Georgia nuclear project could get canceled

A massive nuclear power plant project under construction in Georgia could get canceled Tuesday if the partners in the project can’t agree on terms to keep it going.

Oglethorpe Power Corp., a Georgia utility, decided conditionally late Monday to keep working on the Plant Vogtle project.

{mosads}Vogtle, the only nuclear plant currently under construction in the United States, is now projected to cost $28 billion and is years behind schedule. A recent increase in the cost triggered a vote of the four partners.

Georgia Power, another utility involved in the project, rejected Oglethorpe’s demand for a new cap on the costs of the project.

“We hope Oglethorpe Power joins us in doing what is best for Georgia’s citizens and votes tomorrow to fulfill its obligation to complete this project, which is critical to Georgia’s energy future,” said Paul Bowers, CEO of Georgia Power, a unit of Southern Co.

“Instead of taking the long view, Oglethorpe Power is using the vote to try to burden others with its obligations and extract unreasonable concessions,” the company said.

Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, another partner, had voted earlier Monday to continue the project and criticized Oglethorpe for trying to get a cost cap.

“We are disappointed that Oglethorpe Power has not yet joined us in agreeing to complete the units for the future of Georgia,” said Jim Fuller, the group’s CEO. The city of Dalton, the fourth partner in Vogtle, also decided to keep going.

Oglethorpe now has to decide Tuesday whether to continue the project despite the lack of a cost cap.