BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Unit 1 of the Joseph
M. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan,
Ala., has safely resumed generating electricity following
completion of a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage.
Plant operators safely took Unit 1 offline on March 28, and the refueling and maintenance
outage ended on May 7 at
approximately 1 a.m. CT.
In addition to refueling the reactor and performing regular
maintenance and testing, workers made upgrades to plant systems and
components to enhance efficiency and reliability.
"Safety is our top priority, and our team is to be commended for
completing this outage safely and efficiently," said Plant Farley
Vice President Cheryl Gayheart. "The
work we perform during our outages is a significant investment in
our facility. Unit 1 is positioned not just for the next 18 months,
but for years of continued safe and reliable electricity
production."
Employees from across the Southern Nuclear fleet are assisting
Farley's staff of more than 900 in the refueling effort. More than
800 additional workers from Westinghouse, Siemens, Williams and
other partners are on site performing specialized tasks. This
supplemental workforce provides economic stimulus to surrounding
communities during the planning stages and throughout the
outage.
The last refueling outage for Unit 1 was completed in fall 2013.
Farley Unit 2 continued to safely generate electricity while Unit 1
was offline for the refueling.
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 4.5 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 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
2014 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