Atlanta, GA, August 13, 2026 —

Former Southern Company CEO David Ratcliffe has asserted that no apology is necessary regarding the decision to proceed with the construction of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4. Ratcliffe defended the project, pointing to Georgia’s established regulatory framework, the state’s growing need for electricity generation capacity, and Southern Company’s deep-seated expertise in managing such complex undertakings.

During his defense of the project, Ratcliffe acknowledged several significant challenges that impacted the construction timeline and costs. These included the repercussions of the Fukushima nuclear accident, which led to increased regulatory scrutiny and safety reviews, subsequent changes in contractors responsible for key components of the project, and the unprecedented disruptions caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, Ratcliffe characterized these events as factual occurrences rather than justifications for potential shortcomings.

Ratcliffe highlighted the substantial contribution of Plant Vogtle to the energy landscape, noting that the completed Units 3 and 4 will provide 2,400 megawatts (MW) of clean energy capacity. This output is projected to be sufficient to power approximately one million homes for several decades. He further contended that abandoning the project midway through construction would have resulted in the adoption of less favorable energy alternatives.

The former CEO suggested that the alternatives to completing Plant Vogtle would have likely involved the development of numerous natural gas power plants or extensive solar farm installations. Ratcliffe’s remarks underscore a continued defense of the company’s strategic decisions in pursuing nuclear energy as a long-term solution for meeting energy demands.



Story summarized from the original created by David Ratcliffe on saportareport.com, see more information here.

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