22 Dec (NucNet): Georgia’s Public Service Commission has approved Georgia Power’s plans to complete the Vogtle-3 and -4 nuclear units whose future had been under threat because of cost overruns and the bankruptcy in the US of reactor supplier Westinghouse. Georgia Power said in a statement on 21 December 2017 that the PSC had voted unanimously to allow construction to continue after “months of review and evaluation”. PSC chairman Stan Wise said the decision came down to the importance of fuel diversity and the long term benefits the project would have. But he said approval was conditional on Congress approving roughly $800m (€675m) worth of tax credits for the project. Media reports said senators began laying the groundwork for approving the tax credits on Wednesday afternoon, when the finance committee introduced legislation that would effectively guarantee the $23bn project the credits. The two AP1000 units will be the nation's first new nuclear units in 30 years. The new units are co-owned by Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities and are the only new nuclear units under construction in the US. Georgia Power said Vogtle-3 is expected online in November 2021 and Vogtle-4 in November 2022. Paul Bowers, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power said the PSC had shown leadership in making “this complex and difficult decision”. In August 2017 the units’ owners recommended to the PSC that construction continue. They said the recommendation was based on the results of a comprehensive schedule, cost and cancellation assessment that was prompted by the bankruptcy of former primary Vogtle contractor Westinghouse in March 2017.
