Plant Vogtle Unit 4 has become the standard reference facility for future AP1000 projects in the U.S. Westinghouse, the designer of the AP1000s, has asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to renew and update the design certification of the reactor following Unit 4’s as‑built configuration.

Vogtle Units 3 and 4 were first-of-a-kind in several respects: they were the first AP1000 units built in the U.S.; the first new construction of a U.S. nuclear facility in more than 30 years; the first units licensed under a new NRC licensing process; and the first to use fully passive safety systems, modular construction and a standard design.

Since coming online in 2023 and 2024, both units have demonstrated strong operational performance. Unit 4, in particular, achieved a 96.7% availability factor from the start of commercial operation to the first refueling outage, and an availability factor of 100% during the second fuel cycle through the end of 2025.

Using Vogtle Unit 4 as the standard reference unit for all new AP1000 projects, Westinghouse aims to accelerate new AP1000 combined license (COL) applications and deliver a faster deployment of AP1000 units.

In 2025, the U.S. government signed an $80 billion deal with Westinghouse to deploy 10 new AP1000 reactors across the U.S., with construction starting by 2030. The AP1000 technology also has been selected for nuclear energy programs in Poland, Ukraine and Bulgaria, and is under consideration at multiple other sites in Europe, the Middle East and North America.

The AP1000 reactors at Plant Vogtle Units 3 & 4 were an important evolution in nuclear design. They were the first AP1000 units built in the U.S., and the first to use fully passive safety systems, modular construction and a standard design.

The nuclear industry is now working towards several next generation advancements in reactor design that are smaller and more modular than the AP 1000 units. Many of these projects utilize non-water elements to cool the cores and provide greater safety.

These smaller designs allow for factory construction to provide more quality and schedule control at a lower cost. Their output typically is in the range of 50-300 MWs and they incorporate the passive safety systems introduced in the AP 1000 units.

The goal of these advancements is to have generation that is scalable, flexible and dispatchable so that it can follow loads. Since the reactors use non-water elements for cooling, they aren’t restricted by boiling temperatures and can generate more heat, achieving greater fuel utilization. The higher temperatures allow power and industrial uses. The lower pressure reduces the need for high-pressure materials, improving  safety with reduced risk of severe accidents, while lowering cost.

Types of New Nuclear Technologies

Micro Reactor – small reactors that produce up to 50 MWs, have a 10 to 15-year fuel cycle and are designed to be transportable by truck, rail or air. As such they can provide energy for military bases, mining operations, remote communities and areas impacted by natural disasters.

Light Water Reactor – a downsized version of a standard large water reactor that has a 12 to 24-month fuel cycle. These units are scalable and built with modular construction.

High Temperature Gas Reactor – uses helium to cool the reactor and uranium encased in graphite pebbles as the fuel. These reactors can be refueled while they are still online, and no cooling fluid is needed.

Liquid Metal Reactor – uses a liquid metal, such as sodium, to cool the reactor. The hot sodium also can be transferred to a thermal storage facility for later use, in addition to being used to create steam to turn a turbine.

Molten Chloride (salt) Reactor – doesn’t use fuel rods like a standard nuclear reactor. Instead, the uranium is mixed into the liquid salt which serves as the fuel. They also run at or near atmospheric pressure, eliminating the need for expensive, heavy pressure vessels. TerraPower, in partnership with Southern Company and Idaho National Laboratory, is one of the companies testing this technology.

Fusion Reactor – combines atoms to create energy, instead of splitting them like traditional nuclear reactors. This is seen as the pinnacle of nuclear energy as it produces no waste, it uses readily available and cheap hydrogen (water) isotopes, and can produce near limitless MWs. This technology is seen to be at least 20-30 years away from viability.

Each year the Georgia Municipal Association and Georgia Trend magazine recognize cities in Georgia that have turned thoughtful planning into measurable results for their residents. This year Albany and Griffin were awarded for excellence in civic engagement, innovative problem-solving, inclusivity, cross-sector collaboration, and the development of sustainable, long-term community initiatives.

