Nearly 1,500 personnel responding to power outages in coastal Georgia

Contact: Media Relations, Georgia Power, 404-506-7676, www.georgiapower.com

Georgia Power crews ready to respond to Hurricane Dorian

ATLANTA – Sept. 4, 2019 – As Hurricane Dorian continues to move near the Georgia coast, Georgia Power is ready to respond to power outages as quickly and safely as possible. Georgia Power crews from around the state, in addition to crews from sister companies Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, are mobilizing to enter coastal areas as Dorian passes through.

Georgia Power is monitoring the changing weather around the clock and continues to coordinate with state and local emergency partners, including the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.

The company is also part of a mutual assistance network consisting of hundreds of utilities from around the country. As part of this partnership, Georgia Power is able to tap into reinforcements when needed to restore power quickly to Georgia customers.

Georgia Power reminds customers to keep safety first during severe weather and offers the following storm tips:   

• Before a Storm:  Stay aware and check the weather forecast before heading outdoors. Turn off air conditioners as power surges can overload them and charge cell phones in case you lose power.
• During a Storm: Take safe shelter inside a sturdy building away from windows and doors. Avoid contact with conductors of electricity – appliances, metal objects and water.
• After a Storm: Never touch any downed or low-hanging wires, including telephone or TV wires that touch a power line. Never pull tree limbs off of power lines yourself or enter areas with debris or downed trees as downed power lines may be buried in the wreckage. 

Tools You Can Use

• Outage Alerts – Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message.
• Outage & Storm Center – Available at www.georgiapower.com/storm, customers can visit this site to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938.  
• Outage Map – Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power’s interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times.
• Georgia Power Mobile App – Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Androiddevices to access storm and outage information on the go.
• @GeorgiaPower on Twitter – Follow @GeorgiaPower on Twitter for storm tips, outage updates, customer service and more.
• Emergency Plan and Kit – Visit the Georgia Power storm page for information on how to build a family emergency plan and emergency supply kit.

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 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, 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 focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visitwww.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

Contact: Media Relations, Georgia Power, 404-506-7676, www.georgiapower.com

Georgia Power’s new Vogtle units approximately 79 percent complete

Target in-service dates remain unchanged

ATLANTA – Aug. 30, 2019 – The target in-service dates for Georgia Power’s Vogtle 3 & 4 nuclear expansion project near Waynesboro, Ga., remain unchanged at November 2021 for Unit 3 and November 2022 for Unit 4, the company announced today in its project update filed with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC). The company also cited it expects the project will remain within the current cost forecast.

Georgia Power filed today its combined 20^th and 21^st Vogtle Construction Monitoring (VCM) Report for the period July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019, with the PSC. A link to the filing can be found here.

Significant progress continues to be made at the construction site, with the project now approximately 79% complete. 

The project met all major milestones in 2018 and met all first and second quarter major milestones for 2019. Recently, the site completed a major step in the Integrated Flush process by successfully testing a portion of the Spent Fuel Pool Cooling System (SFS), a key safety component for Vogtle Unit 3. In addition, the company ordered the first nuclear fuel load for the unit, the first nuclear fuel order to be placed in more than 30 years for a newly-designed reactor in the U.S., marking a major milestone in the project’s transition to operations.

Other milestones include:

• setting of all four reactor coolant pumps inside the Unit 3 containment vessel
• setting of the Unit 3 containment vessel top head
• completion of Unit 3 initial energization and the start of the integrated flush process for Unit 3
• placement of both accumulator tanks, both steam generators and the pressurizer inside Unit 4 containment
• setting the second ring of the Unit 4 containment vessel

The project workforce remains at an all-time high with approximately 8,000 workers on site. With more than 800 permanent jobs available once the units begin operating, Vogtle 3 & 4 is currently the largest jobs-producing construction project in the state of Georgia.

VCM process

The company files a VCM report to provide the PSC a detailed update on progress and other information related to the construction of the nation’s only new nuclear units. The VCM process includes public hearings held at the PSC, as well as reports filed by the PSC staff’s independent construction monitor.

