BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Plant operators safely took unit 1 of the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant offline on Sunday, Sept. 16 for a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage. The last refueling outage for unit 1 was completed in spring 2011.

Each unit at Plant Vogtle requires new fuel every 18 months. In addition to refueling the reactor and performing regular maintenance and testing, workers will make upgrades to plant systems and components.

"Vogtle unit 1 marked its 25^th year of safe, reliable operations in May of this year. Our constant dedication to the maintenance of this facility is what allows milestones like that to be achieved," said Tom Tynan, site vice president for Vogtle units 1 and 2. "Planning for every outage begins years in advance. We constantly raise the bar and challenge ourselves throughout the process to ensure readiness and top performance. I know our efforts will culminate in a refueling outage that is safe and efficient."

Employees from across the Southern Nuclear fleet are assisting Vogtle's staff of more than 900 in the refueling effort. Hundreds of additional workers from Westinghouse, General Electric, Williams and other partners are on site performing specialized tasks. This supplemental workforce provides 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. A leading U.S. producer of 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 excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company also 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.

www.southerncompany.com/southernnuclear

SOURCE Southern Nuclear