Google has signed an agreement with U.S. utility Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company. The agreement stipulates that the IT giant will help increase the capacity of two nuclear power plants, Report Data center updates. As a result, Georgia’s overall grid will receive an additional 96 MW of installation capacity. The agreement covers Vogtle in Burke County (4.5-4.8 GW) and Hatch near Baxley (1.8 GW).
The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) has not yet approved the increased capacity, and Google will be subject to a separate tariff schedule. Capacity increases (Extended Power Boost, EPU) for Vogtle Generator Units 1 and 2 have been approved for 2025. Hatch’s two generating units have yet to be approved.
Google said these long-term investments stimulate local economic development and accelerate the adoption of clean energy. Furthermore, this clearly demonstrates that new capacity can be gained by modernizing existing nuclear power plants. Georgia Power reports that the increase in power will be achieved by upgrading power plant equipment: turbines, pumps, cooling systems and more. Therefore, nuclear reactors will be able to operate with increased levels of permitted thermal power generation, which will also provide an increase in electricity.
Image source: Georgia Power
This is just one of many Google deals involving nuclear energy. Previously the company draw conclusions Signed a 22-year PPA with Finnish company Fortum sign The power purchase agreement with NextEra Energy purchases electricity from the Duane Arnold Energy Center nuclear power plant in Iowa. And Google sign 200 MW PPA with Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) merging power and PPA 50MWh Partnering with Kairos Power, a developer of small modular reactors (SMRs). Finally there is Elementl Power locking Strategic Agreement on the Implementation of Three Nuclear Subprojects in the United States.
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