31, 2023 at 7:53 AM PDT. has gone into commercial service. FILE - In this March 22, 2019 file photo, the cooling towers of the still under construction Plant Vogtle nuclear energy facility are seen in Waynesboro, Ga. The two new reactors will make Plant Vogtle the largest nuclear power plant in the country, surpassing the 4,210 MW Palo Verde plant in Arizona. March 8, 2023. ATLANTA - The coronavirus pandemic is taking a toll on the Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project near Augusta. " Holland & Knight has billed JEA about $5 million since 2018 related to Vogtle litigation, and the utility spent another $13. To build the first new nuclear reactors in the U. He was later promoted to vice president, then senior vice president, of construction for the project. Yox: On October 1, 2020, the U. Southern Nuclear Notifies NRC of Plan to Seek Relicensing at Hatch; Vogtle 3&4. , and. Tom Fanning, Southern’s CEO, told Wall Street analysts recently that a lot of. D. On its website, Southern said Unit 3 construction is about 98% complete as of July 2021 with the total Vogtle Units 3 and 4 expansion project about 92% complete. Plant Vogtle and Plant Hatch were built by and are co-owned by Georgia Power Company, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, Municipal Electric Authority 1. May 9, 2022, 3:01PM ANS Nuclear Cafe. Smith called small modular reactors “a. has delayed the start of Vogtle Unit 3, the only nuclear unit under consruction in the U. On a clear day, "Mount Vogtle" offers panoramic views of the power plant's four cooling towers, a dramatic photo op as Georgia Power finally activated Unit 3, the first new nuclear reactor built. Description: The tour will include a 'Nuclear 101' overview and discussion, and a driving tour of the plant site with one stop at the cooling towers. Atomic plant Vogtle, is a 2-unit nuclear power plant located in Burke County, near Waynesboro,. The Vogtle expansion is also backed by $8. “There’s are a lot of misconceptions around nuclear energy,” he stated. 7%), Oglethorpe Power (30%), Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (22. American electricity utility Georgia Power on Monday announced that the first new nuclear power plant (NPP) built in the US in 30 years, Vogtle 3, had started commercial operation and is supplying. 40. A nuclear reactor and two cooling towers are shown at Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant Friday, Jan. The fuel load process marks a historic and pivotal milestone toward startup and commercial operation of the first new nuclear units to be built in the U. Photo dated October 2017. Also, the legal address for Richmond County Constructors is in the suburban Columbia County community of Evans. The first two reactors have been generating electricity at Vogtle for decades. announced Monday that Unit 3 at Plant Vogtle, southeast of Augusta, has. PO Box 399; Fort Calhoun, NE 68023-0399. Nuclear. Unit 3 at Plant Vogtle. The license provides, among other things, that the license is subject to all rules, regulations. At peak, Bechtel and NABTU had a combined 9,000 workers on site. Eva Fedderly / January 9, 2018. The project was initially. The Vogtle Nuclear Plant Vogtle reactors 1 and 2 in Georgia have been operating safely for decades with the first unit beginning commercial operation in 1987 . (CN)- The Rev. The first American nuclear reactor to be built from scratch in decades is sending electricity reliably to the grid, but the cost of the Georgia power plant could discourage utilities from pursuing nuclear power as a path to a carbon-free future. taking a $460 million loss and other owners. 20, 2023, in Waynesboro, Ga. Georgia Power says workers will transfer 157 fuel assemblies into the reactor core at Plant Vogtle, southeast of Augusta, in the next few days. (706) 826-3630. 14 of 2008, primarily in the capacity as the team leader for the Plant Vogtle Unit 3 and 15 4 Project under Docket 29849. The nuclear plant has begun splitting atoms in one of its two new reactors, Georgia Power Co. Sunrise over Plant Vogtle's four nuclear reactors near Waynesboro, Georgia. They say Vogtle's Unit 3 is now generating power and Unit 4 should be up and running later this year. Plant Vogtle Units 3 & 4. with Bechtel to oversee construction. Designed and licensed to operate for 60 years, Vogtle Units 3 & 4 will significantly reduce the amount of carbon emissions. The opening of units 3 and 4 will make the Vogtle complex, including two existing units, the US’s second-largest power plant by capacity after Washington state’s. In an email Jan. This means atoms are being split and nuclear heat is being made. Three individual Georgiacetus whales were unearthed from 40-million-year-old sediments during the construction of Plant Vogtle. FILE - A turbine that generates electricity using steam heated by nuclear fission sits at Georgia Power Co. Georgia Power owns 45. Vogtle Jr. A nuclear power plant being built in Georgia is now projected to cost its owners more than $30 billion. 