Vogtle agreement reached, construction will continue

All four of the Vogtle 3 and 4 project co-owners (Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities) voted to continue construction of the two new nuclear units near Waynesboro on Wednesday.

The owners learned last month that costs would go up by another $2.3 billion. A clause in their contract requires that in such a case 90 percent of the owners must agree to move forward.

In connection with the votes to continue construction, all four of the coowners agreed to finalize and execute definitive agreements which helps mitigate financial exposure for each of them. The details are contained in Georgia Power’s current report on 8-K filed Wednesday.

The new units are the first to be built in the United States in more than 30 years and the only new nuclear units currently under construction in America. Expected online in November 2021 (Unit 3) and November 2022 (Unit 4), the new units are expected to generate enough emission-free electricity to power approximately 500,000 homes and businesses.

Today, Vogtle 3 and 4 is the largest jobs-producing construction project in the state of Georgia, according to a Georgia Power news release, employing more than 7,000 workers from across the country, with more than 800 permanent jobs available once the units begin operating.

ABOVE: Kathy Mathis (from left), Elaine Snow and Lisa Smith react to discussion of a proposed city smoking ordinance during the Office of Tourism board meeting Wednesday.

Photos by Doug Walker BELOW: Radiation oncologist Dr. J.C. Abdou explains the proposed ban on smoking on Broad.