June 17 (Reuters) -

Power provider Southern Company ( SO ) CEO Chris Womack said

on Monday he expects more industry commitments to build

gigawatt-scale light water nuclear reactors in the U.S. before

2030.

Southern Company ( SO ) began commercial operations on its Vogtle 4

reactor this year as part of the first nuclear power plant to be

constructed in the country in more than 30 years.

"You're seeing them now show up in a number of

integrated resource planning processes," Womack said at the

American Nuclear Society conference in Las Vegas. "The question

becomes: is there willingness to push through?"

Womack said he expected announced plans in 2027 or 2028

to construct similar reactors, which are larger than the

advanced small modular reactors that have not yet been built in

the country, although he did not specify which companies would

make the announcements.