20, 2023, in Waynesboro, Ga. FILE - Unit 3’s reactor and cooling tower stand at Georgia Power Co. Tue 1 Aug 2023 // 19:39 UTC It's more than half a decade late coming online and has cost billions more than estimated, but Georgia Power's Vogtle Unit 3, the first US nuclear. On Thursday, the Georgia Public Service Commission heard testimony from staff on the nuclear Plant Vogtle expansion, including significant delays and numerous quality issues with the construction. Vogtle Fun Facts. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant is a nuclear power plant in eastern Georgia near the South Carolina border. Units 1 and 2 at Plant Vogtle have operated since 1987 and 1989, respectively. 20, 2023, in Waynesboro, Ga. Plant Vogtle is an example of how the DOE Loan Programs Office (LPO) is supporting energy infrastructure projects that promote economic growth and strengthen. in more than 30 years and can power an estimated 500,000 homes and businesses, according to a news release. We need new and better solutions for a carbon-free grid. m. 2 billion, far more than originally projected. 1:00. The project (4,560 MW), when fully operational at the end of 2022, will not only create the largest power plant in American but the largest generator of carbon-free power in the country as well. Costs to owners reach $31 billion. Plant Vogtle 3 and 4, currently under construction, will utilize Westinghouse AP1000® Generation III+ two-loop pressurized water reactors (PWR). ” But Georgia Power officials say the Plant Vogtle expansion remains an essential part of the utility’s commitment to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to its 2. 7% of Plant Vogtle. Smith called small modular reactors “a. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala. (AP) — Georgia Power Co. yet claims that expanded nuclear power is required to address the climate crisis are. 's Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant on Jan. AllOnGeorgia. 31, 2023 at 7:53 AM PDT. WAYNESBORO, Ga. Georgia Power Co. Company officials announced Wednesday, May 24, 2023, that Unit 3, one of two new reactors at the site, would reach full power in coming days, after years of delays and. Location: Waynesboro, GA (26 miles SE of Augusta, GA) in Region II Operator: Southern Nuclear Operating Co. Energy Sources. The unit 3 reactor at Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro, Georgia, has started commercial operation, primary owner Georgia Power said on Monday. Located near Waynesboro, Georgia, the Alvin W. In May 2021, the Vogtle nuclear expansion project underwent a crucial series of testing at Plant Vogtle Unit 3 and revealed complications. In a news release, Georgia Power says Unit 3 should be fully in service in May and June. Georgia Power today announced that Vogtle Unit 3 has safely reached initial criticality. Georgia Power’s newest reactor has been activated this month at Plant Vogtle, CNBC reports — the first new U. Coal; Nuclear; Natural Gas; Solar Energy; Hydropower; Wind; Biomass. 's Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant on Jan. 14, 2022, inside the Unit 3 reactor containment building at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, Ga. (706) 826-3630. Unit 1 began operation in 1987, with Unit 2 coming online in 1989. Georgia’s Plant Vogtle is a $35B boondoggle. Initial criticality is a key step during the startup testing sequence and demonstrates that — for the first time — operators have safely started the nuclear reaction inside the reactor. