BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Plant operators safely took Unit 1 of the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant offline on Sunday, March 16, at 4 a.m. ET for a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage.

Each unit at Plant Vogtle requires new fuel every 18 months. The last refueling outage for Unit 1 was completed in the fall of 2012.

"This cycle, Unit 1 provided power for more than 513 consecutive days," said Tom Tynan, site vice president for Vogtle Units 1 and 2. "That's maximum performance. The phenomenal job our employees do every day is what makes that possible."

In addition to refueling the reactor during the outage, workers will perform regular maintenance and tests, and upgrade plant equipment.

"Safety is our number one priority during the outage," Tynan said. "A safe and successful outage is achieved through the focus of the entire organization – our employees and our supporting partners."

More than 1,050 additional workers from Westinghouse, General Electric, Williams and other companies have come to the plant to perform special tasks. Employees from across the Southern Nuclear fleet also are assisting Vogtle's team in the refueling effort. These additional workers provide considerable economic stimulus to surrounding communities during their stay in the area.

Vogtle Unit 2 will continue to safely generate electricity while Unit 1 is offline and 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

About Southern Company:
With 4.4 million customers and more than 43,000 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 and listed by DiversityInc as a top company for Blacks. The company received the 2012 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.

http://www.southerncompany.com/about-us/our-business/southern-nuclear/home.cshtml

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SOURCE Southern Nuclear