ATLANTA, Jan. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power announced today the results of its annual Renew Our Rivers volunteer campaign, a program which organizes cleanup events on waterways and lakes near the company's generation facilities throughout the state. During 2013, approximately 2,000 Georgia Power employees coordinated or participated in 22 local cleanup events and removed more than 100,000 pounds of litter and debris from rivers and surrounding lakes.

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"The Renew Our Rivers initiative is a mainstay of our environmental stewardship efforts and one of the most inspiring ways our employees are helping keep Georgia clean for future generations," said Ron Shipman, vice president of environmental affairs for Georgia Power. "The program demonstrates our commitment to the communities we serve and the environment through conservation, restoration and focusing on cultivating environmental awareness among our employees and neighbors."

In addition to Georgia Power employees, the events also offered an opportunity for friends, family, and the community to come together to revitalize local natural resources. The events were organized locally with individual Georgia Power generating facilities dedicating personnel and financial support to each event.

Over the past 10 years, the company has removed more than 1.9 million pounds of waste from Georgia's lakes and rivers as part of the program, which has become one of the largest river cleanup initiatives in the Southeast.  

Georgia Power is committed to protecting Georgia's natural resources through a variety of programs including the annual Renew Our Rivers campaign and Project WINGS, which creates new wildlife habitats across the state. The company also focuses on conducting cutting edge environmental research at facilities like the new Water Research Center at Plant Bowen. For more information about Georgia Power's environmental initiatives, visit  www.georgiapower.com.

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 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).

SOURCE Georgia Power