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala. The generator at Vogtle Unit 3 has generated electricity for the first time, and the unit has successfully synchronized and connected to the electric grid. Plant Vogtle is a nuclear power plant in Georgia. This is the first nuclear plant built from scratch in. My business address is 244 6 Washington Street, S. Last June, Vogtle project co-owners Oglethorpe Power, which owns a 30% share, and MEAG Power, with a 22. “This is an important milestone. “There’s are a lot of misconceptions around nuclear energy,” he stated. Learn about Plant Vogtle. When Utley was a boy, people swam in the Savannah River next to where Plant Vogtle would later build. The delays and cost overruns prompted critics to call for cancelling the project. (404) 506-5000. ; and the Joseph M. They are the first nuclear units being built in the United States in more than 30 years . S. In terms of capacity, Plant 3 (1,117 MW) and Plant 4 (1,117 MW) totaling 2,234 MW, will now be about $12. Coal; Nuclear; Natural Gas; Solar Energy; Hydropower;Units 1 and 2 at Plant Vogtle have operated since 1987 and 1989, respectively. Georgia Power Co. As a result of this, Georgia Power postponed the in. Address. Vogtle Units 3 and 4 are the first U. The last nuclear plant to come online before Vogtle's expansion, was TVA's Watts Bar Unit 2, started in the 1970s and brought into operation in 2016. announced Monday that Unit 3 at Plant. S. The plant is operated by Georgia Power’s fellow Southern Company subsidiary Southern Nuclear. S. Southern Company reports third-quarter 2023 earnings. Chick joined Southern Nuclear in 2018 as project director for Vogtle 3&4. Southern Co. The first of two new nuclear reactors at Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle is generating electricity for the first time. They’re. But the Atlanta-based utility wouldn’t be permitted to start recovering those. Plant Vogtle Leads the Next. 25. The Southern Company. They operate similarly to other nuclear facilities but feature. And the impact on electric bills will be. Georgia Power Co. Vogtle 3 & 4 nuclear units take significant steps toward operations. NUREG 1021 ES-201 states that the facility licensee should notify the NRC regional office ifGeorgia Power Co. Georgia Power declared today that Plant Vogtle Unit 3 has entered commercial operation and is now serving customers and the State of Georgia. Plant Vogtle Unit 3. AllOnGeorgia. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power today announced the completion of cold hydro testing for Vogtle Unit 4 at the nuclear expansion project near Waynesboro. Vogtle’s expenses ballooned to $30 billion after it was originally projected to cost $14 billion. The nuclear expansion at Plant Vogtle was originally expected to be completed in 2016 for Unit 3 and 2017 for Unit 4. FILE - Units 3, left, and 4 and their cooling towers stand at Georgia Power Co. From the C-suite: “The Plant Vogtle-3 and -4 nuclear expansion is another incredible example of how Georgia Power is building a reliable and resilient energy future for our state,” declared Kim Greene, the company’s chairman,. Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 not to proceed with construction and the ability of other Vogtle owners to tender a portion of their ownership interests to Georgia Power following certain construction cost increases; the ability to construct facilities in accordance with the requirements of permits and licenses (including satisfaction of NRC. C. is again delaying the projected. Vibrations of pipes within the cooling system were discovered during startup and pre-operational testing at Unit 3, the company reported in a. S. 0:04. Georgia Power declared on Friday that it will start loading fuel into the reactor core of Plant Vogtle Unit 4. Advocates say the new unit represents a long-term investment in the. The U. Unit 1 began commercial operation in 1987, and Unit 2 began commercial operation in 1989. Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 are the first nuclear plants to be built in the United States in 30 years. Bechtel partnered with North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) to build Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Ga. S. , reached another milestone in its process of putting the second unit into operation. Plant Vogtle. Plant Vogtle team raises nearly $15,000 in Paceline Bike Ride; Vogtle 1&2. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant. Plant Vogtle is the nation’s only nuclear construction project. The company recently achieved commercial operation on Vogtle Unit 3 and is the. S. is again delaying the projected startup for two new units at its Vogtle nuclear power plant near Augusta, saying its share of the costs will rise by a projected additional $200 million. But the project is seven years late and $17 billion over budget as Georgia Power Co. For the first time in almost seven years, a new nuclear reactor has started up in the United States. (SNC, the licensee) to make changes to the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle), Unit 1 and 2, licensing basis. On Monday, Georgia Power announced that the. S. 7% of the two reactors, while Oglethorpe Power Corp. It would still be beneficial in the long-run to abandon Plant Vogtle and pursue sustainable, clean energy. Nuclear power units like Vogtle are the most reliable energy source, able to generate electricity at full power 24/7 – more than twice as much as solar and wind resources. Working for RCC . 