BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Nuclear Chairman, President and CEO Stephen Kuczynski announced today that Thomas (Tom) A. Lynch has been elected site vice president of the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala., effective Sept. 28. Lynch will be senior executive at the site responsible for Plant Farley's performance.

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"Tom's leadership and experience in operating successful nuclear facilities is exactly what we will need to ensure Southern Nuclear's overall fleet success," said Kuczynski. "With a proven track record of setting and reinforcing high operational standards, he clearly has the ability to lead the Farley team to achieve industry-leading performance."

Lynch brings more than 26 years of nuclear industry experience to his position. He comes to Southern Nuclear from Constellation Energy's Nine Mile Point Plant where he served as the plant's general manager since 2009. Before joining Constellation, he held leadership positions at Energy Northwest's Columbia Generating Station and at Entergy's River Bend Nuclear Station.

Lynch earned a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering from the University of New Mexico and a master's degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Oklahoma. In 1992, he received his Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) License for Nile Mile Point and earned his second SRO License at River Bend in 1999. Lynch is a native of Farmington, N.M.

About Southern Nuclear:

Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of Southern Company, operates the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant near Baxley, Ga., the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala. and the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Ga.

About Southern Company:

With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company is the parent firm of electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications companies. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company was named the World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility by Fortune magazine in 2011, and is consistently listed among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.  

SOURCE Southern Company