Albany

Albany was recognized for the revitalization of the city’s Charles Driskell Park Community Center, formerly known as Carver Park. The city invested $8 million to build and improve a community center, an accessible playground, basketball courts, football field, walking track and swimming pool, transforming an aging facility into an ADA-compliant hub offering after-school programs, wellness activities, technology access and gathering spaces.

Much of the project’s planning was based on input from residents who said they wanted a place for seniors to exercise, after-school programs, and a safe place for teens and neighbors to gather. Soon after the grand reopening the center was bustling with fitness classes, mentoring programs and basketball tournaments.

The Driskell Park refurbishment is the first step in Albany’s plan to modernize recreational infrastructure, improve accessibility and provide places for the community to come together.

“The Driskell Park ribbon cutting was the happiest day of my term, not only for what the center provides, but for what it unlocks citywide,” said Mayor Bo Dorough.

Griffin

Griffin earned the Visionary City Award for the impact its South Precinct and Community Center is having on the Southside area of the city. Opened in 2025, the Community Center is a dual-purpose facility that provides a safe and positive space for children ages 8 to 12 and their families.

The Griffin-Spalding County School System coordinates activities at the center including tutoring and student mentorship, and provides community outreach officers to area elementary schools each day.

“With the Southside area having a history of gang and drug activity, many young people lacked a safe, structured environment to visit after school, and parents had few options outside the home,” said Lt. Brandon Walden of the Griffin Police Department. He noted that criminal activity at nearby Raymond Head Jr. Park discouraged families from using a space intended for recreation and community gathering.

Jessica O’Connor, Griffin’s city manager, calls the city’s successful approach “a commitment to partnership, integrity and service.”

“The greatest surprise was how quickly the community embraced the center and how deeply relationships changed,” said O’Connor. “Neighbors resolved long-standing disputes, parents found a peaceful place to spend time with their children and older residents expressed gratitude and a desire to volunteer.”

Since its opening, more than 22 families have registered for programs at the center, with kids stopping by the community center daily for games, crafts, tutoring and recreation. The facility also has helped reduce calls for service in the surrounding area while building trust and daily interaction between officers and families.

“Each of these initiatives reflects the kind of thoughtful, community-driven work happening in cities across Georgia every day,” said Larry Hanson, CEO and executive director of the Georgia Municipal Association. “They highlight strong ideas and strong partnerships, and offer examples other cities can learn from.”

Previous Participant Visionary City winners include Hogansville and Thomaston in 2025, Covington in 2024, Camilla, LaGrange and Norcross in 2023, Acworth, Covington, Lawrenceville and Moultrie in 2022, Douglas and Griffin in 2021, and Adel, Hogansville, Marietta and Thomasville in 2020.

Doug Lego began his career at MEAG Power as a substation engineer and went on to experience a wide range of opportunities across the organization. Over the years, he contributed to many significant milestones—from serving on the team that deployed MEAG Power’s first revenue metering and SCADA systems, to leading the effort to build a statewide fiber optic network. He also managed Corporate Affairs during the challenges of a global pandemic, represented the municipal sector on the SERC Board, and ultimately returned full circle to the Transmission team where his career began.

Along the way, he is grateful to have worked alongside exceptionally talented colleagues, collaborated with dedicated Board Members and Participants, and built lasting relationships with utility leaders across Georgia.  For Doug, MEAG Power has been far more than just a workplace—it has been a community, a source of purpose, and a place where he formed many meaningful and lasting relationships.

As he begins this next chapter, he looks forward to spending more time with his family, traveling, and finding new ways to give back to his community.

Please join MEAG Power in congratulating Doug on his remarkable career and wishing him all the best in his retirement. We thank him for his decades of service, dedication, and lasting impact on our organization and the Participants.

 

Mayors and city leaders came together in a spirit of fellowship at the recent 2025 Mayors Summit to discuss common issues impacting their communities. MEAG Power’s President and CEO Jim Fuller, as well as the senior executive team, provided several important updates during the main conference session.

Data Centers

Data centers continue to be a hot topic, given the potential benefits they bring from generating significant tax and energy sales revenue with relatively minimal impact to schools and traffic. However, serving these loads also comes with risk.

