It was a year of developmental milestones in the generation and delivery of our product. Construction at the site of Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro, Ga., is now well under way, in preparation for the building of two new nuclear units. We broke ground on a new coal-fired generating facility in Kemper County, Miss., that will feature a carbon footprint similar to that of natural gas. We’re building a facility near Austin, Texas, that represents one of the largest biomass efforts in the entire country. And we began commercial operation on a new 30-megawatt solar energy plant in New Mexico that is one of the largest of its kind.

In terms of workforce culture, we continue to distinguish ourselves on multiple fronts. Earlier this year, we were named the World’s Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility by Fortune magazine. We were ranked among the top 50 companies in the 2010 Corporate Social Responsibility Index by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, the only utility to make that list. Diversity Inc. magazine named us to its list of Top 10 Companies for Blacks. We received the Freedom Award from the U.S. Department of Defense for our support of employees serving in the National Guard or Reserve and were ranked 21st nationally among military-friendly employers by GI Jobs magazine.

The stage is set for further achievement in the years to come. In many important ways, Southern Company is best positioned to address the myriad challenges facing our industry today. And that’s exactly what we’re doing. Beginning with research and development and applying our time-tested approach to due diligence and risk management, we’re enacting fresh solutions to new-age problems. With the right mix of “arrows” in our “quiver” – including nuclear, coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency – we intend to become a model for the successful utility of the future.

In the process, we will remain anchored in our heritage, and take care never to stray too far from that essential foundation. The real strength of Southern Company is in the surety of its identity, the guiding principles of which were established by our founders more than a century ago. Those early visionaries knew that bold thinking –  informed by sound, considered judgment – would be the key to success in a burgeoning industry. That same formula remains a cornerstone of our business today, and will ultimately lead us to the right answers for tomorrow.