New construction time-lapse video highlights progress since groundbreaking

Georgia Power has released a new video of the nation’s only new nuclear units currently under construction.  From the removal of four million cubic yards of soil, to historic module and concrete placements, the video includes milestones throughout the project’s history. Once completed, units 3 & 4 will generate enough electricity to power approximately 500,000 homes and businesses.

Follow the progress being made at the site with the Plant Vogtle 3 & 4 Online Photo Gallery.

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 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, 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 focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visitwww.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this release is forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements concerning the expected cost and schedule for construction of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4. Georgia Power cautions that there are certain factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of Georgia Power; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Georgia Power’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: the ability to control costs and avoid cost and schedule overruns during the development, construction, and operation of facilities, including Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, which includes components based on new technology that only recently began initial operation in the global nuclear industry at this scale, and including changes in labor costs, availability and productivity; challenges with management of contractors, subcontractors or vendors; adverse weather conditions; shortages, delays, increased costs or inconsistent quality of equipment, materials, and labor; contractor or supplier delay; nonperformance under construction, operating, or other agreements; operational readiness, including specialized operator training and required site safety programs; engineering or design problems; design and other licensing-based compliance matters, including the timely submittal by Southern Nuclear of the Inspections, Tests, Analyses, and Acceptance Criteria documentation for each unit and the related reviews and approvals by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”) necessary to support NRC authorization to load fuel; challenges with start-up activities, including major equipment failure, system integration or regional transmission upgrades; and/or operational performance; the ability to construct facilities in accordance with the requirements of permits and licenses (including satisfaction of NRC requirements), to satisfy any environmental performance standards and the requirements of tax credits and other incentives, and to integrate facilities into the Southern Company system upon completion of construction; legal proceedings and regulatory approvals and actions related to construction projects, such as Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 and pipeline projects, including public service commission approvals and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and NRC actions; under certain specified circumstances, a decision by holders of more than 10% of the ownership interests of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 not to proceed with construction, and the ability of other Vogtle owners to tender a portion of their ownership interests to Georgia Power following certain construction cost increases; the inherent risks involved in operating and constructing nuclear generating facilities; the ability of counterparties of Georgia Power and its subsidiaries to make payments as and when due and to perform as required. Georgia Power expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward‐looking information.

Contact: Taylor Sills, Georgia Cotton Commission, 478-988-4235, taylor@georgiacotton.org

Joy Crosby, Georgia Peanut Commission, 229-386-3690, joycarter@gapeanuts.com

Cotton/Peanut Research Field Day set for Sept. 4 in Tifton

PERRY/TIFTON, Ga. – The Georgia Cotton Commission, Georgia Peanut Commission and the University of Georgia Extension Cotton and Peanut Teams, will co-sponsor a joint research field day on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, in Tifton, Georgia. 

The field day will start at 8:00 a.m. at the University of Georgia Lang Farm at 276 Rigdon Aultman Road in Tifton, Georgia. Field day attendees will also visit the UGA Gibbs Farm at 226 William Gibbs Road in Tifton, Georgia, before returning to the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center for lunch and a short program. The field day is a free event, but attendees are encouraged to RSVP to Jeannie Evans at jevans12@uga.edu or 229-386-3006 to provide an accurate count for lunch.

The purpose of the tour is to showcase current research, which is funded by the respective commissions, in plot-side presentations by the researchers themselves. The sponsors’ goal is to provide an educational environment for cotton and peanut farmers and give them the opportunity to pose questions directly to the researchers and to express opinions and concerns pertinent to the production of their crops.

Chairmen of the peanut and cotton commissions, Armond Morris and Bart Davis, respectively, agree this event gives farmers the distinct opportunity to interact with the leadership of each commission, other farmers and industry representatives. It is an excellent place for farmers to observe, first-hand, the research programs funded by their checkoff investments.

To view an agenda, visit www.georgiacottoncommission.org or www.gapeanuts.com.

