Georgia marks 50 years of clean, reliable nuclear energy

Rhea-AI Summary

Georgia Power (NYSE: SO) and Southern Nuclear mark 50 years of commercial nuclear power in Georgia, highlighting Plant Hatch (first commercial operation Dec 1975) and Plant Vogtle (expanded with Units 3 & 4 completed May 2024).

Key metrics: avg capacity factor 94% (last decade), >1.2 billion MWh net generation since 1975, Plant Vogtle expected to produce more than 30 million MWh annually, and combined plants contribute $85 million+ in annual property taxes. In May 2025 Southern Nuclear filed a formal NRC license renewal application for Hatch Units 1 and 2 to extend operations by 20 years.

Positive

• Avg capacity factor 94% over last decade
• Plant Vogtle expected >30 million MWh per year
• >1.2 billion MWh net generation since 1975
• $85 million+ annual property tax contribution
• Southern Nuclear filed NRC license renewal application (May 2025) for Hatch units
• Southern Nuclear employs 2,600 at Hatch and Vogtle

Negative

• None.

Key Figures

Nuclear share of load 25% Share of Georgia’s electricity provided annually by two nuclear plants

Capacity factor 94% Average capacity factor over the last decade for Georgia nuclear units

Cumulative generation 1.2 billion MWh Net nuclear generation in Georgia since 1975

Annual property taxes $85 million+ Combined yearly property tax contributions from Plants Hatch and Vogtle

Vogtle output 30 million MWh/year Expected annual generation from all four Vogtle units

Current nuclear workforce 2,600+ employees Southern Nuclear employment across Plants Hatch and Vogtle

Historical nuclear jobs 18,000 jobs Estimated high-quality, full-time jobs provided over decades

Customer base 2.8 million customers Georgia Power customers across most Georgia counties

Market Reality Check

$87.57 Last Close

Volume Volume 3,462,447 vs 20-day average 6,338,553 (relative volume 0.55), suggesting moderate interest into this news. low

Technical Shares at $87.54, trading below 200-day MA of $91.45 and 13.18% under the $100.835 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

Utilities peers show mixed, low-magnitude moves: DUK +0.19%, NGG +0.18%, XEL +0.16%, while AEP -0.28% and D -0.07%. No clear sector-wide momentum around this Georgia nuclear milestone.

Common Catalyst Nuclear development features across the space, with Duke Energy also highlighting potential new nuclear development in North Carolina.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 22	Community assistance	Positive	+0.5%	Georgia Natural Gas donated <b>$250,000</b> to winter heating assistance.
Dec 19	Resource planning	Positive	-2.2%	Georgia PSC approved plan for about <b>9,900 MW</b> of new resources.
Dec 18	Workforce & DEI	Positive	+0.2%	Georgia Power and Atlanta Hawks expanded HBCU internship pathways.
Dec 16	Employer recognition	Positive	-0.3%	Southern Company ranked No. 1 on 2025 Military Times Best for Vets list.
Dec 15	Generation capacity	Positive	+1.9%	Georgia Power advanced Plant Yates Unit 9 toward <b>1,300 MW</b> new capacity.

Pattern Detected

Recent Southern/Georgia Power headlines have generally been positive, with stock reactions mixed: three modest upticks and two declines following constructive regulatory, capacity and community news.

Recent Company History

Over the past few weeks, Southern Company and Georgia Power highlighted community support, system expansion and recognition milestones. On Dec. 22, a $250,000 HEAT donation coincided with a small gain. A Dec. 19 Georgia PSC approval for about 9,900 MW of new resources saw shares slip 2.22%. Additional news on HBCU internships, veteran-friendly employer rankings, and new 1,300 MW capacity at Plant Yates drew modest, mixed reactions. Today’s nuclear-focused announcement fits this pattern of long-term, infrastructure-centric updates.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights Southern Company’s Georgia nuclear fleet as a long-standing pillar of the state’s grid, with Plants Hatch and Vogtle delivering high reliability and an average capacity factor of 94%. The piece underscores economic contributions such as more than $85 million in annual property taxes and decades of employment. Investors may watch how ongoing NRC license renewal efforts, future nuclear uprates, and broader generation-mix decisions shape long-term earnings and capital planning.

