The recent nuclear power plant issues in Japan, which sustained damage from the strong earthquake and tsunami, has people in the Augusta area wondering how safe our area is from such a disaster. As everyone in the local area knows, Augusta GA is within miles of both the Savannah River Site and the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant. Both sites are in the Nuclear Energy business.
The Savannah River Site (SRS), operated by Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), is a 310 acre site and sits on the northern side of the Savannah River in Aiken County, Barnwell County and Allendale County in SC.
Plant Vogtle sits on the southern side of the Savannah River in Burke County, GA and is situated South of SRS and is east of Waynesboro, GA. Augusta is approximately 40 miles from the Plant Vogtle site.Plant Vogtle is one of two nuclear facilities owned by Georgia Power and one of three owned by Southern Company. There are currently two units producing nuclear energy at the site. There is currently one unit ( Plant 3) under construction and plans for a fourth unit to be constucted in the near future. General Electric is the manufacturer of the turbines and electric generators at the plant. Southern Company has a Safety Calendar it publishs for information on evacuation procedures.
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions which operates the Savannah River Site has shifted its focus from the production of nuclear energy. The major focus of the site is the cleanup of waste related to the nation’s buildup of nuclear products from the Cold War. The site houses the Savannah River National Laboratory and has a virtual tour you can find on their website.
If risk posed from a Nuclear Energy Plant is one of your biggest concerns, then I would suggest finding a home that is furthest from a nuclear energy site. The CSRA or Central Savannah River Area isn’t prone to severe magnitude earthquakes but both facilities have plans of action in place for emergencies. I for one hope that there is never a need for any sort of emergency evacuation plan!
Susan MacEwen, Realtor
Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners
Mobile: 706-294-6795
Office: 706-868-3772 x207