Two Years After Completion, Plant Vogtle Still Looms Over the Nuclear Debate
Key takeaways
- A view of Plant Vogtle’s four units in Waynesboro, Ga.
- Construction on Plant Vogtle in eastern Georgia began in 2009, marking the first new U.S. nuclear project in decades.
- The expansion, led by Georgia Power and a group of smaller utilities, was meant to meet rising electricity demand while diversifying the state’s energy mix.
Why this matters: environmental and climate reporting with long-term consequences.
Republish. A view of Plant Vogtle’s four units in Waynesboro, Ga. Credit: Georgia Power Related Maryland Passes Energy Bill That Delivers Short-Term Relief, Locks Ratepayers into Long-Term Nuclear Subsidy Upstate New York Communities Eye Nuclear Power Google Data Centers Will Bring Nuclear Power Back To Tornado Country Share This Article Republish Most Popular California’s Battery Array Is as Powerful as 12 Nuclear Power Plants. Here’s What’s on the Horizon. As a Colorado Aquifer Runs Low, Dangerous Heavy Metals Threaten Rural Communities’ Drinking Water A New Enbridge Pipeline Spurs Opposition in Central North Carolina As states across the country weigh a new wave of nuclear energy, many in Georgia are urging caution. Two years after Plant Vogtle’s newest reactors came online there, customers are still paying for the project—and many say they are not getting their money’s worth.
Construction on Plant Vogtle in eastern Georgia began in 2009, marking the first new U.S. nuclear project in decades. It was expected to be completed by 2017 at a cost of about $14 billion. Instead, it became a case study in delays and cost overruns.
The expansion, led by Georgia Power and a group of smaller utilities, was meant to meet rising electricity demand while diversifying the state’s energy mix. Nuclear power, unlike fossil fuels, generates electricity without direct carbon emissions.