| NEWS commercial operation Vogtle 3 begins


round up


NEW BUILD KAZAKHSTAN’S ENERGY MINISTRY has provided an update on conducted studies related to the choice of reactor technologies and siting for Kazakhstan’s first NPP. The Ministry said that Ulken village in the Zhambyl district of Almaty region was the most preferred locality.


GOVERNOR OF RUSSIA’S Voronezh Region, Alexander Gusev and Director of the Novovoronezh NPP, Vladimir Povarov, have agreed to accelerate the construction of the 5th stage of the plant. Construction of power units 8&9 will begin earlier than originally planned in order to put them into operation in 2032 and 2036.


Above: Vogtle Units 3 and 4 are the first new nuclear units to be built in the US in over 30 years


Unit 3 of Georgia Power’s Vogtle NPP, the first new reactor to start-up in the USA since 2016, finally began commercial operation on 31 July. The unit was connected to the electricity grid in April and reached full power on 30 May but commercial operation was delayed because of a problem in the hydrogen system that is used to cool its main electrical generator. Georgia Power said the in-service date


for Vogtle 4 is expected during late fourth quarter 2023 or the first quarter 2024. The unit completed hot functional testing in May, in significantly less time than unit 3 “as the team continues leveraging best practices and learnings from the earlier unit”. Fuel loading began at Vogtle 4 after Southern Nuclear received the 103(g) finding from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) certifying that the new unit had been constructed and will be operated in conformance with the Combined License and NRC regulations. Following fuel load loading, start-up testing will begin to demonstrate the integrated operation of the primary coolant system and steam supply system at design temperature and pressure with fuel inside the reactor. Operators will bring the plant from cold shutdown to initial criticality, synchronise the unit to the grid and systematically raise power to 100%. Vogtle 3&4 are both 1,117 MWe Westinghouse


AP1000 pressurised water reactors (PWRs). Units 1&2 (1,215 MWe reactors also supplied by Westinghouse) were completed in 1987 and 1989. In 2009, the US Nuclear Regulatory Authority renewed their licences for an additional 20 years. Georgia Public Service Commission approved the new reactors for the Vogtle expansion that year and construction activities began. Vogtle 3&4 were originally expected to cost


about $14bn and to enter service in 2016 and 2017 but suffered a series of delays, including as


a result of Westinghouse’s bankruptcy in 2017. The total cost of the project to build Vogtle 3&4 is now put at more than $30bn. “The Plant Vogtle 3 & 4 nuclear expansion is another incredible example of how Georgia Power is building a reliable and resilient energy future for our state,” said Kim Greene, Chairman, President and CEO of Georgia Power. “It is important that we make these kinds of long- term investments and see them through so we can continue providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to our 2.7 million customers.” Chris Womack, President & CEO of Southern


Company said: “With unit 3 completed, and unit 4 in the final stages of construction and testing, this project shows just how new nuclear can and will play a critical role in achieving a clean energy future for the United States.” Westinghouse President & CEO Patrick


Fragman said Westinghouse will continue to work closely with the team as Southern Nuclear prepares for the next major milestone of synchronising the unit to the electric grid, which will be followed by full commercial operation. “We can do new nuclear energy in America, and we must continue to do new nuclear in America,” he said. “The lessons-learned, and the experience gained through these vital units at Vogtle, as well as the competencies and capabilities we built with our supply chain, prepare Westinghouse well for continued new nuclear units to address our climate change and energy security objectives.” The announcement came a few days after


the NRC issued a 103(g) finding authorising fuel loading and the start of operations at Vogtle 4, which is now in the final stages of construction and testing. The 157 fuel assemblies that will make up the first core are already on site. Georgia Power said, with all four units in


operation, it will become the largest generator of clean energy in the USA. ■


PGE PAK ENERGIA submitted an application to Poland’s  decision-in-principle on construction of a NPP with at least two Korean-supplied APR1400 reactors in the Patnów-Konin region of Wielkopolska province.


BRAZIL’S GOVERNMENT WILL study the feasibility of completing Angra 3, according to the new Growth Acceleration   allocated. Construction of Angra 3 with a Siemens/KWU 1405 MWe PWR began in 1984 work was suspended several times.


ROSATOM HAS DELIVERED the reactor  Tianwan NPP in Jiangsu province. The RPV arrived at the construction site one day after four steam generators, three casings of the main circulating pump unit and a bubbler were delivered.


CONCRETING OF THE foundation slab of the reactor building for unit 4 of the Akkuyu NPP under construction in Turkiye has been completed, according to   construction of the walls of the reactor shaft, where a melt trap will be installed.


INSTALLATION OF EIGHT passive heat  has been completed at unit 1 of the Rooppur NPP being build by Rosatom in  metal structure weighing over 32 tonnes, 8.530 metres long and 5.904 metres wide.


CHINA’S STATE COUNCIL has approved construction of six nuclear power units: units 5&6 of the Ningde NPP in Fujian province; units 1&2 of the Shidaowan NPP in Shandong province, and units 1&2 of the Xudabao NPP in Liaoning province. The total investment in the construction of the six approved power units is estimated at 


www.neimagazine.com | September 2023 | 7


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