7% of Plant Vogtle. deployment of the AP1000 Generation III+ reactor. FILE - Reactor number 3 and it’s cooling tower stands at Georgia Power Co. ATLANTA, Oct. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Ga. Vogtle shows path for future of nuclear energy, says federal regulator. first criticality. Vogtle 3 Reaches Initial Criticality, Marking Pivotal Nuclear Startup Milestone. gov to Stacy Schumann; telephone: 301–415–0624; email:. Nuclear energy currently provides about 25% of Georgia Power’s overall energy mix, including the existing units at Plant Vogtle and Georgia’s other nuclear. But Georgia Power officials argued the. Atomic plant Vogtle, is a 2-unit nuclear power plant located in Burke County, near Waynesboro,. The Vogtle expansion project is adding two 1,117-MW Westinghouse AP1000 pressurized water reactors—Units 3 and 4—to two existing reactors at Plant Vogtle that have operated since 1987 and 1989. How to say Plant vogtle in English? Pronunciation of Plant vogtle with 1 audio. FILE - A turbine that generates electricity using steam heated by nuclear fission sits at Georgia Power Co. S. General Electric Nuclear. At $34 billion, Plant Vogtle is the most expensive power plant ever built on earth. The nuclear plant has begun splitting. W. 5 billion, more than twice the original price tag, and the other owners of Plant Vogtle argue Georgia. The demand for jobs in the nuclear energy field is expected to only increase. Hatch Nuclear Plant near Baxley, Ga. Overall construction completion of Georgia Power’s long-delayed Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project could extend into early 2024—nearly seven years beyond the project’s initial schedule. Georgia Power and Oglethorpe Power are among the joint owners of Plant Vogtle. ; Attendance allowance of $20-30 for each full day worked (criteria apply). October 14, 2022. Once completed, we expect Vogtle 1-4 will generate more carbon-free electricity each year than any other energy facility currently operating in the US. Unlike Plant Vogtle, which was built with the option to expand, there are currently no plans to enlarge the Plant Hatch facilities. July 31, 2023. In Q1 2023, the first of those two units will come online. (Photo: Georgia Power) The total bill for the reactor expansion project at the Vogtle nuclear plant in Georgia is now expected to exceed $30 billion, according to the Associated Press. Vogtle Units 3 and 4 are the first U. 1989: Plant Vogtle two reactors are fully online at a cost of $9. Plant Vogtle is an example of how the DOE Loan Programs Office (LPO) is supporting energy infrastructure projects that promote economic growth and strengthen our energy and national security. deployment of the AP1000 Generation III+ reactor. Georgia Power announced today the receipt of the 103 (g) finding from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for Vogtle Unit 4. S. This massive project is spearheaded by. America's first new nuclear investment in 30 years. , on Monday, July 31, 2023. Construction at Plant Vogtle is about 50 percent complete, according to Moody’s Investors Service. S. Vogtle Jr. Operating License No. In 2017, Georgia Power said the new Unit 3 at Plant Vogtle would come online in November 2021. ATLANTA – The first of two new nuclear reactors at Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle is generating electricity for the first time, the Atlanta-based utility announced during the weekend. Hatch Nuclear Plant near Baxley, Ga. , Ph. , the Atlanta-based utility company building the nuclear-power plant, said it expects the first new reactor at its Vogtle project to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2023. Vogtle Unit 3 Enters Commercial Operation: First ‘Newly Constructed’ U. Unit 3 at the plant south of Augusta has successfully synchronized and connected to the electric grid. , the Municipal. S. Georgia. , on Monday, July 31, 2023. S. Unlike Plant Vogtle, which was built with the option to expand, there are currently no plans to enlarge the Plant Hatch facilities. 