nuclear-news

Southern’s Nuclear Reactors May Be Delayed, Monitor Says, Bloomberg, By Julie Johnsson – May 31, 2012  Southern Co. (SO)’s new nuclear reactors face delays that may boost costs beyond the $14 billion budgeted, an independent construction monitor said.

The reactors, due to be completed in 2016 and 2017, are already running seven-and-a-half months late and could be set back further by “additional potential delays recently identified” by Southern’s construction partners, William Jacobs said in testimony filed on the Georgia Public Service (PEG) Commission’s website today.

Jacobs said the latest delays stem from improperly installed rebar and a design issue, the details of which were redacted from his testimony to protect trade secrets .

Southern and the three co-owners of the Vogtle nuclear construction, 26 miles southeast of Augusta, Georgia, “face significant challenges in maintaining the project forecast at or below” the budget approved by Georgia  regulators, Jacobs said. “A possible schedule delay as discussed above would impact the financing cost of the project.”….. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-31/southern-s-nuclear-construction-faces-added-delays-monitor-says.html