6" modules for the project was placed – the Unit 4 CA02 module, which will make up the in-containment refueling water storage tank.

Georgia Power has also released the latest Vogtle Timeline video highlighting safety, progress and efficiency at the Vogtle site for the fourth quarter of 2017. More than 6,000 workers are onsite working on the nation's only new nuclear units and focused on increased productivity and safe, high-quality construction.

Also available on Georgia Power's YouTube Channel, the new Vogtle Timeline video includes: 

• The Georgia Public Service Commission's unanimous approval of Georgia Power's recommendation to complete Vogtle 3 and 4 (see more information below).
• Construction progress through the fourth quarter of 2017, highlighting recent milestones including the placement of nearly 1,300 cubic yards of concrete inside the Unit 4 containment vessel, and the placement of the last "Big 6" module for the project, the 52-ton CA02 module for Unit 4.
• Plant Vogtle's continued support of local communities through volunteer efforts, charitable donations and the Vogtle Energy Education Center.
• Comments from Mark Rauckhorst, executive vice president for the Vogtle 3 and 4 project, and Joe Klecha, Vogtle 3 and 4 project director, as both recap a memorable 2017, and look forward to the exciting year ahead.

In addition, Georgia Power has added an exciting new feature to its website to provide viewers an exclusive look inside Vogtle units 3 and 4.

The online aerial tour features several vantage points around the site, allowing the user to zoom in on several key areas of units 3 and 4, including the containment vessels, turbine buildings and cooling towers.

The tour is accessible from the Vogtle 3 and 4 showcase section of the georgiapower.com website.

Follow the progress being made at the project with new photos added from the Vogtle nuclear expansion site each month in the Plant Vogtle 3 and 4 Online Photo Gallery.