The man instrumental in Southern Co.’s nuclear expansion is retiring, leaving before the company builds two new reactors in Georgia.
James Miller, who has run Southern Nuclear as CEO, president and chairman since 2008, said Wednesday he would step down later this year. A company employee since 1994, Miller will be replaced by Stephen Kuczynski, an executive for Chicago-based Exelon.
The announcement of Miller’s departure comes less than a week after an independent construction monitor for Georgia Power's two planned nuclear reactors warned of possible schedule delays and "significant challenges" to remain on budget. The comments centered around the first reactor, scheduled to start operating in 2016.
Southern Co. said Miller's impending departure and the construction report are unrelated.
“He has been a driving force really in nuclear expansion,” said Stephanie Kirijan, a Southern Co. spokeswoman. “Any suggestion like that is unfounded.”
Kuczynski has worked for Chicago-based Exelon for 27 years and was a senior vice president of Exelon Nuclear. He will start with Southern Co. on July 11.
Kirijan acknowledged that going outside the company was "different from our succession planning," but noted that Exelon operates the largest fleet of nuclear plants in the United States.
"Tapping the ranks of Exelon made sense in this case," she said.
