Unit 2 of the Watts Bar nuclear plant is most likely to start commercial operation in December 2015, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority.
The project also remained on scheduled and within its overall $4-4.5 billion budget, TVA said in its latest construction report, covering work carried out from February to April 2013.
It also noted that no new issues were identified that currently compromise completion.
Work over the next quarter is expected to include: simplifying work orders involving multiple systems and components; completing construction of several plant systems and detailed scheduling for electrical work and planning for open vessel testing, according to Mike Skaggs, TVA senior vice president for nuclear construction.
Construction of two 1100MWe Westinghouse PWR reactors at Watts Bar in southern Tennessee began in 1973, and carried on until 1985, when unit 1 was basically finished. Unit 1 was later completed and began operating in 1996. The resumed Watts Bar 2 construction project officially began in August 2007, with commercial operation slated for December 2015.
Photo: Watts Bar 2 construction in July 2014 (Source: TVA )
