Plant Ratcliffe - Kemper IGCC
Coal is one of the most abundant domestic sources of energy. Southern Company is working to develop smarter, cleaner ways to burn coal. To that end, Southern Company has focused on cost-effective technologies to reduce carbon dioxide and other emissions from coal-based power plants.
Plant Ratcliffe IGCC
Plant Ratcliffe IGCC is currently under construction in Kemper County, Miss., and is owned and operated by Mississippi Power. The state-of-the-art power plant will put to work a four-billion-ton reserve of lignite located directly within the state when it begins operation in 2014. Lignite is an abundant natural resource that is largely unused. It is affordable and not subject to huge price swings associated with uncontrollable fuel markets. The 582-megawatt power plant will use an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) design called TRIG™.
Technology
TRIG™ is an integrated gasification combined cycle technology, which is sometimes referred to as coal gasification. TRIG™ was developed over the past 15 years at the Power Systems Development Facility in Wilsonville, Ala.— a research facility for the Department of Energy and Southern Company.
Kemper Project IGCC
As coal is fed into the TRIG™ gasifier, it is heated to a high temperature and is under high pressure. The combination of heat and pressure turns the coal into gas, which makes it easier to remove emissions such as carbon dioxide that otherwise would end up in the atmosphere. The clean burning gas can then be used as a fuel for electricity production.
A unique feature of the TRIG™ high-efficiency design sends coal that is not converted to gas in the initial process back for a second round of gasification. This allows a high rate of coal-to-gas conversion to take place at a lower temperature — and thus lower cost — than what's possible with other available gasification technologies.
Environmental Benefits
Kemper Project IGCC will include carbon capture, a technology that will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 65 percent — that's equal to similarly sized natural gas combined cycle plants. The plant will have fewer sulfur dioxide, particulate and mercury emissions than traditional pulverized coal technology because emission controls are built into the IGCC process. Kemper Project IGCC is the best option to provide reliable, affordable and environmentally friendly electricity.
Cost and Impact
Kemper Project IGCC will create approximately 260 permanent jobs, plus an additional 1,000 jobs during peak construction. Mississippi Power's investment is approximately $2.4 billion, which is greatly expanding the local tax revenue.
Plant Vogtle
Nuclear power is re-emerging as a viable way to meet new demand for electricity with the added benefit of no greenhouse gas emissions, and Southern Company is leading the nation's nuclear energy renaissance. On Feb. 10, 2012, the NRC issued the Combined Construction and Operating License (COL) for Plant Vogtle units 3 and 4, the first such license ever approved for a U.S. nuclear plant, signifying that full construction can begin. We're on schedule to be the first U.S. utility in more than 30 years to build new nuclear-powered generation, which will be part of our diverse portfolio of smarter, cleaner energy sources.
New Units at Plant Vogtle
Plant Vogtle, located near Augusta, Ga., currently has two generating units with more than 2,400 megawatts of capacity. Two new units being built will add more than 2,200 megawatts of capacity; startups are planned for 2016 and 2017. They will incorporate light-water Westinghouse AP1000 design technology, which has received design certification from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and is safe, efficient and simpler than current models.
The units are owned by Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG) and Dalton Utilities. Together, these companies provide electric service to most Georgians.
The Georgia Public Service Commission's certified cost is $6.1 billion for Georgia Power's 45.7 percent ownership in the new units. The project is on schedule and within budget.
Benefits
Nuclear energy is a secure, dependable source of power that is not subject to unreliable weather or climate conditions. Nuclear fuel costs have been much less volatile than other fuel sources. Vogtle units 3 and 4 are expected to save Georgia customers up to $6 billion in lower electricity rates over the life of the units as compared to a coal or natural gas plant. They are expected to create approximately 5,000 jobs during construction and an additional 800 jobs when the units begin operation.
Background
By 2030, electrical demand is projected to increase 27 percent in the Southeast. Southern Company has been planning for new nuclear generation since 2005 to help extend reliable and affordable supplies of electricity.
In 2009, the Georgia Public Service Commission certified the new units and passed Senate Bill 31, allowing the company to recover financing costs during construction, saving customers $300 million. In February 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy offered Georgia Power a conditional commitment for loan guarantees for the construction of the units.