Georgia Power Co. on Oct. 5 announced that it completed the placement of the first of four reactor coolant pumps at the Vogtle nuclear plant expansion.

The reactor coolant pump, which weighs 375,000 pounds, was set in the unit 3 containment vessel, according to a news release. The pump will circulate water from the steam generator to the reactor vessel to allow for sufficient heat transfer.

At unit 4, more than 2,000 cubic yards of concrete were placed inside the containment vessel, in preparation for the incoming installation of the final steam generator and pressurizer.

Georgia Power is a subsidiary of Southern Co.