Southern Nuclear
Southern Nuclear is Southern Company's nuclear power plant operating company. Southern Nuclear operates three plants, Farley, Hatch and Vogtle. These plants provide about 20 percent of the electricity used in Alabama and Georgia. Management of nuclear plants is a complex and tightly regulated function that requires the attention of experienced technicians and proven methods.
Building new plants
By 2030, electrical demand is projected to increase 21 percent in the Southeast. Additionally,
current and pending legislation and environmental standards are impacting electricity
generation fueled by coal. We're planning the future of electricity generation that can
maintain reliable and affordable supplies of electricity in the Southeast. Building new
nuclear generating plants will be essential to meeting this goal.
Why nuclear
Year in and year out, U.S. nuclear plants take full advantage of their large capacity to generate electricity. A nuclear plant has comparable capacity to coal-fueled plants and may be as much as 10 times larger than typical commercial solar or wind farms. As carbon-free sources are sought to replace old plants, nuclear technology is best suited to take over the megawatts required to meet demand. Nuclear plants continue to perform more and more efficiently, operating at 90.5 percent in the most recent U.S. government figures (2009). Safe, reliable performance coupled with government support, new reactor designs and better licensing processes bode well for a nuclear renaissance in the U.S.
How nuclear plants work
Uranium, a nuclear fuel, has atoms that split when they are struck by even smaller particles, called neutrons. Each time this happens more neutrons come out of the split to strike other atoms. The process is called fission. When used to generate electricity, neutrons are controlled from splitting atoms too fast, by water and special insulating rods. The resulting chain reaction is steady and long-lasting, releasing energy evenly as heat used to drive steam turbines. Only a tiny amount of fuel is used. A pellet smaller than a gum ball has the power of one ton of coal.
Environmental answers
Nuclear energy has many environmental advantages. It does not emit air pollution, used fuel can be safely isolated and stored, and it requires a relatively small amount of land. There are balancing concerns to be sure, but safety and performance bears out nuclear as a top source for high output, reliable electricity.
