Georgia
Biden administration, Georgia officials applaud debut of Plant Vogtle expansion • Georgia Recorder
Officials with the U.S. Energy Department plan to celebrate the completion of Georgia Power’s controversial nuclear power expansion at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro on Friday.
President Joe Biden’s National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm are set to tour Plant Vogtle, which has become the nation’s largest nuclear power plant and the largest source of carbon-free electricity. In the next 60 to 80 years, the two new nuclear units are estimated to generate enough electricity for one million homes and businesses.
The historic occasion is also being celebrated by representatives from Georgia Power, Georgia Public Service Commission, top state lawmakers and a number of other business and community leaders who say the project is a shining example of how nuclear energy can create well-paying, high quality jobs while also producing electricity in a way that tackles the climate crisis.
The two Vogtle units are the first nuclear reactors to be built in the United States in more than 30 years and the project’s supporters say Vogtle demonstrates how nuclear energy can generate high-paying jobs while producing electricity in a way that combats climate change.
Six Georgia energy and consumer groups released a report Thursday analyzing the true cost of nuclear power, citing the severe problems while constructing Vogtle that resulted in seven years of delays and $21 billion of cost-overruns.
The two Vogtle units were under construction for 15 years at a cost of $36.8 billion. Unit 3 was completed in August while Unit 4 began producing electricity in April.
Vogtle could serve as the selling point for further nuclear development in the United States, with the Biden-Harris administration hosting a summit at the White House this week to highlight the ongoing collaboration between the public and private sectors.
The Biden-Harris administration announced Wednesday the formation of a nuclear power project working group composed of experts in nuclear power and mega-construction.
The White House released a statement this week that says that nuclear energy has been the largest source of clean energy for decades, currently accounting for 19% of national energy production and directly employing 60,000 workers.
“Alongside renewable power sources like wind and solar, a new generation of nuclear reactors is now capturing the attention of a wide range of stakeholders for nuclear energy’s ability to produce clean, reliable energy and meet the needs of a fast-growing economy, driven by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and manufacturing boom,” the White House statement said.
However, a report released by Georgia consumer advocates contends that more nuclear development is not the best course of action for the future of the nation’s energy supply.
The report titled Plant Vogtle: the True Cost of Nuclear Power in the United States, was commissioned by Georgia consumer advocacy organizations like the Center for a Sustainable Coast, Concerned Ratepayers of Georgia and Cool Planet Solutions. It was authored by Kim Scott, executive director of Georgia WAND, Glenn Carroll, coordinator of Nuclear Watch South and Patty Durand, former president of the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative and a Democratic Party candidate for the state PSC.
The average Georgia Power residential customer began paying an additional $5.42 per month, or a 3.2% increase, after Unit 3 began commercial operations last August.
The two Vogtle units prompted the latest in a series of rate increases Georgia Power customers will continue to bear in the coming months.
According to the report, the average monthly bill for Georgia ratepayers will increase by $35 over the next two decades as Vogtle’s Units 3 and 4 are operational, or more than twice the $15 increase Georgia Power currently estimates.
The report contends that Georgia Power’s average household bill will rise by $420 annually in order to cover the cost of nuclear power that is seven times as expensive to produce as wind, solar and natural gas.
The analysis says that shareholders of Georgia Power’s parent company Southern Co. will continue to benefit from Vogtle’s financial windfall as the utility significantly expands its base rate.
The report’s authors blame Georgia Power officials for a decade-long pattern of providing misleading costs estimates to state regulators in order to continue justifying the Vogtle expansion. The construction of Vogtle was plagued by delays due to worker shortages, a strike, technical problems and its original contractor Westinghouse Electric Co. filing bankruptcy in 2017.
Brionté McCorkle, report co-author and executive director of Georgia Conservation Voters, said that Plant Vogtle is a cautionary tale for the rest of the country and that Georgians deserve safe, clean and affordable energy instead of wasting money to bring Vogtle’s nuclear reactors online.
