Southern Nuclear Operating Company has selected the Vogtle site in Georgia, USA for consideration as a host for new nuclear units.
Southern Nuclear has officially notified the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of the selection and announced that in summer 2006 it will file either an application for an Early Site Permit (ESP) at Vogtle or pre-Combined Operating License (COL) information. The intention is to give the NRC notice of demands that will be placed upon it by an ultimate COL application by Southern Nuclear.
Vogle is owned by Georgia Power, Oglethorp Power Corporation, the Municipal Electric authority of Georgia and the City of Dalton. Southern Nuclear operate the two 1212MWe PWR units on site which was originally intended to host four.
The NRC issue ESPs to sites shown to be suitable for nuclear build while the streamlined COL scheme should enable a constructing utility to commission its new plant much faster after construction. The work for an ESP can also be done as part of the COL process. Any new build at Vogtle would also require the permission of the Georgia Public Service Commission.