Key Terms

capacity factor technical

"with an average capacity factor – the time at which they operate at full power"

Capacity factor is the percentage of time a power plant or energy asset actually produces electricity compared with the maximum it could produce if it ran at full output continuously. For investors it shows how much revenue and value to expect from the asset — like judging a car by how often it’s driven near top speed rather than its top speed alone — and helps compare different technologies, project reliability, and cash‑flow forecasts.

license renewal regulatory

"began the process of seeking the NRC's approval for subsequent license renewal"

A license renewal is the formal process by which a business, product, or service obtains continued permission from a regulator or authority to operate, sell, or distribute something it already had approval for—similar to renewing a driver’s license to keep driving legally. Investors care because a successful renewal preserves revenue streams and market access, while delays, added conditions, or denial can reduce earnings, raise costs, or create uncertainty about future cash flow.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Plant Hatch entered commercial service in December 1975; Nuclear plants serve as bedrock of state's energy mix with an average capacity factor of 94% over the last decade

ATLANTA, Dec. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For more than 50 years, nuclear energy has played a critical role in Georgia's energy mix – currently providing approximately 25% of the state's electricity each year from just two nuclear plants: Plant Hatch near Vidalia and Plant Vogtle near Augusta. The plants sit at the center of the state's energy mix, operating efficiently and reliably for customers around the clock with an average capacity factor – the time at which they operate at full power – of 94% over the last decade. More than 1.2 billion megawatt hours of net generation have been produced by Georgia nuclear units since 1975 – enough total electricity to power the entire United States for more than 100 consecutive days.

Georgia Power and the plants' other co-owners – Oglethorpe Power Corporation, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and Dalton Utilities – are celebrating historic milestones this year for the state's nuclear fleet. Georgia's first nuclear power facility – Plant Hatch Unit 1 – entered commercial operation in December 1975 and marks 50 years of continuous operation this year. Additionally, the historic expansion of Plant Vogtle 3 & 4 marked the one-year anniversary of completion this past spring.

"Nuclear energy serves as the bedrock of our diverse generation fleet, ready and available when we need it, with a stable, predictable cost to operate and no air emissions," said Kim Greene, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. "We're grateful that, well over 50 years ago, state leaders at that time recognized the value of this energy source and took steps to make sure that a growing Georgia had the energy it needed. Customers today directly benefit from that foresight. Now, as our state continues to be the economic powerhouse of the Southeast, work continues with the Georgia Public Service Commission and many other stakeholders to build on that legacy as we maintain, evolve and expand our diverse generation mix to serve customers today, and 50 years from today."

That includes ongoing investments to modernize and maximize the company's already high performing units, including the potential to extend operating licenses and extract additional megawatts. Southern Nuclear, which operates Plants Hatch and Vogtle on behalf of Georgia Power and the co-owners, is an industry leader in safety, innovation and performance. The company is known for innovation in nuclear energy at Georgia power plants, having consistently been awarded the most prestigious awards for developing industry-changing advancements, from digital modernization and AI application to being the first in the world to install enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) technologies at Plant Hatch in 2018 and the historic installation of higher-uranium-enriched fuel earlier this year at Vogtle Units 1 & 2, a significant achievement that will positively transform the fuel cycle for all existing and future nuclear reactor designs.

"Our workforce comes from a wide variety of backgrounds, including the nuclear Navy, with each individual dedicated to safely and efficiently operating these nuclear units to serve electric customers across Georgia," said Pete Sena, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Nuclear. "The nuclear industry represents the best of American energy production, and I couldn't be more proud to lead this team of highly skilled professionals across Southern Nuclear who work together to drive innovation and performance at our current plants, but also as we work together to grow the future of clean energy in this country."

