Expansion of South Carolina's Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Power Station Remains on Track

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Power Station in Jenkinsville, Fairfield County, South Carolina, plans to expand the facility's capacity from 966 megawatts (MW) to 3,166 MW. The power station, which is owned 66.66% by SCANA Corporation (NYSE:SCG) (Columbia, South Carolina) subsidiary South Carolina Electric and Gas Company (SCE&G), and 33.33% by Santee Cooper (Moncks Corner, South Carolina) has been operational for 25 years.

The new units will reflect a different ownership breakdown, as SCE&G plans to take 55%, or 1,210 MW, of the new generation, and Santee Cooper plans on taking 45%, or 990 MW. The new units are five years into the combined operating and licensing application (COLA) with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. To build the units, Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (Monroeville, Pennsylvania), a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation (TYO:6502) (Tokyo, Japan), will provide two Advanced Pressurized Water Reactors (AP1000). The new reactors have a smaller environmental footprint, using fewer moving parts and cooling systems that rely on gravity, rather than power supplies and motor-driven components. The simplified AP1000 design has 85% less cable, 80% less pipe, 50% fewer valves and 35% fewer pumps than today's generation of reactors, making them cheaper to build, maintain and operate. The Charlotte, North Carolina, office of The Shaw Group Incorporated (NYSE:SHAW) was selected to provide engineering and construction services.

According to Public Affairs Supervisor Robert Yanity the project is expected to have the COLA approved and commence construction by the end of 2011. While still in permitting, some basic groundwork and the building of the worker facilities has occurred. Mr. Yanity stated that if the project remains on track that Unit 2 should commence operations in 2016, and Unit 3 should start operations in 2019.

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