The startup of the Vogtle-3 nuclear power plant in Georgia will be delayed because its operator found a vibrating pipe in the cooling system during testing.
Georgia Power, the lead owner of the Vogtle nuclear power station, said Vogtle-3 is now scheduled to begin generating electricity for the grid in April. The Westinghouse-supplied 1,117 MW AP1000 unit had previously given a startup deadline of March.
The problem was found during startup testing in a pipe that is part of the reactor’s automatic depressurisation system, said Georgia Power spokesperson Jacob Hawkins. He said the pipe needs to be braced with additional support. “It’s not a safety issue,” he said.
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