Historic Plant Vogtle expansion marks year of progress

ATLANTA, Dec. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, Dec. 11, Georgia Power and construction partners Westinghouse and CB&I joined community leaders and project workers at a special event to mark a year of progress at the historic expansion of Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro, Ga. Against the backdrop of the nearly complete 600 foot-tall Unit 3 cooling tower, attendees came together to commemorate the efforts of the more than 5,000 workers currently onsite building two of the country's first new nuclear units in three decades.

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"The collective work of the thousands of individuals from across the country who are dedicated to this project is truly astounding," said Buzz Miller, executive vice president of nuclear development for Georgia Power. "We continue to meet and overcome challenges associated with building one of the most advanced and innovative new nuclear facilities in the world. Our team's achievements in 2014 illustrate progress and underscore our unwavering commitment to safe, high-quality, compliant construction, which will serve Georgia for many future generations."

In addition to the near completion of the Unit 3 cooling tower, other key Unit 3 milestones achieved during 2014 and celebrated Thursday included the placement of the CA20 Module and the CA05 Structural Module. Progress marked for Unit 4 during 2014 included the placement of the Containment Vessel Bottom Head (CVBH) and the CR10 Module. Substantial progress as a result of thousands of hours of construction during 2014 is evident across the site as well. Work throughout the year has included progression in both nuclear islands, module fabrication, annex building, turbine islands, cooling towers, switchyard, and other permanent facility buildings.

The expansion at Plant Vogtle is part of Georgia Power's long-term, strategic vision for providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable energy for Georgians well into the future. In addition to its status as the largest job-producing project in the state during construction, Vogtle units 3 and 4 are expected to create 800 new jobs when the facility enters service. The project continues to deliver the best energy value for Georgia and represents the most economic energy option for customers over the next 60 years.  

About Georgia Power

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), the premier energy company serving the Southeast through its subsidiaries. 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, advanced coal and natural gas, renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind, as well as a variety of energy efficiency programs. Consistently recognized as a leader in customer service, Georgia Power was recently ranked 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).

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 projected schedule for the completion of the Plant Vogtle expansion, job creation and benefits to customers. Georgia Power Company cautions that there are certain factors that can 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 Georgia Power Company; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Georgia Power Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: current and future litigation, regulatory investigations, proceedings, or inquiries; 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 factors, adverse weather conditions, shortages and inconsistent quality of equipment, materials, and labor, contractor or supplier delay, non-performance under construction or other agreements, operational performance, operational readiness, including specialized operator training, unforeseen engineering or design problems, delays associated with start-up activities (including major equipment failure and system integration) and/or operations; ability to construct facilities in accordance with the requirements of permits and licenses, to satisfy any operational and environmental performance standards, and to integrate the Plant Vogtle expansion into the Southern Company system upon completion of construction; legal proceedings and regulatory approvals and actions related to the Plant Vogtle expansion, including Georgia Public Service Commission approvals and Nuclear Regulatory Commission actions and related legal proceedings involving the commercial parties; the inherent risks involved in operating and constructing nuclear generating facilities, including environmental, health, regulatory, natural disaster, terrorism, and financial risks; the ability of counterparties of Georgia Power Company to make payments as and when due and to perform as required; and catastrophic events such as fires, earthquakes, explosions, floods, hurricanes, droughts, pandemic health events such as influenzas, or other similar occurrences. Georgia Power Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information.

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SOURCE Georgia Power