After a magnitude 4.1 earthquake rattled windows in Atlanta and Augusta, Ga., Friday, Southern Co. reported that the tremor did not affect its expanding Vogtle nuclear plant nearby.
The U.S. Geological Survey detected the earthquake at 10:23 p.m. and placed its epicenter at Edgefield, S.C., about 60 miles north of the plant. The ground motion at Vogtle was not severe enough to trip either of its operating reactors, a plant spokesman told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Crews checked the plant for problems and found none. Likewise, the quake does not appear to have affected reactor construction nearby.
Southern is leading the effort to add two new Westinghouse AP 1000 units at the site south of Augusta. They will join two existing Westinghouse reactors first licensed in the mid-1980s.