b'2American Journal ofTransportation ajot.comNuclear days aheadIs completion of Vogtle just the beginningPROJECT CARGO BI-ANNUALfor U.S. nuclear energy?By Gary Burrows, AJOT As the first U.S. commercial nuclear reactors in more than 30 years come online, the U.S. gov-ernment and energy companies see further devel-opment as a major tool in reducing carbon, despite some hiccups along the way.GeorgiaPowerreportedthatitsPlantVogtle Unit 3 in Waynesboro, Georgia, entered commercial operation on July 31. The energy utility also said the process has started to load fuel into the Vogtle Unit 4 reactor core, with the unit to be placed into service by the first quarter of 2024.Vogtle Units 3 and 4 will operate two Westing-houseAP1000(AdvancedPassive)nuclearunits of about 1.1 gigawatts each, providing power for 1 million Georgia homes and businesses. The U.S. DepartmentofEnergybelievestheprojectwill reduce carbon emissions by 1 million metric tons in 2030.TheWestinghouseAP1000isaGeneration III+ advanced pressurized water reactor that relies ongravityandnaturalcirculationforcorecool-ing, even in the absence of operator intervention or mechanical assistance, said Bechtel, the Houston-basedengineering,procurement,andconstruction giant that in 2017 stepped in to complete the Vogtle project. The units are designed and licensed to oper-ate for 60 years.M odularizationC hallengesThe Westinghouse AP1000 was seen as an evo-lutionary approach, which would provide a modular design in which modules would be manufactured off-siteandassembledonsite.Theplantswould have a smaller footprint and simpler design with less piping, valves, and pumps than previous designs.WorkbeganonUnits3and4in2009,with Westinghouseresponsibleforengineering,design and overall management, and Baton Rouge, Louisi-ana-based Shaw Group (later CB&I) to manufacture the pre-fabricated component modules and manage on-site construction.Unit 3 was expected to be operational by 2016; Unit 4 by 2017. But the modularization approach did not go as planned. Delays, including redesign of the containment building in 2012, ultimately forced Westinghouse into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2017 when it couldnt absorb the overruns.SouthernNuclear,aSouthernCo.division, took control of the Vogtle 3 and 4 site July 2017 and selected Bechtel to complete construction in August 2017.Units 3 and 4 were expected to cost US$14 bil-lion and be operational by 2017. However, the proj-ect was completed six years later and US$17 billion over budget.r esponsiblep artner Despite pushback from Georgia electric custom-erswho will largely foot the bill Georgia Power and parent company Southern Co. see the project as a triumph.The Plant Vogtle 3 and 4 nuclear expansion is another incredible example of how Georgia PowerHEAVY LIFTINGis building a reliable and resilient energy future for our state, said Kim Greene, chairman, president,DONE RIGHTand CEO of Georgia Power. It is important that we make these kinds of long-term investments and see them through so we can continue provid-ing clean, safe, reli-ableandaffordable energytoour2.7Our cargo-handling capabilities save time and money. million customers. Let the port thatworksPlantVogtle be your gateway to North America and beyond. willgeneratemore carbon-freeelectric-ityyearlythanany otherenergyfacil- 1000 Foust Road, Brownsville, TX 78521itycurrentlyoperat- (956) 831-4592(800) 378-5395inginthecountry, Kim Greene, chairman, presidentsaid Brendan Bechtel,portofbrownsville.com& CEO of Georgia Power chairmanandCEO (AHEADcontinued on page 4)'