ATLANTA, Feb. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company
today announced several leadership moves involving several of its
subsidiaries, effective March 7.
Joseph A. "Buzz" Miller, executive vice president of nuclear
development for Georgia Power and president of nuclear development
for Southern Nuclear, has been elected president and CEO of
Southern Power. Miller replaces Oscar C.
Harper IV, who will retire after 32 years with the Southern
Company system.
"We thank Oscar for his years of service and dedication and his
instrumental leadership in developing one of America's largest
renewable portfolios with more than 1,800 megawatts of generation
in seven states," said Kimberly S.
Greene, executive vice president and chief operating officer
of Southern Company. "Buzz brings strategic leadership and an
ability to influence and execute on complex projects to Southern
Power and we welcome him to his new role."
"Since the beginning of the Vogtle project, Buzz has provided
exceptional guidance and direction for one of the most important
construction projects in the country," said W. Paul Bowers, chairman, president and CEO of
Georgia Power. "We remain focused on completing the expansion to
the highest standards of safety and quality, with the least
possible impact to our customers' rates while ensuring that the
units will operate safely and power more than a half million
Georgia homes and businesses for
60-plus years."
Georgia Power and Southern Nuclear are further aligning the
Vogtle 3 & 4 organization to best achieve upcoming project
milestones while creating a streamlined approach for interacting
and communicating with key stakeholders.
Mark D. Rauckhorst has been named
executive vice president of construction for the Vogtle 3 & 4
project. Since joining the company as vice president of
construction in 2011, Rauckhorst has leveraged more than 30 years
of experience working for engineering, construction management and
utility organizations on large-scale capital construction projects
to move the Vogtle project forward. He will remain located at the
expansion site near Waynesboro,
Georgia, where he will continue to oversee construction
compliance and coordinate with the Southern Nuclear operational
readiness team to prepare for an effective transition from
construction to operations.
"As we enter into a new era of nuclear energy generation, I
believe these changes will further position us to deliver the
Nuclear Promise and remain the best, most affordable clean energy
solution," said Stephen E.
Kuczynski, chairman, president and CEO of Southern
Nuclear.
More than 60 percent complete based on contractual milestones,
progress continues at the Vogtle site every day. Major milestones
completed in 2015 include the placement of the 1,140-ton CA01
module for Unit 3, the placement of the 950-ton lower ring for Unit
4 and more than 26,000 total cubic yards of concrete.
The projected overall peak rate impact of the Vogtle nuclear
expansion is significantly less than when the project was
originally certified due to financing and other benefits of the
project that Georgia Power has proactively pursued, and the fuel
savings of nuclear. The project's remaining projected customer rate
impact is still approximately 2.5 percent, an average of less than
1 percent per year through the expected completion date of 2020.
Once the new units come online, they are expected to put downward
pressure on rates and deliver long-term savings for Georgia customers.
To learn more about the Vogtle 3 & 4 project and how
Southern Company is preparing to deliver tomorrow's energy today,
visit
http://www.southerncompany.com/what-doing/energy-innovation/.
About Southern Company
With more than 4.5 million customers and approximately 46,000
megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is
the premier energy company serving the Southeast through its
subsidiaries. A leading U.S. producer of clean, safe, reliable and
affordable electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in
four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well
as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company
brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability
and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through
an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and
its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by
developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including
nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and
energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the
benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the
U.S. Department of Defense and G.I.
Jobs magazine as a top military employer, listed by Black
Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity
and designated a 2014 Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic
Network. The company earned the 2014 National Award of Nuclear
Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for
its leadership and commitment to nuclear development, and is
continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual
World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility
rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.
About Southern Power
Southern Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, is a leading
U.S. wholesale energy provider, meeting the electricity needs of
municipalities, electric cooperatives and investor-owned utilities.
Southern Power and its subsidiaries own or have rights to 33
facilities in nine states, with more than 10,400 MW of generating
capacity operating or under development in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New
Mexico, North Carolina,
Oklahoma and Texas.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company
(NYSE: SO), one of the nation's largest generators of
electricity. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and
Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.4
million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to
delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates
below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse,
innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, 21st century coal
and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric
and wind. Consistently recognized as a leader in customer
service, Georgia Power was recently ranked among the highest in
overall business customer satisfaction among large utilities in the
South by J.D. Power and Associates. For more information, visit
www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook
(Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower) and Twitter
(Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower).
About Southern Nuclear
Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO),
is one of the nation's leading nuclear energy facility operators.
Producing safe, reliable and environmentally friendly nuclear
energy, Southern Nuclear operates a total of six units for Alabama
Power and Georgia Power at the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant near
Dothan, Ala.; the Edwin I. Hatch
Nuclear Plant near Baxley, Ga.,
and the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Ga. Southern Nuclear is the
licensee of two new nuclear units currently under construction at
Plant Vogtle, which will be the first nuclear units constructed in
the United States in more than 30
years. Southern Nuclear employs more than 3,500 skilled and
dedicated professionals who are committed each day to nuclear and
personal safety and the health and safety of the public. The
company's headquarters is based in Birmingham, Ala.
Twitter: @SouthernNuclear; Facebook:
facebook.com/southernnuclear;
www.southerncompany.com/southernnuclear
Cautionary Notes Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements:
Certain information contained in this release is
forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans
that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information
includes, among other things, statements concerning the anticipated
schedule for completion of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 and the
expected impact on customer rates. Southern Company cautions that
there are certain factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from the forward-looking information that has been
provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this
forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future
performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other
factors, many of which are outside the control of Southern Company;
accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results
will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those
discussed in Southern Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2014,
and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to
differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such
forward-looking information: the impact of recent and future
federal and state regulatory changes and also changes in tax and
other laws and regulations to which Southern Company and its
subsidiaries are subject as well as changes in application of
existing laws and regulations; current and future litigation,
regulatory investigations, proceedings, or inquiries; available
sources and costs of fuels; the ability to control costs and avoid
cost overruns during the development and construction of
facilities, which include the development and construction of
generating facilities with designs that have not been finalized or
previously constructed; the ability to construct facilities in
accordance with the requirements of permits and licenses, to
satisfy any environmental performance standards and the
requirements of tax credits and other incentives, and to integrate
facilities into the Southern Company system upon completion of
construction; state and federal rate regulations and the impact of
pending and future rate cases and negotiations, including rate
actions relating to fuel and other cost recovery mechanisms; legal
proceedings and regulatory approvals and actions related to Plant
Vogtle Units 3 and 4, including Georgia Public Service Commission
approvals and Nuclear Regulatory Commission actions and related
legal proceedings involving the commercial parties; advances in
technology; and the ability of counterparties of Southern Company
and its subsidiaries to make payments as and when due and to
perform as required. Southern Company expressly disclaims any
obligation to update any forward-looking information.
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SOURCE Southern Company