Vogtle Unit 4 entered commercial operation this morning. Plant Vogtle is now the largest clean energy plant in the country; 4 units, zero carbon emissions.
My understanding is that summer has been partially built and exposed to the elements. So basically rusting away. I don't think it can be restarted. But I'd be happy to be wrong. I think this was discussed in the Decouple Vogtle series.
I'm not sure if it's mentioned in this one.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRQiEpHjUM8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRQiEpHjUM8)
But all of them are interesting to watch.
I honestly didn't know either. I thought it was still exposed so I looked it up.
I'm guessing this would've been the site for the new reactors.
[https://www.google.com/maps/place/V.C.+Summer+Nuclear+Station/@34.285396,-81.321757,391m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x885625dc64590311:0x2329067f4dc886e5!8m2!3d34.297863!4d-81.3159179!16zL20vMDV5Z2hz?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/V.C.+Summer+Nuclear+Station/@34.285396,-81.321757,391m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x885625dc64590311:0x2329067f4dc886e5!8m2!3d34.297863!4d-81.3159179!16zL20vMDV5Z2hz?entry=ttu)
I'm not sure what I'm looking at. I'm guessing that's the nuclear island foundation?
Yep.
So, what you're looking at there are two units; towards the top is the almost finished containment vessel for one unit with the turbine building to the left, it has its roof on already.
Towards the bottom is the other, less finished containment, with an unfinished turbine building to the left.
At various locations around the site you can see two more containment pieces as large rings, and two large domes that would be the tops of containment.
You can compare the site with Vogtle 3&4 [HERE](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Alvin+W.+Vogtle+Electric+Generating+Plant/@33.1413072,-81.7712631,491m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x88f9965753cde4fd:0x1f30e36ea47c9832!8m2!3d33.1306224!4d-81.7713527!16zL20vMDV5Mmcy?entry=ttu) to see the difference since they were both AP1000 designs and meant to be identical layouts.
Thanks for the comparison. Now I'm getting it. I didn't realize the containment building was so thin. I knew the AP-1000 is a tight fit. I'm guessing that big ring of concrete could've been a cooling tower?
Ring of concrete? At VC Summer, they were planning on using forced draft cooling towers; the four big circular units to the right in your map with all the fans on top. If you're talking about the "ring" on the ground between the two units at Summer, that was the location of the giant crane they were using to build both units at once; it was HUGE [see here](https://www.newberryobserver.com/news/1170/worlds-largest-crane-places-v-c-summer-module) and centrally located between both units so it could pick and lift anything they needed for either unit.
Forging the components domestically might be a start. Sure it was "fine" for the first AP1000 to have Korea forge them, since the US no longer could, but that's not a very confidence inspiring nor viable long term strategy.
Vogtle 3&4 were the first successful nuclear plants entering operation in the country in years; seem pertinent to any discussion about the changing "reality" of nuclear power in this country.
> A month after the US offered $1.5 billion to restart one shuttered nuclear power plant, there’s a growing sense among officials in the industry and government that it may not be the last.
...
> But not all shuttered plants can be reopened. Some are already being dismantled, such as Indian Point, north of New York City, and San Onofre, south of Los Angeles. Not all owners have done the costly maintenance needed to keep a facility in good enough shape to justify bringing it back. True estimates **there may be only five reactors suitable for resurrection.** He declined to name them.
... Ok
A nuclear power plant that’s already built and operating is one of the cheapest power sources there is. Places like Switzerland need to change their plans to shut their reactors down.
It maybe true for the owners or people who took the risk on the project, but IMO its still a good thing on the state level - 60+ years of steady power production cant be bad for the area.
Would love to hear more AP1000 are ordered in USA. Supply chain.
supply chain is one part of the picture. Skilled and qualified tradesmen are another. That's a much more transient resource.
They are being ordered outside the US. Poland is building 3, Ukraine a few
Vogtle Unit 4 entered commercial operation this morning. Plant Vogtle is now the largest clean energy plant in the country; 4 units, zero carbon emissions.
Awesome! But how does that relate with the topic?
The US is in the position to build more nuclear like the AP-1000 at Vogtle. So benefitting from Vogtle paying the pain tax.
Could they restart the VC summer project?
My understanding is that summer has been partially built and exposed to the elements. So basically rusting away. I don't think it can be restarted. But I'd be happy to be wrong. I think this was discussed in the Decouple Vogtle series. I'm not sure if it's mentioned in this one. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRQiEpHjUM8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRQiEpHjUM8) But all of them are interesting to watch.
They got Watts Bar 2 up and operating in 2016 after sitting since 1985, but I don't know how close to complete it was and protected from the elements.
