Georgia Power has completed cold hydro testing for the second of two additional nuclear reactors being built at Plant Vogtle, confirming the reactor’s coolant system functions as designed.
The completion of cold hydro testing is required to support the last major test remaining at the facility’s Unit 4, hot functional testing, which Georgia Power expects to begin by the end of the first quarter of 2023.
Meanwhile, the first of the new reactors, Unit 3, is due to go into service early next year. If the units go online in 2023, they will be seven years behind schedule and cost billions of dollars over the original estimated $14 billion dollar price tag.
Georgia Power officials say the two new units are expected to power more than 500,000 homes and businesses with emission-free energy.