Jim Fuller noted that MEAG Power is working carefully to structure a process that will ensure Participants receive the full benefits of the load growth while minimizing the risks of serving large data centers, which include lower than anticipated loads and early termination of service. He offered a couple of quotes that capture the need to proceed with caution:

“There is a significant risk of Southeast utilities overbuilding power plants and pipelines in response to projected data center energy demand. This risk is exacerbated by the uncertainty over whether data center demand will materialize at the levels forecasted.” Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis

“The devil is in the details—and there are a lot of details that, if mishandled, could lead to higher residential electric rates that effectively subsidize the largest and richest companies in the world and their customers.” Brookings Institution report: “Boom or Bust: How to Protect Rate Payers from the AI Bubble”

Transmission

Like many utilities across the U.S., MEAG Power plans to increase investments in transmission infrastructure over the next several years. This is partly due to the need to replace aging equipment and partly due to better managing the increase in power demand. (See the aging infrastructure article in this edition of Current.)

In addition to wholly owned MEAG Power assets, we have shared ownership in the Integrated Transmission System (ITS), a 17,800-mile network that flows power across 90% of the state. ITS engineers expect new load growth to exceed 9,000 MW in future years, requiring 2000+ miles of new, rebuilt and upgraded transmission to be constructed in Georgia in the next decade.

New Generation

The Pineview solar project is on track to come online in 2026. The engineering is complete and the solar facility and substation construction is nearing completion, with initial synchronization and test energy scheduled to occur in December.

Also, MEAG Power completed the acquisition of its wholly owned 40-acre site at Plant Wansley on which one or two new generation assets can be built. Site work is underway including clearing and leveling, gas pipeline development and evaluation of joint facilities to be used in conjunction with Georgia Power activities.

Based on our commitment to complete a new Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) every three years, MEAG Power will begin a new IRP process in early 2026. This will involve quantifying future resource needs and optimal supply-side resources, as well as an action plan to implement next steps.

Production Tax Credits

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 created the 45U nuclear power production credit, which applies to our generation at Plant Hatch 1 & 2 and Plant Vogtle 1 & 2. The credit is available between 2024 and 2032.

Principal Funding Gap

Our Power Purchase Agreements with JEA and PowerSouth require the offtakers to pay the principal on the debt service during the first 20 years of energy production at Vogtle 3 & 4, which was slated to begin in 2016. MEAG Power will take over the principal payments in 2036.

However, Vogtle Unit 3 didn’t begin operations until 2023, which pushes back MEAG Power’s receipt of the nuclear production to 2043. As such, MEAG Power will be responsible for seven years of principal payments before the Participants in Project J & P begin to receive the output of the units. The good news is that we expect to cover a majority of this gap with 45J advanced nuclear production tax credits and margins from sales to JEA and PowerSouth, plus investment earnings.

Leadership & Adversity

Malcolm Mitchell – former Georgia Bulldog, Super Bowl champion, and author – gave an inspiring talk on overcoming adversity and the importance of providing positive leadership to younger generations. His nonprofit organization, Share the Magic Foundation, encourages children to read and has distributed books to more than 350,000 kids in Georgia and beyond. If you are interested in having Malcolm come to your community, please reach out to your regional manager.

LPPC Conversation

Tom Falcone, President of the Large Public Power Council (LPPC), sat down with Paul Warfel of MEAG Power for a conversation on top issues facing public power utilities. Georgia isn’t alone in trying to manage an influx of data centers, as other municipal systems across the U.S. are grappling with how to meet the projected rise in energy demand.

On Politics

Brian Robinson provided an update on the most recent elections in Georgia, including the Public Service Commission seats, as well as his thoughts on next year’s elections and the upcoming state legislative session. Affordability is a key topic that will drive the next election cycle.

MEAG Power participated recently in GridEx VIII, the largest grid security exercise in North America, hosted by NERC’​s Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC).

The goal of the biennial exercise is to engage teams from across disciplines in coordinating an effective response to extraordinary incidents that threaten the reliable operation of the grid. This year’s exercise provided several real-world cyber and physical threat scenarios designed to stress-test crisis response and recovery plans.

MEAG Power conducted a tabletop exercise, which provided the space for teams from bulk power, operations, transmission, information security and external affairs to discuss best practices for how to respond to specific incidents. The teams strategized and coordinated responses to various fictional “injects” – specific, detailed cyber and physical security events occurring across the state and MEAG Power grid assets.