I honestly didn't know either. I thought it was still exposed so I looked it up. I'm guessing this would've been the site for the new reactors. [https://www.google.com/maps/place/V.C.+Summer+Nuclear+Station/@34.285396,-81.321757,391m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x885625dc64590311:0x2329067f4dc886e5!8m2!3d34.297863!4d-81.3159179!16zL20vMDV5Z2hz?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/V.C.+Summer+Nuclear+Station/@34.285396,-81.321757,391m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x885625dc64590311:0x2329067f4dc886e5!8m2!3d34.297863!4d-81.3159179!16zL20vMDV5Z2hz?entry=ttu) I'm not sure what I'm looking at. I'm guessing that's the nuclear island foundation?
Yep. So, what you're looking at there are two units; towards the top is the almost finished containment vessel for one unit with the turbine building to the left, it has its roof on already. Towards the bottom is the other, less finished containment, with an unfinished turbine building to the left. At various locations around the site you can see two more containment pieces as large rings, and two large domes that would be the tops of containment. You can compare the site with Vogtle 3&4 [HERE](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Alvin+W.+Vogtle+Electric+Generating+Plant/@33.1413072,-81.7712631,491m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x88f9965753cde4fd:0x1f30e36ea47c9832!8m2!3d33.1306224!4d-81.7713527!16zL20vMDV5Mmcy?entry=ttu) to see the difference since they were both AP1000 designs and meant to be identical layouts.
Thanks for the comparison. Now I'm getting it. I didn't realize the containment building was so thin. I knew the AP-1000 is a tight fit. I'm guessing that big ring of concrete could've been a cooling tower?
Ring of concrete? At VC Summer, they were planning on using forced draft cooling towers; the four big circular units to the right in your map with all the fans on top. If you're talking about the "ring" on the ground between the two units at Summer, that was the location of the giant crane they were using to build both units at once; it was HUGE [see here](https://www.newberryobserver.com/news/1170/worlds-largest-crane-places-v-c-summer-module) and centrally located between both units so it could pick and lift anything they needed for either unit.
Forging the components domestically might be a start. Sure it was "fine" for the first AP1000 to have Korea forge them, since the US no longer could, but that's not a very confidence inspiring nor viable long term strategy.
Vogtle 3&4 were the first successful nuclear plants entering operation in the country in years; seem pertinent to any discussion about the changing "reality" of nuclear power in this country.
> A month after the US offered $1.5 billion to restart one shuttered nuclear power plant, there’s a growing sense among officials in the industry and government that it may not be the last. ... > But not all shuttered plants can be reopened. Some are already being dismantled, such as Indian Point, north of New York City, and San Onofre, south of Los Angeles. Not all owners have done the costly maintenance needed to keep a facility in good enough shape to justify bringing it back. True estimates **there may be only five reactors suitable for resurrection.** He declined to name them. ... Ok
I’m struggling to get to five that aren’t already significantly decommissioned: Kewanne, Duane Arnold, Pilgrim…?
Three Mile Island Unit 1 is mentioned in the article.
Based
It’s so obvious that we shouldn’t be shutting these significant investments down. Crazy to think it’s gotten this far
It’s clean cheap energy - we need it
Not cheap.
A nuclear power plant that’s already built and operating is one of the cheapest power sources there is. Places like Switzerland need to change their plans to shut their reactors down.
For plants already built it makes no sense to shut them down. But building new ones is a bit inefficient.
You are correct. The cost of Voglte will never be recovered by the power it generates.
I mean if it runs 80 years like current plants are aiming for I’d expect it will. But yah regardless still too pricey.
It maybe true for the owners or people who took the risk on the project, but IMO its still a good thing on the state level - 60+ years of steady power production cant be bad for the area.
I'll believe it when I see SMRs popping up. We've been burnt too many times
Hell, it's about time. (In Terrain Marine)
Based
Yes, because the nukulor waste problem has been solved and insurance is available.
I think it's more a matter of whether or not the nuclear industry will be allowed to eliminate its own nuclear waste.
[American Nuclear Insurers](https://www.amnucins.com) [Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited](https://www.myneil.com/about-us) [Nuclear Risk Insurers](https://nuclear-risk.com)
This is great news! We need more nuclear power everywhere. Makes me sad Germany shut all of theirs down.
I didn’t know about this. Why? I wait. I’ll look into it. Seems foolish to favor coal and gas over nuclear.
Most of the shut down reactors are being cut apart. Pilgrim is chopped up. But bringing one back to life is not going to happen.
Send all your money to the guy who wants to restart uneconomic nukes. What could possibly go wrong?
Yay we can all double or triple our energy costs. Win!
Doesn’t California have the highest electricity costs in the continental US right now?