Southern Co. may build new nuclear power plant

By Alyse Knorr

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Southern Co., which operates two nuclear power plants in Georgia and one in Alabama, might build another nuclear generating plant that could initiate licensing requests as early as 2011, the Augusta Chronicle reported.

“The forecast date is 2011, but that is an early estimate to support some long-range planning,” company spokeswoman Beth Thomas told the Chronicle Monday. “We’re not committed to submit in the 2011 time frame.”

She told the paper it was too soon to discuss site locations for a new plant.

“We are continuing to evaluate our needs, so we’re not really far enough along in the process to determine when or where,” she said. “Our major focus right now remains on the Plant Vogtle project, and we’re continuing to work through the licensing effort.”

The company’s application for an early site permit and combined operating license, which would allow construction of two additional reactors at Vogtle, is in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s final evaluation stages.

An early site permit will likely be approved this year and the combined operating license could be obtained in 2011, allowing the new reactors to go online in 2016 or 2017.

Factors influencing the new plant’s approval will include energy demand, population growth in the area and financing availability, Thomas told the Chronicle.

Southern Co. operates Plant Vogtle near Augusta, Plant Hatch in Baxley and the Farley Plant near Dothan, Ala.