The reactor coolant pump, which arrived by truck from Curtiss-Wright Corp in Cheswick, Pennsylvania, is also the first to be delivered to any US AP1000 construction project.
The pump weighs 187.5 tons, or 375 000 pounds, and is a critical component of the AP1000 design as it circulates hot primary-circuit water within the reactor. There are four reactor coolant pumps needed for each unit.
Once all four units are online, Plant Vogtle is expected to generate more electricity than any other US nuclear facility, enough to power more than one million homes and businesses.