The open vessel testing has successfully demonstrated how water flows from the key safety systems into the reactor vessel ensuring the paths are not blocked or constricted. It also prepares Unit 3 for cold hydro testing and hot functional testing – both critical tests required ahead of initial fuel load.
The milestone has confirmed that the pumps, motors, valves, pipes and other components of the systems function as designed.
Georgia Power said “significant progress” is being made at the site with the project now 85% complete, and direct construction of Unit 3 now 90% complete. Milestones achieved in recent weeks include the placement of the Unit 4 polar crane and containment vessel top, signifying that all major lifts inside the containment vessels for both units are now complete.
Last month, in a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Georgia Power’s parent company, Southern Company, said the workforce at the Vogtle project was being reduced by about 20%, or roughly 1,800 employees, to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
In its filing, the company said this action would cost about $15m to $30m, but it does not expect the reduction to affect the total project capital cost forecast.
It said the schedule remains unchanged with in-service dates of November 2021 for Unit 3 and November 2022 for Unit 4.
The project to build two news Westinghouse AP1000 units at Vogtle began in 2009. The two plants are the only two commercial reactor units under construction in the US.