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MARIETTA - The Marietta City Council unanimously voted to spend an estimated $405 million in the expansion of Plant Vogtle, a nuclear power plant located near Waynesboro and the South Carolina border, during a specially called meeting Monday.

The plant, which has two nuclear reactors, is scheduled to add two more in 2016 and 2017, built by Toshiba-owned Westinghouse for an estimated cost of $14.2 billion.

Mayor Bill Dunaway said he was excited about the purchase.

"There's been many public hearings on this plant - a lot of public input to the Public Service Commission, and there's been practically no objections, so I'm convinced this is very safe," Dunaway said. "It is also environmentally friendly, but it ensures Marietta's power supply for the next 50 years as far as base power goes. … I think this is going to be something I won't be around for, but I think people are going to be very thankful just like people today are very thankful that over 100 years ago the city of Marietta had the foresight to establish their own utilities."

Marietta Board of Lights and Water Director Bob Lewis said the State of Georgia and Georgia Power need substantial energy to meet future electricity requirements.

Plant Vogtle was a likely choice for new nuclear generation because it was originally designed for four units and had air and water permits already in place. Because Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, the city of Dalton and the 49-city Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, of which Marietta is a member, were investors in the two original Vogtle reactors, they were entitled to participate in the expansion of the site. Lewis said MEAG owns 22.7 percent of the original project and is therefore entitled to 22.7 percent of the 2204 megawatts of new capacity or 500 MW. Marietta participated in the original project and is entitled to purchase up to 65.375 MW of the new capacity, which the council agreed to do Monday.

"Nuclear power does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, which is a major issue and it is projected to be more economical than coal once carbon tax legislation is considered," Lewis said.

The contract the council approved calls for Marietta to buy 65 MW of power each year for an estimated cost of $405 million over a 40-year period, beginning in 2016 when the first reactor comes online.

Yet the city does not need the new nuclear power from Plant Vogtle until 2036. As a result, the council agreed to sell the nuclear power it acquires from 2016-36 to utilities that do need power. That way the $405 million cost is shaved down to $200 million. Jacksonville Electric Authority and PowerSouth Energy Cooperative in Alabama have already agreed to buy Marietta's new power, Lewis said.

Marietta's customers will not pay anything until the generation comes back to the city and is serving Marietta customers needs, he said.

Councilwoman Holly Walquist, a master gardener who is considered the council's environmental watchdog, said she doesn't have a problem with nuclear power.

"I think the big issues with nuclear power are the waste that it produces and how is that safely stored. I've talked real extensively with Bob Lewis and it is safely stored on sight," Walquist said.

Walquist said nuclear power is "very efficient," but the problem is the cost to get it operational. The cost once nuclear power is operational, however, is much cheaper than coal and other types of energy, she said.

"I just want to make sure as we move forward with the nuclear power that we're also addressing other types of alternative energy because I just don't think we should be putting all of our eggs in one basket. And that's where my concern comes up is are we doing everything possible to look at alternative energy sources such as solar, such as the different bio masses, the different bio fuels, there's also wind, and it may be that we can't produce the capacity we need every single day, but you've got to have a balance, because you have to think in terms of what if we run into more water issues? There stands a chance that nuclear power plants will have to close. So you still have to have alternative energy sources. I want to make sure everyone's lights stay on, but I also want to teach people conservation," Walquist said.

jgillooly@mdjonline.com

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