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Vogtle Expansion Cost Jumps Again; In-Service Dates Set for 2023

July 28, 2022

Southern Co. on July 28 increased its cost estimate for Georgia Power’s share of the two-unit expansion of the Vogtle nuclear plant.

Southern, during an investor presentation of the company’s second-quarter financial results, said Georgia Power’s share of capital costs for the project has risen by $ 52 million, to about $ 10.5 billion in total. Georgia Power, the largest of four utilities owned by Southern Co., owns 45.7% of the project. The construction of Units 3 and 4 at Vogtle is years behind schedule, and the project’s price tag has ballooned to more than $ 30 billion, according to energy industry analysts.

The Vogtle expansion is adding two 1,117-MW Westinghouse AP1000 reactors to two existing units at the site in Waynesboro, Georgia. The project, when initially approved in 2009, was expected to cost about $ 14 billion, with the new reactors coming online in 2016 and 2017. Myriad issues have contributed to delays for the project, including the bankruptcy of Westinghouse and the coronavirus pandemic.…

Putting AI to Work for Better ESG Data

July 26, 2022

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Environment, social, and governance (ESG) reporting has never been easy—and with pressures rising from investors, corporate leaders, and the government, organizations are struggling to meet the needs of all stakeholders.

Facility managers must grapple with reaching and documenting progress toward ESG goals that align with the desires of sustainability-minded investors while boards and corporate leaders argue that ESG is expensive, ineffectual, and not worth the effort.

COMMENTARY

All the while, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is working harder than ever to promote more transparency in ESG reporting, with new rules that require at least 80% of assets in funds labeled for ESG to be used for that purpose.

The Problem with ESG Reporting

Despite the controversy ESG reporting begets, it is an important way for stakeholders to hold organizations accountable to the sustainability goals they set, especially as the climate crisis continues to worsen. The World Economic Forum explains that ESG reporting “provides evidence of the commitment to ESG targets and values by documenting carbon footprint, energy efficiency, pollution, human rights, and diversity and inclusion, within the organization and across the supply chain.”…

Ferris State University’s Construction Management Program Expands Its MEP Courses

July 24, 2022

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Ferris-State-University-mechanical-electrical-plumbing-MEP-trades-construction-program

The Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) trades make up a significant portion of a construction project’s budget, and MEP scope continues to grow in complexity and size as we get further into the 21st century. Depending on the type of project, the MEP scope can account for upwards of a third of an overall project’s budget. With that in mind, along with feedback from our industry partners, the Construction Management Program at Ferris State University saw a need to increase the amount of MEP content that was being taught in our construction technology and management degree programs.

After an in-depth curriculum review, two new courses that combine both lecture and lab components were added to the program to address the importance of the MEP trades; Electrical Construction Practices and Mechanical Construction Practices. Students have the opportunity to learn about mechanical and electrical systems, major types of materials and equipment, construction documents, installation techniques, relevant codes, and the testing and commissioning of these systems.…

UK Throws Support Behind Sizewell C Nuclear Plant Construction

July 22, 2022

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The UK government has given the go-ahead for construction of the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in southeast England, which officials have called an important project for the country to meet its net-zero climate goals.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on July 20 confirmed the government’s support, saying UK officials consider it a major infrastructure project for the country.

Sizewell C, which would be majority-owned by France utility EDF, would be built in Suffolk, a fishing village about 110 miles northeast of London that has been home to nuclear power at the Sizewell site for nearly 60 years. The plant is expected to have 3.2 GW of generation capacity, according to officials who on July 20 announced their support for the project. The plant is expected to feature two, 1,600-MW pressurized water (EPR) reactors.

Sizewell C is sited next to the existing Sizewell B nuclear plant, a 1,250-MW facility that has operated since 1995. Sizewell A, which came online in 1966, was closed at the end of 2006.…

GE’s Energy Business Will Have a New Name—Vernova

July 18, 2022

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General Electric (GE) is again announcing changes to its corporate structure, with the company on July 18 saying its energy and other businesses will operate under new brand names.

H. Lawrence Culp Jr., the company’s chairman and CEO, and CEO of GE Aerospace, on Monday said the strategy involves a planned separation into three groups, focused on energy, healthcare, and aviation. GE’s existing energy businesses, including its Power, Digital, Renewable Energy, and Energy Financial Services, will carry the brand name GE Vernova. GE Aerospace will be GE’s aviation business. The healthcare business will operate under the GE HealthCare banner.

“Today marks a key milestone in GE’s plan to become three independent, laser-focused companies,” said Culp. “Leveraging GE’s multi-billion-dollar global brand gives us a competitive advantage in our end markets, allowing these businesses to win in the future. Built on a foundation of lean and innovation, these brands will continue our mission of building a world that works and provide our customers with an important reminder of the strengths they value in GE.”…

JERA Readying to Start 1-GW Coal Plant as Japan Scrambles to Secure Power Supplies

July 16, 2022

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Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called for up to nine nuclear plants to be put into operation to mitigate tight supplies expected this winter. The country could meanwhile resume operation of more than 10 thermal power plants to ensure electricity security this summer, he said.

Kishida’s comments at a press conference on July 14 come as the nation grapples with a summer power crunch. Earlier this summer, the Japanese government issued an “electricity shortage alert” for the first time under a new system as parts of the nation, including Tokyo, Saitama, Tochigi, and Ibaraki prefectures, suffered record-high heat.

Security of country’s power supplies has been compounded by the slow startup of its nuclear power plants, which were shut down after the March 2011 Fukushima disaster, as well as retirements of aging thermal plants for environmental reasons. So far, only 10 of Japan’s 33 reactors are operating. Another seven have been cleared by the nation’s nuclear regulator.

The country is meanwhile suffering a surge in fuel prices, which stems from tight markets in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.…