Southern's Vogtle Nuclear Plant Gets Early-Site Permit
26 August 2009 - 10:56PM
Dow Jones News
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued an early site
permit for two new reactors at Southern Co.'s (SO) Vogtle nuclear
plant in Georgia, Southern said Wednesday.
The permit, a key regulatory hurdle, allows Southern to begin
preliminary construction work at the site. The permit's issuance
means Southern's proposal has met certain environmental and safety
standards.
"This is an important step for the Vogtle project, because the
demand for electricity in the Southeast, and particularly in
Georgia, will continue to grow," said Mike Garrett, president and
CEO of Southern Co. utility Georgia Power.
The Vogtle project, expected to cost about $14 billion, is the
fourth to receive an early-site permit from the NRC. Southern filed
its permit application in 2006. The company has also filed for a
combined operating license to build and operate the 1,100-megawatt
reactors, which Southern expects to enter service in 2016 and
2017.
The Vogtle proposal is on a short list of nuclear projects that
the Department of Energy is considering for loan guarantees.
-By Christine Buurma, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2143;
christine.buurma@dowjones.com