“Imagine all of the renewable power, battery storage and energy-efficiency investments we could have made in the time it took to build the two new reactors at Plant Vogtle at a fraction of the cost,” McCorkle said in a statement. “Imagine what we could have done with the $35 billion dollars instead of dumping them in this radioactive money-pit.”
Scott, the executive director of Georgia WAND, said that Georgia Power is more concerned with its own economic interests as Vogtle’s expansion is leaving its customers struck with paying exorbitantly high power bills.
“So it is clear that Georgia Power is looking out for its own economic interests and (is) not concerned about moving Georgia to a clean-energy economy, let alone protecting the health of Georgians who live in and around nuclear power Plant Vogtle,” Scott said.
Republicans Gov. Brian Kemp and House Speaker Jon Burns joined executives with Georgia Power and Vogtle co-owner’s Oglethorpe Power, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and Dalton Utilities to celebrate the Vogtle project earlier this week.
Georgia Power owns 45.7% of Plant Vogtle, followed by Oglethorpe Power Corporation at 30%, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia’s 22.7%, and Dalton Utilities 1.6.%.
Kim Greene, chairman, president, and CEO of Georgia Power, said the new Vogtle units are a key component in supporting the company’s goal of meeting growing electricity demands in Georgia. A large share of that demand is driven by new data centers opening across the state.
“As we mark the completion of the Vogtle 3 and 4 expansion, we’re grateful for the leadership and foresight of the Georgia PSC, as well as the steadfast dedication from all of the project’s co-owners,” Greene said. “(Wednesday), we welcomed business and community leaders, as well as elected officials and other guests from across Georgia, to celebrate the first newly constructed nuclear units in the U.S. in more than 30 years – representing a long-term investment to benefit our customers and the state. It is truly a great day for Georgia.”
Originally, the five-member Georgia Public Service Commission approved a $4.4 billion construction budget for Vogtle, but in 2017 state regulators and Georgia Power agreed that $7.3 billion would be considered a reasonable cost.
In December, the Public Service Commission approved terms of a financial agreement requiring Georgia Power to cover at least $2.6 billion of the expected $10 billion in construction and capital costs. The terms were outlined in a stipulated agreement reached in August between Georgia Power, PSC advocacy staff, the Georgia Association of Manufacturers and consumer and watchdog advocacy organizations Georgia Watch and the Georgia Interfaith Power & Light and Partnership for Southern Equity.
As part of the settlement, Georgia Power agreed to about a 50% expansion of energy efficiency programs and also offered up to 96,000 additional low-income seniors to participate in a program that would reduce their monthly bills by an average of $33.50.
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Georgia’s baseball star Charlie Condon has been awarded the Golden Spikes Award, given to the nation’s best baseabll player in college.
ESPN released a 2024 MLB mock draft and they had Condon going second overall to the Cincinnati Reds, but in the paragraph about Condon, they said he will be one of the first two picks off of the board. Here is what ESPN wrote:
“The buzz has also been that if Cleveland passes on Condon, he’ll go second, so it all adds up. Burns and Caglianone are the other most mentioned players here with some mixed sentiment on if Bazzana is a real option. The other industry speculation is that Cincinnati is looking to roll savings and possibly its overage into a prep pitcher, the deepest player demographic after the first round, at their next pick: No. 51 overall. I don’t think the top five or so prep arms can get that far down the board, but that’s something we’ll find out on draft day. Late-rising Idaho prep righty Dax Whitney is a target who could make it to that pick.”
Condon was awarded the 2024 Dick Howser Trophy, which is given to the nation’s top player for that season. This season, Condon broke the NCAA BBCOR home run record with 37 total on the season. He led the nation in both home runs and batting average. In Georgia’s last game of the season, Condon went yard in his final at-bat as a Bulldog to add to the tally one last time.
