GULFPORT, MS — Mississippi Power will formally accept the terms of a Mississippi Public Service Commission order allowing for the construction of a state-of-the-art power plant in Kemper County, Mississippi. 

“After a comprehensive review of yesterday’s order, we have determined the stringent conditions that the commission imposed will still allow us to move forward to finance and construct the plant,” said Tommy Anderson, Mississippi Power vice president of Generation Development. “While this was not what was requested, we view this order as one we can accept and it will allow us to be able to unlock the tremendous value the Kemper County IGCC Project brings to our customers.”

The proposed 582-megawatt plant is expected to come online by 2014 and will use lignite, a low-cost energy source found in Mississippi. This energy source will be added to Mississippi Power’s existing fuel mix of natural gas and coal and will allow the company and its customers to avoid the volatility and growing costs associated with other fuels.

Mississippi Power is a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company. Mississippi Power provides retail electric service to approximately 200,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. In addition, it sells wholesale power to multiple electric power associations and cooperatives in Mississippi.