13, 2022. WAYNESBORO, Ga. , Inc. Vogtle Nuclear Expansion Price Tag Tops. 2 of 10 | . , a former Southern Company leader who was a prisoner of. It produces clean, reliable, and emissions-free energy for Georgia homes and businesses with two units: Vogtle Unit 3 and Vogtle Unit 4. Wood duck nest boxes installed by Eagle Scout candidate at Plant Farley; Hatch. JEA is responsible for $3. Fort Calhoun. Visiting Plant Vogtle was a priority for Bradley R. Units 1 and 2 at Plant Vogtle have operated since 1987 and 1989, respectively. 20, 2023, in Waynesboro, Ga. , begins exploring the possibility of constructing new reactors at the proposed site of the Vogtle power plant in Waynesboro, about 25 miles south of Augusta. Atomic plant Vogtle, is a 2-unit nuclear power plant located in Burke County, near Waynesboro,. The entire Plant Vogtle site sits on over 3,000 acres on the banks of the Savannah River. There are already three reactors operating at. 20, 2023, in Waynesboro, Ga. Glen Chick is site vice president of Vogtle 3&4, a position he assumed in 2019. in more than three decades. Omaha Public Power District. Designed and licensed to operate for 60 years, Vogtle Units 3 & 4 will significantly reduce the amount of carbon emissions. If you feel like you keep reading the same story about the expansion of Plant Vogtle, the only new nuclear power under construction in the U. Unit 4 and the now-operating Unit 3. S. Photo: Courtesy of Georgia Power Company Catch up quick: Plant Vogtle. And that’s just a broad. S. 20, 2023, in Waynesboro, Ga. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 1. Georgia Power Co. WAYNESBORO, Ga. Georgia Power today announced that Vogtle Unit 3 has safely reached initial criticality. WAYNESBORO --- The first of the two new units at Plant Vogtle, in east Georgia, officially entered commercial service Monday, making history as the first nuclear reactor built from scratch in. FILE - Reactor number 3 and it's cooling tower stands at Georgia Power Co. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Mailing Address Ladies and Gentlemen: Please be advised that the mailing address for Vogtle Electric Generating Plant is 7821 River Road, Waynesboro, Georgia 30830. 444 South 16th Street Mall; Omaha, NE 68102-2247. The latest increase in the budget, by the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, wasn’t a surprise after lead owner. Energy Industry. in more than three decades. The new unit. Georgia Power Co. Wood duck nest boxes installed by Eagle Scout candidate at Plant Farley; Hatch. Charles Utley was born in the rural town of Shell Bluff, Ga. 21, 2021 / PRNewswire / -- Georgia Power today announced a revised schedule for the Vogtle 3 & 4 nuclear expansion project. At peak construction, more than 9,000 workers were on-site. The reactor, an. It is named after a former Alabama Power Southern Company board chairman, Alvin Vogtle Vogtle Nuclear Plant. Georgia Power declared Plant Vogtle Unit 3 commercially operational on July 31, 2023. , and when complete would represent the first U. Its costs and delays could deter other utilities from building such plants, even though they generate electricity without releasing climate-changing carbon emissions. Stowe said pushing back JEA’s expectations on Vogtle’s timeline. Grissette DEG/TDI1I/daj cc: Southern Nuclear Operating. But the project is seven years behind. Units 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle are the first new commercial nuclear reactors to be built in the U. The license provides, among other things, that the license is subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of the. Unit 2 began commercial operation in September 1979. Construction of the plant began in 1968. Magwood VisitPlant Vogtle is also an economic development engine, supporting more than 800 permanent jobs from an increasingly diverse workforce – over 30% of new hires at Vogtle are veterans and reservists. announced Thursday that the Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project has been delayed again. in more than three decades. 17, 2023, that Unit 4, at far right, is loading fuel, with the aim of sending power to the grid reliably by March 2024. 's Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant on Jan. Company officials announced Wednesday, May 24, 2023, that Unit 3, one of two new reactors at the site, would reach full power in coming days, after years of delays and billions in cost overruns. It produces clean, reliable, and emissions-free energy for. The Plant Vogtle Units 3&4 project, located in Waynesboro, Georgia, roughly 20 miles south of Augusta, is being constructed under the terms and conditions of the Nuclear Power Construction Labor Agreement (NPCLA). Grissette DEG/TDI1I/daj cc: Southern Nuclear Operating. The Power Plant distributes electrical power to the Burke County area electrical grid, which delivers it to electricity consumers. The reactor faced several delays in construction. The reactor is an evolutionary improvement over existing reactors, featuring advanced safety systems. A Notice by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on 05/19/2023. Georgia Power Co. Nuclear power units like Vogtle are the most reliable energy source, able to generate electricity at full power 24/7 – more than twice as much as solar and wind resources. The nuclear plant has begun splitting atoms in one of its two new reactors, Georgia Power Co. deployment of the AP1000. That timeline has been pushed back several times since – and as October draws to a close, Georgia Power has pushed the completion date back for the second time in three months. For the first time in almost seven years, a new nuclear reactor has started up in the United States. has again delayed the projected startup for two new units at its Vogtle nuclear power plant near Augusta, saying its share of the costs will rise by an. Units 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle are the first new reactors built from scratch in decades in the United States. Once completed, we expect Vogtle 1-4 will generate more carbon-free electricity each year than any other energy facility currently operating in the US. Geo resource failed to load. Georgiacetus vogtlensis, a species of advanced proto-whale previously unknown to science, was discovered in east Georgia in 1983. The first of the two new units at Plant Vogtle, in Burke County near Waynesbo, Ga. One of the two long-delayed nuclear units at Plant Vogtle near Augusta successfully generated electricity and connected to the grid for the first time, Georgia. FILE - Unit 3’s reactor and cooling tower stand at Georgia Power Co. 's Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant on Jan. ; the Edwin I. Southern Co. 's Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant, Jan. Vogtle nuclear reactor 3. The last nuclear plant to come online before Vogtle’s expansion, was TVA’s Watts Bar Unit 2, started in the 1970s and brought into operation in 2016. Photo courtesy of Georgia Power Nuclear Plant $16 Billion Over Budget Arrives. Southern Nuclear Notifies NRC of Plan to Seek Relicensing at Hatch; Vogtle 3&4. is again delaying the projected. At peak construction, more than 9,000 workers were on-site. Suggested topic * Brief description and information about the topic's significance for Georgia * Sources. . Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, also known as Plant Vogtle ( / ˈoʊɡ / ), [1] is a four-unit nuclear power plant located in Burke County, near Waynesboro, Georgia, in the southeastern United States . Major construction on Vogtle began in 2012 with a $14 billion price tag and expected startup dates of 2016 and 2017. FILE -- Reactors for Unit 3 and 4 sit at Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant on Jan. S. S. That year the fossils of three individual Georgiacetus whales were unearthed in 40-million-year-old sediments during the construction of Plant Vogtle, a Georgia Power Company nuclear facility in Burke County. [+] Georgia in USA. 2023. Advocates say this marks a pivotal milestone toward startup and commercial operation of the second new unit at Plant Vogtle. Site Vice President of Alvin W. May 29, 2023. Units 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle are the first new commercial nuclear reactors to be built in the U. According to Georgia Watch, a consumer advocacy group, the average residential Georgia Power customer has paid nearly $600 towards Plant Vogtle since 2011. Southern Nuclear operates a total of seven units for Alabama Power and Georgia Power at the Joseph M. Southern Co. If an emergency should occur, plant personnel are prepared to serve as the initial on-site emergency response organization . The hearing was in relation to the 24 Vogtle Construction Monitoring report on Unit 3 and 4 at the plant, which have been. Unit 3 of the Vogtle nuclear plant generates electricity while Unit 4 (right) remains under construction on Monday, July 31, 2023, in Waynesboro, Ga. in three decades—South Carolina’s V. Federal nuclear regulators announced on Friday. 's Plant Vogtle are $17 billion over budget and running seven years late. 's Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant on Jan. If an emergency should occur, plant personnel are prepared to serve as the initial on-site emergency response organization .