Contact: Media Relations, Georgia Power, 404-506-7676, www.georgiapower.com

Georgia Power offers tools and resources to help customers during summer heat wave and safety tips to prepare for severe weather

Georgia surpasses with 60 days with temperatures above 90 degrees since May, while weather forecast calls for severe storms throughout the week

ATLANTA – August 19, 2019 – With temperatures in Georgia surpassing 60 days above 90 degrees since May and with severe thunderstorms in the forecast for this week, Georgia Power is reminding customers of a number of tools to keep safety first and help reduce the impact of the hot weather on power bills.

As part of continued efforts to help customers save energy and money and to prepare for severe weather year-round, the company has made it easy to find energy efficiency solutions and safety tips at www.GeorgiaPower.com.

Tips, Tools & Resources for Energy Efficiency

Georgia Power offers tips, tools and resources that can help all customers save money and energy during the heat of summer, and when severe weather strikes.

Hundreds of useful tips, whether you own a home or rent, are available atwww.GeorgiaPower.com/Save:

• Do not leave electronics on – Turn off televisions, computers and other electronic devices when not in use.
• Protect appliances with SurgeDefender – Georgia Power offers a state-of-the-art product, SurgeDefender, to single-family homeowners including individually metered, owned townhouses and condominiums to help protect motor-driven appliances such as refrigerator, HVAC, washer/dryer from power surges entering on the electric lines.
• Install storm doors – A storm door creates a pocket of insulated air space between itself and your house’s exterior door. This reduces heat transfer into and out of your home, lowering heating and cooling costs.
• Only use surge protectors with internal circuit breakers – These units will trip the breaker if the power strip is overloaded and shorted to prevent overheating.
• Focus on the fridge – Proper cleaning and maintenance of the refrigerator, such as dusting the dirt from the refrigerator coils and removing food to allow air to circulate, can reduce its energy consumption.

Tips & Resources for Severe Weather Preparation:

With temperatures continuing to rise above 90 degrees, the National Weather Service is forecasting severe weather this week. Georgia Power reminds customers to keep safety first during a storm and offers the following videos and tools to prepare for severe weather year-round:

• Outage Alerts – Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message.
• Build an Emergency Kit – A well-built kit should contain enough supplies to get you and your family through three days without electricity or running water.
• Power Restoration Process – Georgia Power crews focus on repairs that return power to the greatest number of customers in the least amount of time.
• Assessing Conditions – Before restoration crews can get to work, damage assessment teams identify trouble spots and the resources needed to fix it.
• Downed Tree Safety – Downed trees are usually the cause of an outage after a storm. Never attempt to pull tree limbs off wires yourself.
• Generator Safety – Never use generators in an enclosed space. They produce dangerous carbon monoxide that can’t be seen or smelled.
• Storing Food and Medicine in an Outage – During an outage, it’s important to know how to safely store your food and medicine.

Georgia Power constantly monitors changing weather conditions and remains prepared to respond to any service interruptions that might occur because of severe weather. Customers can subscribe to Georgia Power’s YouTube Storm Channel for the latest safety videos and can connect with Georgia Power on Facebook and Twitter for helpful information every day, and restoration updates during severe weather.

Customer Resources No Matter the Season

Regardless of the season or the weather, Georgia Power encourages customers to take advantage of these resources to save money and energy throughout the year:

• Take an online energy checkup – Georgia Power’s quick and easy online energy checkup provides a customized report to help you understand your energy use and find ways to save money. Energy Checkup can use your actual power bills to give you a customized report. Just enter information about your home and family to measure how you use energy.  
• Conduct a rate plan review: Georgia Power offers a variety of flexible and customizable rate plans to fit every lifestyle. Ensuring that you are on the most economical rate plan for your use is one of the most effective ways to keep your energy costs low. Customers can explore Georgia Power rate plans here and at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Pricing.
• Bill payment assistance: Georgia Power works with customers to coordinate payment arrangements and discounts such as the Low-Income Senior Citizens Discount, and can connect them with community organizations that may be able to help them pay their bill including The Salvation Army’s Project SHARE program. Additional information is available at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Assistance or via phone at 888-660-5890.

