NRC reaffirms safe operation, regulatory commitment of Farley, Hatch and Vogtle nuclear plants

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Apr 24, 2015, 12:29 ET

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission held three informational open houses for 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., to discuss the 2014 site assessment results. The Commission concluded that the plants met all of the NRC safety standards and that there were no major issues.

"These annual public meetings give us an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to safety and reliability, and to hear from the communities we serve about any issues of interest or concern," said Southern Nuclear President and CEO Steve Kuczynski. "We were pleased to share our performance results and to learn that our plant neighbors have no concerns about our plants."

The NRC staff was joined by leaders of each plant site and representatives from Alabama Power (Farley) and Georgia Power (Hatch and Vogtle), the owner companies. At the open houses, there were visual displays of plant safety performance and the NRC's oversight and inspection process. NRC and company representatives were available to answer questions.

"NRC inspectors continually evaluate each nuclear plant's safety, and each year we take a detailed look at that information to identify any trends and help plan future inspections," said NRC Region II Administrator Victor McCree. "Inspection results are available throughout the year, but these annual meetings allow us to talk to local residents and answer any questions they may have."

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

About Southern Company:
With more than 4.4 million customers and nearly 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 energy innovation, excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company and its subsidiaries are leading the nation's nuclear renaissance through the construction of the first new nuclear units to be built in a generation of Americans and are demonstrating their commitment to energy innovation through the development of a state-of-the-art coal gasification plant. Southern Company has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, listed by DiversityInc as a top company for Blacks and designated a 2013 Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company received the Edison Award from the Edison Electric Institute for its leadership in new nuclear development, was named Electric Light & Power magazine's Utility of the Year for 2012 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.

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SOURCE Southern Company