Dive Brief:

• Georgia Power officials say plans to complete two new reactors at its Vogtle nuclear station are on track for 2019 and 2020, but added the schedule is "a great challenge."
• The Atlanta affiliate of National Public Radio reports the utility is seeking recovery of $160 million spent in the second half of last year to develop the facility.
• Discussing Georgia Power's long term plans and proposals for a new nuclear facility, PSC Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald said he is opposed to charging ratepayers $175 million to study the project.

Dive Insight:

Vogtle units 3 and 4 are years behind schedule, but while Georgia Power believes they are closing in on commercial operations, the utility is hesitant to make any guarantees.

“I’m not a betting guy. I’m not going to sit here and try and lay odds on this thing,” Vice President of nuclear development David McKinney said this week at a PSC hearing, reports an NPR affiliate. “What we’re telling you is we think it’s a very challenging schedule. We see nothing from the company’s standpoint, as we evaluate the contractor’s plans and schedules, we see nothing that tells us that they can’t make it.”

Last year, Georgia Power tapped Westinghouse to take over as lead contractor, finalizing the new inservice dates. 

NPR also reports Georgia regulators are skeptical that ratepayers should fund the utility's consideration of another nuclear plant. The utility has purchased land in Stewart County, Georgia, and wants to recover about the funds spent to study the project.

The PSC is currently considering Georgia Power's 20-year Integrated Resource Plan, which it filed in February. The utility told the commission that it routinely purchases real estate for possible future generation and is the largest landowner in the state.

“I am not going to let the ratepayers pay that $175 million,” Commissioner McDonald said this week. “Now if they explore, and it’s a good project, and it goes forward, they’re going to get it back anyway.”