Georgia Power has begun splitting atoms to produce heat inside the second of its two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle, a key milestone toward completion of the long-delayed project.
The step known as “initial criticality” means a self-sustaining fission reaction has started inside the reactor core of the unit, known as Unit 4. That reaction releases heat to produce steam that turns the unit’s turbines and eventually, will allow it to generate electricity.
Georgia Power said in a statement that operators will continue conducting tests as they raise power levels in the reactor before syncing the generator to the electric grid and beginning to send electrons out to homes and businesses across the state.
The news comes less than two weeks after the company announced a new delay at Unit 4, after vibrating pipes in one of the unit’s critical cooling systems were recently detected during start-up testing. The issue has been fixed, but Unit 4 is not expected to enter service until sometime between April and June. Previously, Georgia Power had said the unit would be finished by the end of March.
The new Vogtle units are the first new commercial reactors built from scratch in the U.S. in more than three decades. Unit 3 has been in service since last July and once Unit 4 is complete, the two reactors combined will produce enough carbon-free electricity to power 1million homes.