ATLANTA,  Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company executives testified this week that Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requirements have been met for issuing the Combined Construction and Operating License (COL) for the nation's first new nuclear units in 30 years at Plant Vogtle, near Waynesboro, Ga.

The mandatory hearing at NRC headquarters in Rockville, Md., successfully concluded Wednesday, ending two days of testimony from NRC staff, commissioners and executives from Southern Company subsidiary Southern Nuclear.

"We are one step closer to receiving the first COL ever issued for nuclear units in this country," said Buzz Miller, executive vice president of nuclear development for Southern Nuclear. "We believe that the evidence presented emphasizes that our application satisfies all commission regulations and requirements."

As part of Southern Nuclear's COL application for units 3 and 4, the company is requesting approval to continue safety-related foundation work under an additional Limited Work Authorization (LWA-B), including the installation of rebar and the concrete basemat for the nuclear island as part of the COL application.

The company expects to receive the Vogtle COL around the end of 2011, with Unit 3 becoming operational in 2016 and Unit 4 in 2017.

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