After years of delay and bankruptcy of Westinghouse Electric, Georgia Power with the help of the United States Government have officially decided to proceed with the expansion of Plant Vogtle. The decision comes after months of debate and extensive research.

The U.S. Department of Energy has proposed additional funding in the form of loan guarantees that will finance the construction of two advanced nuclear reactors. Though the $3.7 billion in federal backing is conditional, the approval has generated the support of most Georgia Public Commissioners. Georgia Power, who is the primary shareholder will receive $1.67 billion, Oglethorpe Power will be provided $1.6 billion, and affiliate organizations such as the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia will be awarded $415 million.

The Vogtle project will be the first of its kind to be licensed and begin infrastructure in over thirty years. Both reactors are representative of recent nuclear technologies that aim to advance fuel diversity and fight climate change. Plant Vogtle, located in Waynesboro, Georgia near the South Carolina boarder is expected to generate 3,500 construction jobs, and 800 permanent jobs. The Vogtle project will provide roughly 17,200,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy and will also prevent carbon dioxide emissions.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 provides the Department of Energy with funding to support energy proficient initiatives. If approved, the loan guarantees used to aid the Vogtle project will be the first distributed since the establishment of the Advanced Nuclear Energy Projects Solicitation in 2014.

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