Southern Nuclear currently employs more than 2,600 people across Plants Hatch and Vogtle. Over the decades, the nuclear plants have provided high-quality, full-time jobs for an estimated 18,000 people.

Beyond providing jobs for thousands of people, Plants Hatch and Vogtle support vibrant and healthy local communities. Combined, the plants contribute more than $85 million in property taxes each year, which goes to support local schools, roads and other infrastructure. Plant teams also share a commitment to citizenship and community service with the plants supporting a variety of local charities and causes including STEM education efforts, the work of the United Way, multiple veterans groups and environmental/sustainability efforts.

A Bright Future for Georgia's First Nuclear Facility
In 1975, the year Hatch Unit 1 entered service, Georgia's population was around 5 million people and, 50 years later, that number has more than doubled with more than 11 million people now calling Georgia home. Plant Hatch has helped meet the electrical needs of that growth year after year, with its opening also marking a pivotal moment for Georgia Power's commitment to developing a diverse, cleaner generation mix to serve customers. At the end of the 1960s, prior to the introduction of emission-free nuclear energy to Georgia Power's generation mix, approximately 85 percent of the company's electricity came from fossil-fuel sources including coal.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) granted Hatch Unit 1 an initial license to operate in 1974, with Unit 2 following in 1975. In 2002, Plant Hatch's operating license was extended by the NRC for an additional 20 years. In 2023, Southern Nuclear began the process of seeking the NRC's approval for subsequent license renewal of Hatch Units 1 and 2, with the formal application filed with the NRC in May 2025 (read more). This renewal would extend the operating license of both units for an additional 20 years and allow the site to continue providing the state of Georgia with clean and reliable electricity around the clock.

Click here to learn more about Plant Hatch.

The Largest Generator of Clean Energy in the U.S.
Named after World War II hero, and subsequent Southern Company CEO, Alvin Vogtle, Plant Vogtle's original Units 1 & 2 opened as Georgia's second nuclear facility in the late 1980s. With all four units now in operation, Plant Vogtle is the largest generator of clean energy in the nation, expected to produce more than 30 million megawatt hours of electricity each year. The Vogtle 3 & 4 nuclear expansion was the first newly constructed nuclear facility in more than 30 years, and was completed in May 2024 with the commercial operation of Unit 4.

Since entering commercial operation, the new Vogtle units have performed safely and reliably at or above industry average. In September, Unit 4 successfully completed its first refueling outage and, through strategic fuel planning, Southern Nuclear was able to delay Unit 4's first planned refueling outage until the fall, allowing it to operate during the hottest months of the year when customers needed reliable power the most.

Click here to learn more about Plant Vogtle.

About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power offers rates below the national average, focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

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SOURCE Georgia Power

FAQ

What milestone did Georgia Power announce for Plant Hatch in December 2025 (SO)?

Plant Hatch marked 50 years of commercial operation since Unit 1 entered service in December 1975.

What is the significance of Southern Nuclear's May 2025 NRC filing for Hatch (SO)?

The May 2025 filing is a formal license renewal request to extend Hatch Units 1 and 2 operating licenses by 20 years.

How much electricity does Plant Vogtle (SO) produce annually after expansion?

With all four units in operation, Plant Vogtle is expected to produce >b>30 million MWh per year.

How reliable have Georgia nuclear plants been and what is the capacity factor (SO)?

Georgia nuclear units have averaged a 94% capacity factor over the last decade, indicating high reliability.

How do Plants Hatch and Vogtle contribute to local communities (SO)?

Combined, the plants provide >b>$85 million in annual property taxes and support local schools, infrastructure, and charities.

When was Vogtle Units 3 & 4 completed and why does it matter for SO investors?

Vogtle Units 3 & 4 completed in May 2024, representing the first U.S. new-build nuclear expansion in decades and adding large-scale clean generation.