MEAG Power will apply the lessons from the tabletop to improve processes and reliability of our system. NERC and the E-ISAC will apply the overall outcomes and lessons learned from GridEx exercises across the country to help improve the security of the North American grid. Reports detailing lessons learned from previous exercises are available under the “GridEx Public Reports” section on NERC’s website.​

For more info on GridEx, see this video.

Did you know that more than a quarter of the U.S. grid infrastructure is at least fifty years old, with the average age of large power transformers used in electrical substations being more than 40 years, beyond its life expectancy?

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 70% of power transformers are 25 years or older, 60% of circuit breakers are 30 years or older, and 70% of transmission lines are 25 years or older.

After its founding, MEAG Power purchased 875 miles of transmission lines and 63 substations in 1977, adding another 165 miles of transmission lines and 11 substations two years later. Many of these transmission assets are still in use today.

Modernizing the electric grid is a pressing priority for the U.S. energy industry. Some of the risks from outdated equipment include:

• Greater vulnerability to outages, especially in times of severe weather events.
• Rising costs for maintenance and emergency repairs.
• Decreasing efficiency and higher energy loss.

Every four years, ASCE issues a report card for America’s infrastructure. Its 2025 report gives energy a D+, partly due to challenges of modernizing an aging grid at a time when demand for power is increasing rapidly and new generation projects are taking longer to complete.

The good news is that the ASCE gave Georgia’s energy system a B. It’s report on Georgia states, “Georgia has invested billions in energy grid upgrades and accelerated its transition away from coal-fired power plants to nuclear, natural gas, and solar energy sources. With more people and businesses moving to Georgia and increased energy needs as more companies build new data centers in the state, a reliable and robust energy grid is vital for Georgia’s economic future.”

At MEAG Power, we’ve been taking meaningful steps to replace aging equipment. Here’s a rundown of some of our recent transmission upgrade projects:

• Lawrenceville #3 Substation – the bank “C” transformer, which was originally installed in the late 1980s/early 1990s is being upgraded to a 25 MVA unit with a 25kV lowside. We’ve already replaced the existing 115/12kV with a new 115/25kV bank and converted the feeders to 25kV. In addition, we’re upgrading Lawrenceville #1 to provide 25kV service to a new hospital and adding a new 115/25kV, 25MVA bank with a 25kV feeder.
• Tifton–Offerman 230 kV Line Rebuild – this is a replacement of a line that was built in 1962, including existing shield wire and 162 tubular steel structures determined to be end-of-life. We’re currently working on the first of three sections of line, from Douglas to Offerman which runs 46.8 miles.
• Aultman Road–Bonaire Line – replacement of a 4.9 mile line built in 1956 that is in danger of thermal overload in a section based on loading, growth and contingencies.
• Monroe #5 Substation – we’re building a new 230/12kV delivery point to provide additional capacity due to the load growth in the area and to provide operational flexibility for the city’s distribution operations. We expect this substation to be energized in June 2026.
• Fortson Substation – we’re 50% complete in a modernization project that is projected to be completed in early 2027.
• Washington #3 / Ray Place Road – were rebuilding a 115kV line, which is expected to be completed in December 2026.

At its recent Customer Connections Conference, the APPA presented an Award of Excellence to MEAG Power for our book commemorating the completion of Plant Vogtle Units 3 & 4. The book was nominated in the Print & Digital category of APPA’s Excellence in Public Power Communications Awards.

MEAG Power created the book as an expression of our appreciation for the tireless efforts of all those involved in Vogtle Units 3 & 4. It covers the time between the initial discussions in 2005 on whether to participate in the project to the COD of Unit 4 in 2024. Through pictures and quotes the book illustrates the efforts to overcome the many challenges to making the project a reality.

Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 represent a historic achievement for Georgia and the U.S., and a major step forward for the nuclear industry. The project brought 500 MW of clean, baseload electricity to MEAG Power’s portfolio — enough to support thousands of households and businesses for 60-80 years. The impact of this achievement will only grow as the years pass. We thank everyone who helped bring Units 3 & 4 to life.