Cranberry Township, Pa.-based Westinghouse announced its second AP1000 nuclear reactor entered into commercial operation at Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro, Georgia Monday.
The Gen III+ advanced nuclear reactor was a major milestone for Southern Company, Georgia Power and other project partners at Vogtle 4, Westinghouse officials said. Vogtle 3, which entered commercial operation in July 2023, the site’s two existing pressurized water reactors, and Vogtle 4 will play a critical role in reaching a carbon-free future, the company said. Units 3 and 4 can each generate enough electricity to power an estimated 500,000 households and businesses.
“I am proud to announce the successful deployment of AP1000 technology for Vogtle Unit 4, making Plant Vogtle the largest source of clean energy in the United States,” Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse president & CEO, said. “As Unit 4 joins our global fleet of proven, state-of-the-art AP1000 reactors, I applaud the dedicated Vogtle team whose relentless work and continuous effort made this project a success. We are honored by the trust placed in Westinghouse by our customers throughout this project.”
Using the AP1000 reactor, the sites are transforming the global energy landscape and advancing transition to zero-emission energy systems.
The AP1000 reactor is also the only operation Gen III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and the smallest footprint per MWe on the market, Westinghouse officials said. In addition to the two AP1000 units at the Vogtle site, four AP1000 reactors are currently setting operational performance and availability records in China with eight additional reactors under construction. AP1000 technology is also destined for energy programs in Poland, Ukraine and Bulgaria, and under consideration for multiple sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, India and North America.