Prospects for new nuclear reactors. Currently, there is one nuclear power unit under construction, TVA's 1,150 MW Watts Bar 2, which is scheduled to be in operation in 2012. Initial construction of Watts Bar 2, which began in 1973, was suspended in 1988 and resumed in 2007. TVA may also complete Unit 1 at its Bellefonte site, which would enter operation in the 2018-2019 time frame. TVA suspended construction of Bellefonte in 1988.
During 2009, one application was submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the construction of two nuclear units at FPL's existing Turkey Point facility. This compares to applications for 16 units during 2008 and 8 units in 2007. The NRC also granted an Early Site Permit to Southern Company's/Georgia Power's Vogtle nuclear power units 3 and 4 (August, 2009) and preliminary site preparation has begun.20