ATLANTA, Sept. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company
subsidiary Mississippi Power today announced it has started
producing syngas using the second gasifier at the Kemper County energy facility – continuing
progress toward the project's commercial operation.
"The technology being deployed at the Kemper County energy facility is tremendously
important and highlights the benefits of 21st century
coal as part of the full portfolio of energy resources," said
Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO Thomas A. Fanning. "As the world watches the
progress at Kemper, today's
milestone serves as a testament to our employees and moves the
facility closer toward full operation."
Syngas is created when the locally-mined lignite is heated at
high temperatures in the plant's gasifiers, converting the coal to
gas. The syngas, which is used similarly to natural gas, will
produce electricity through the plant's combustion turbines.
"This is another exciting step toward commercial operation of
Kemper," said Mississippi Power
President and CEO Anthony L. Wilson.
"Accomplishing this milestone on the second gasifier is key to the
project's completion. We have a tremendous team that is working
hard to make the entire Kemper
project a clean, safe and reliable energy resource for our
customers."
The company announced on July 15
that the project had produced its first syngas, demonstrating the
viability of the Transport Integrated Gasification (TRIG™)
technology which is being used for the first time at commercial
scale at the facility. TRIG™ was developed by Southern Company, KBR
and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in Wilsonville, Ala. over the past two decades at
the Power Systems Development Facility, a research facility
operated in partnership between the DOE and Southern Company.
During the coming weeks, the Kemper team will be focused on proceeding
toward operation at sustained capacity levels necessary for
completion of the activities for the initial operations and testing
of the syngas clean-up systems and the production of electricity
using syngas. Ahead of using the syngas as fuel, it will be burned
off using the plant's flare stacks.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is America's premier energy company,
with 44,000 megawatts of generating capacity and 1,500 billion
cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput
volume serving 9 million electric and gas utility customers through
its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and
affordable energy through electric utilities in four states,
natural gas distribution utilities in seven states, a competitive
generation company serving wholesale customers across America and a
nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, 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
carbon-free 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,
recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by
DiversityInc, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40
Best Companies for Diversity and designated a Top Employer for
Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company has earned a 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.
Cautionary Note 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
expected future milestones related to the completion of
construction and start-up of the integrated coal gasification
combined cycle project in Kemper County,
Mississippi (the Kemper IGCC). Southern Company and
Mississippi Power caution 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 and Mississippi Power; 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 and Mississippi Power's Annual Reports on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2015, and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual
results to differ materially from management expectations as
suggested by such forward-looking information: changes in tax and
other laws and regulations to which Mississippi Power is subject as
well as changes in application of existing laws and regulations;
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, including
changes in labor costs and productivity, adverse weather
conditions, shortages and inconsistent quality of equipment,
materials, and labor, contractor or supplier delay, non-performance
under operating or other agreements, operational readiness,
including specialized operator training and required site safety
programs, unforeseen engineering or design problems, start-up
activities (including major equipment failure and system
integration), and/or operational performance (including additional
costs to satisfy any operational parameters ultimately adopted by
the Mississippi Public Service Commission ("PSC")); 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; advances in technology; actions related
to cost recovery for the Kemper IGCC, including the ultimate impact
of the 2015 decision of the Mississippi Supreme Court, the
Mississippi PSC's December 2015 rate
order, and related legal or regulatory proceedings,
Mississippi PSC review of the prudence of Kemper IGCC costs and
approval of further permanent rate recovery plans, actions relating
to proposed securitization, satisfaction of requirements to utilize
grants, and the ultimate impact of the termination of the proposed
sale of an interest in the Kemper IGCC to South Mississippi
Electric Power Association; and the ability of counterparties of
Mississippi Power to make payments as and when due and to perform
as required. Southern Company and Mississippi Power expressly
disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking
information.
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SOURCE Southern Company