Condon is expected to be one of the favorites to go first overall in this year’s MLB draft. He played two seasons at Georgia after redshirting his freshman season in which he was listed as a walk-on. After earning a scholarship for his redshirt freshman season, Condon quickly shot up the ranks and pieced together an immaculate career. He finished his last two seasons with 62 home runs, 145 RBI and a .410 batting average.
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Hamburg: Patrik Schick chested home to earn the Czech Republic a 1-1 draw against debutants Georgia on Saturday in an entertaining match, but it leaves both teams in a tricky spot in Euro 2024 Group F.
They have a point each ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal facing Turkey later on, as the top two clash having already beaten the Czechs and Georgia respectively.
Georgia coach Willy Sagnol said his players’ disappointment at their opening defeat showed how far his team has come, and they gave everything in Hamburg to earn their first Euros point.
Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili made a string of superb saves to keep his team in the game and they took the lead just before the break through Georges Mikautadze’s penalty.
However Schick reprised his Euro 2020 goalscoring heroics with an improvised finish to leave honours even at the end of a pulsating clash.
Georgia’s key attacking duo Mikautadze and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia both needed medical treatment in the warm-up but were able to start the match.
They pressed with fury from the off but it was Ivan Hasek’s Czech side who carved out the first clear chances and were more dangerous throughout.
Valencia goalkeeper Mamardashvili made fine early saves to deny Adam Hlozek and then Schick on a busy afternoon.
Georgia wanted a penalty when Zuriko Davitashvili fell under pressure from Ladislav Krejci, but their appeals were waved away.
After both sides were beaten in their opening matches, they were under pressure to take three points at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, leading to a thoroughly entertaining end-to-end game.
In their thrilling opening defeat by Turkey Georgia’s fans were outnumbered, but here they were in the majority and every time Napoli winger Kvaratskhelia got the ball in opposition territory they began to roar.
– End-to-end –
Czech right-back Vladimir Coufal was booked for clipping the Georgian as he attempted to counter.
Hlozek put the ball into the back of the Georgian net after 23 minutes but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review for handball.
The striker’s first effort was saved by Mamardashvili, with the rebound hitting Hlozek in the face and then his arm before crossing the line.
Mikautadze also came in for some rough treatment, with the Czech goalscorer against Portugal, Lukas Provod, booked for clattering him.
In first half stoppage time Czech goalkeeper Jindrich Stanec saved brilliantly from Georgia captain Guram Kashia but VAR spotted a handball in the build-up by defender Robin Hranac and the referee awarded a penalty.
Mikautadze dispatched it confidently to give his side the lead at the interval, but not before Mamardashvili brilliantly saved low from Schick.
The Czechs were back level when Euro 2020 joint top scorer Schick chested home from close range after substitute Ondrej Lingr’s header from a corner bounced back off the post.
They almost took the lead in similar fashion when Krejci directed another header narrowly wide.
Schick’s strike took him ahead of Milan Baros as their top ever Euros scorer with six goals but the Bayer Leverkusen forward limped off with an apparent calf injury midway through the second half.
Georgia had a glorious chance right at the end of the match to win the game but at the end of a three-on-one break, substitute Saba Lobjanidze blazed over with just the goalkeeper to beat.
Georgia
Where to watch Euro 2024 online as Georgia face the Czechia: Schedule, live stream, TV channel, schedule
You want drama? Well Euro 2024 is serving it in fierce and feisty fashion. Even the relentless tedium of England matches has launched one of Europe’s great footballing nation into its own waking psychodrama, one where they dream of being as fun as Germany.
The hosts are one of two teams locked into the last 16 along with Spain; England and Switzerland exceedingly likely to join them from a group stage that eliminates just eight of its 24 teams. Could big names such as Croatia and Belgium be in that small group? The coming days will prove decisive in determining just that. All that can be confidently predicted is that there will be plenty more of the last gasp drama that has come to define this competition in its early games.
You can watch Euro 2024 on Fubo Sports (try for free).
