Fourth reactor at Georgia nuclear plant completes test phase

A new reactor at a nuclear power plant in Georgia has completed a key testing phase, getting one step closer to generating electricity.

Georgia Power Co. said Monday that the fourth reactor at Plant Vogtle, southeast of Augusta, has completed what is called hot functional testing. Such testing involves heating up the reactor to the extreme pressure and temperature required to split atoms.

That means the unit of the Atlanta-based Southern Co. can start loading radioactive fuel into the reactor once it completes construction documentation and gets approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.