Georgia Power announced the latest milestones at the Vogtle nuclear expansion near Waynesboro, Georgia – the placement of the third and final ring that comprises the Unit 3 containment vessel, and the placement of the fourth and final reactor coolant pump (RCP) for Unit 3. 

Weighing just under 2 million pounds, approximately 38 feet high and with a diameter of 130 feet, the ring is the fourth of five sections that make up the containment vessel, a high-integrity steel structure that houses critical plant components. Click here to view a time-lapse video of the placement. The fifth and final piece – the containment vessel top head – is expected to be placed in 2019.

In addition, the 375,000-pound RCP was recently placed inside the Unit 3 containment vessel. The RCPs are mounted to the steam generator and serve a critical part of the reactor coolant system, circulating water from the steam generator to the reactor vessel, allowing sufficient heat transfer for safe plant operation. The pumps, coupled with each steam generator in the AP1000 reactor design, can be operated at variable speeds during the reactor's heat-up and cool-down processes. During regular operations, each RCP runs at 1,800 revolutions per minute.

"These milestones further demonstrate the significant progress we continue to make at the construction site as we remain focused on the safe, quality construction of these new units," said Vogtle 3 & 4 Construction Senior Vice President Glen Chick.

With more than 7,000 workers onsite, Vogtle 3 & 4 is currently the largest jobs-producing construction project in the state of Georgia.