Gulfport, Miss. – Mississippi Power’s startup team successfully synchronized the steam turbine generator at the Kemper County energy facility to the electrical grid on Oct. 5, indicating the completion of another significant startup activity at the site.

While commissioning activities and equipment testing will continue in the combined cycle portion of the plant, this milestone signals the readiness of the steam turbine to power the generator and produce electricity.

“Our dedicated crew is very proud to have reached this important milestone,” said John Huggins, vice president of generation development. “We safely and successfully fired the combustion turbines in August and September, and have now proven we can generate power from the steam turbine.”

The two combustion turbines, coupled with the steam turbine will form the facility’s “combined cycle” unit. A combined cycle unit is among the most efficient forms of generating electricity for large-scale power production.

There are currently 6,000 workers on-site and more than 470 Mississippi companies involved in the Kemper project. A considerable amount of work has been accomplished in recent months. The project is a massive pioneering effort on the cutting edge of technology and is expected to offer significant long-term benefits to customers.

Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), produces safe, reliable and environmentally responsible energy for more than 186,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Recognized throughout the utility industry for excellence in storm restoration and recovery efforts, Mississippi Power is the 2013 winner of the Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Assistance Award. Visit our website at www.mississippipower.com, Follow us on Twitter, or Like us on Facebook.
 

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