Venues
- Arena AufSchalke, Cologne Stadium, Waldstadion and Leipzig Stadium: Games up until the round of 16 to be played at Gelsenkirchen’s Veltins-Arena (Schalke 04), Cologne’s RheinEnergieStadion (FC Koln), Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena (RB Leipzig) — all renamed by UEFA for this competition.
- Stuttgart Arena, Volksparkstadion and Dusseldorf Arena: Games up until the quarterfinals to be played at Stuttgart’s MHPArena (VfB Stuttgart), Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion (Hamburger SV) and Dusseldorf’s Merkur Spiel-Arena (Fortuna Dusseldorf) — all renamed by UEFA for this competition.
- Fußball Arena München and BVB Stadion Dortmund: Games up until the semifinals to be played at Munich’s Allianz Arena (Bayern Munich) and Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park (Borussia Dortmund) — both renamed by UEFA for this competition.
- Olympiastadion: Games up until the final to be played at Berlin’s Olympiastadion (Hertha BSC).
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Euro 2024 reading
Group stage
All times Eastern
Friday, June 14
Germany 5, Scotland 1
Saturday, June 15
Hungary 1, Switzerland 3
Spain 3, Croatia 0
Italy 2, Albania 1
Sunday, June 16
Netherlands 2, Poland 1
Slovenia 1, Denmark 1
England 1, Serbia 0
Monday, June 17
Romania 3, Ukraine 0
Belgium 0, Slovakia 1
Austria 0, France 1
Tuesday, June 18
Turkiye 3, Georgia 1
Portugal 2, Czechia 1
Wednesday, June 19
Croatia 2, Albania 2
Germany 2. Hungary 0
Scotland 1, Switzerland 1
Thursday, June 20
Slovenia 1, Serbia 1
Denmark 1, England 1
Spain 1, Italy 0
Friday, June 21
Slovakia vs. Ukraine, 9 a.m. on Fubo (try for free)
Poland vs. Austria, 12 p.m. on FS1
Netherlands vs. France, 3 p.m. on Fox
Saturday, June 22
Georgia vs. Czechia, 9 a.m. on Fubo (try for free)
Turkiye vs. Portugal, 12 p.m. on Fox
Belgium vs. Romania, 3 p.m. on Fox
Sunday, June 23
Switzerland vs. Germany, 3 p.m. on Fox
Scotland vs. Hungary, 3 p.m. on FS1
Monday, June 24
Albania vs. Spain, 3 p.m. on Fox
Croatia vs. Italy, 3 p.m. on FS1
Tuesday, June 25
France vs. Poland, 12 p.m. on Fox
Netherlands vs. Austria, 12 p.m. on FS1
Denmark vs. Serbia, 3 p.m. on FS1
England vs. Slovenia, 3 p.m. on Fox
Wednsesday, June 26
Slovakia vs. Romania, 12 p.m. on FS1
Ukraine vs. Belgium, 12 p.m. on Fox
Georgia vs. Portugal, 3 p.m. on Fox
Czechia vs. Turkiye, 3 p.m. on FS1
Don’t miss CBS Sports Golazo Network’s Morning Footy, now in podcast form! Our crew brings you all the news, views, highlights and laughs you need to follow the Beautiful Game in every corner of the globe, every Monday-Friday all year long.
Round of 16
June 29
2A vs. 2B: 12 p.m. on FS1
1A vs. 2C: 3 p.m. on Fox
June 30
1C vs. 3D/E/F, 12 p.m. on Fox
1B vs. 3A/D/E/F, 3 p.m. on Fox
July 1
2D vs. 2E, 12 p.m. on FS1
1F vs. 3A/B/C, 3 p.m. on Fox
July 2
1E vs. 3A/B/C/D, 12 p.m. on FS1
1D vs. 2F, 3 p.m. on Fox
Quarterfinals
July 5
TBD vs. TBD, 12 p.m. on Fox
TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. on Fox
July 6
TBD vs. TBD, 12 p.m. on Fox
TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. on Fox
Semifinals
July 9
TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. on Fox
July 10
TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. on Fox
Final
July 14
TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. on Fox
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