A contingency from Marietta that included Mayor Steve Tumlin and members of city council traveled to Burke County to check on the nuclear power generating Plant Vogle near Waynesboro, which the city invested in along with 48 other communities. Plants 1 and 2 have been completed while Plants 3 and 4 are still under construction.

Marietta Contingency
The contingency from Marietta not only included the mayor and councilmen, but also members of Marietta’s Board of Light and Water. The group was provided a tour of the two completed plants and were updated on the two who were still under construction. The plants are supposed to be generating electricity by the end of the decade.

Ownership of the Plant
The Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG), which is a consortium of public power systems in the state, owns 22.7 percent of the new plant. Georgia Power owns 45.7 percent and Oglethorpe Power Corporation owns 30 percent. The final 1.6 percent is owed by Dalton Utilities. The City of Marietta is a member of the MEAG, which is why they are considered investors in the new power plant.

Plant Tour
The tour began with a classroom presentation regarding the generation of nuclear power as well as safety procedures that will be followed at the new plant. The visitors were shown U235 pellets that were the size of a pencil eraser that produce the same energy as a ton of coal. They were also walked through the generation building where electricity is generated using steam heated by nuclear reactions that then spin turbines. The contingency from Marietta, which consisted of eight people, were also given a tour of the control booths that they said resembled the bridge on a spaceship.

Nuclear Energy
There are currently 100 nuclear power-generating plants in the United States and 53 percent of the power generated by the authority is from nuclear power. There will be more than 6,000 people employed at Plant Vogle when it is completed. Unit 1 began producing energy in 1987 and the second unit came on line in 1989. Mayor Tumlin, who also serves on the MEAG Board of Directors, said that the safety requirements, which he called “painstaking,” were impressive. He felt that the trip demonstrated how safe nuclear power was, especially at Plant Vogle.

The tour provided information to the city on the importance of investment in the future. Just as the city is investing in its future energy, it is important for individuals to invest in their futures as well. Waggoner Insurance understands the importance of investing, not only for you but for your family as well. Contact them today to learn how an investment in insurance can protect your family, your home, your vehicle and your property. Just as the city of Marietta is investing in our futures, consider investing in your future and that of your loved ones today.

Source:
MDJ Online