Two Critical Floor Modules Placed at Vogtle Nuclear Expansion
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2018
Georgia Power announced the placement of two key floor modules at the Vogtle nuclear expansion near Waynesboro, Georgia. These module placements, referred to as CA35 and CA33, will be followed by large concrete placements inside the Unit 4 containment vessel.
Both CA35 and CA33 are floor modules supporting critical path work in the unit. CA35 is the roof above the accumulator and CA33 is the roof above the chemical volume control system. Weighing nearly 72 tons, the two modules bring the elevation inside containment to 107 feet – the elevation of the maintenance deck. Since placement, additional work will begin installing rebar on the north side of containment, which will be followed by a concrete placement. These milestones support the upcoming installation of structural steel pieces that support the subsequent floor elevation.
In addition, the second of four reactor coolant pumps (RCPs) has been placed inside the Unit 3 containment vessel where the nuclear components are housed. The 375,000-pound pumps 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.
Georgia Power has also released a new aerial video of the Vogtle expansion site. The video, available HERE, provides a bird's-eye view inside the nuclear containment areas of Units 3 and 4, as well as the turbine buildings where electricity will be generated.
With more than 7,000 construction workers on-site today, and more than 800 permanent jobs available once the units begin operating, Vogtle 3 and 4 is the largest jobs-producing construction project in the state of Georgia.