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 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, 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 focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visitwww.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

Contact: Lynn Hood, 678-427-5040, lynn@crackerjack-marketing.com

New IHIT report examines hospital cybersecurity challenges and identifies next steps in protection

How one wrong click can shut down a town

ATLANTA, August 15, 2019 – The statistics are staggering – and frightening: healthcare data breaches are currently being reported at a rate of more than one a day. And if you think it can’t happen to you, the odds are not in your favor. Breaches reported between 2009 and 2018 have resulted in the theft or exposure of almost 190 million healthcare records, a number equal to 59% of the U.S. population, according to the HIPAA Journal.

A breach can be problematic for large hospitals with the resources and budget to survive a cyberattack, but it can absolutely devastate a smaller facility, and with it, the surrounding community. That thought started keeping Georgia Senator Bruce Thompson awake at night a few years ago. He was the impetus behind a grassroots initiative that brought together hospital CIOs statewide to research and discuss the magnitude of the problem along with measures to support cybersecurity.

“I learned that a fifth of the nation’s rural hospitals are near insolvency and at a high risk of closing, according to a recent Navigant analysis,” Thompson says. “If you want to watch a rural community die, kill its hospital. After Lower Oconee Community Hospital (Glenwood, GA) shut down in 2014, other mainstays of the community followed. The bank and the pharmacy shuttered, and the only grocery store in the county closed. On Main Street, building after building closed or fell into disrepair.”

The efforts of Thompson and the hospital CIOs have been summarized in a new report from the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare IT (IHIT), “The State of Cybersecurity Among Georgia Hospitals.” Hospitals have become a popular target among hackers because the electronic healthcare record is worth more than any other data on the black market. Medical records could be worth $1,000 each while social security numbers are just 10 cents and credit card numbers are worth 25 cents.

A Call for Action

Beginning in October 2017 and continuing through 2019, Georgia hospital CIOs gathered to explore the issues and determine ways they could work together to make a difference. These meetings included hospital CIOs from across the state, with regional working groups pulling together small groups to discuss specific challenges and exchange ideas on ways to solve them.

Among the top issues were preventing phishing attacks; maintaining legacy technology that was not built to withstand the sophistication and volume of today’s cybersecurity attackers; managing the increasing number of third-party systems that require access to patient health information; grappling with the shortage of IT security talent, especially in rural markets; and overestimating the protection afforded by cybersecurity insurance policies.

The IHIT report summarizes recommendations from the CIOs around two primary initiatives: establish a healthcare-specific resource center offering Georgia hospitals and healthcare providers access to the most current cybersecurity tools and information; and establish regional online networks for IT Safe Zones where providers can confidentially share threat and incident response insights.

At the heart of the IHIT recommendations is the need to immediately mobilize both executive branch and legislative resources to prepare for the next cyberattack before it sinks a community hospital, and its community.

Calvin Rhodes, the CIO of the State of Georgia, has embraced the IHIT findings and is working with the hospital CIOs to identify ways to offer support. “We saw a real need to extend the cyber academy training developed for state employees to cities and counties in Georgia, and we want to encourage hospital participation as well. Georgia’s new state-of-the-art Cyber Center is serving companies ranging in size from start-ups to the Fortune 500.”

The state is also offering organizations access to a service that provides a seasoned information security officer who will work with an organization one or more days a week with a one-year commitment. “We’re looking to other states for best practices as well,” says Rhodes. “One item that a couple other states often speak to is the benefits of the formation of a volunteer cyber event response task force; in those states it required legislation that provides liability protection for not only the volunteers but also the companies that employ the volunteers.”

About The Institute for Healthcare Information Technology (IHIT)
IHIT was founded for the purpose of improving lives through healthcare IT, and we do this by researching needs, harnessing and aligning resources, and informing the community of our progress and results. To learn more, visit www.instituteforhealthcareIT.org

Contact: Media Relations, Georgia Power, 404-506-7676, www.georgiapower.com

Stay cool, save money as summer heat wave hits Georgia

Review your rate plan and use free tools and resources from Georgia Power

ATLANTA – August 13, 2019 – With a summer heat wave upon Georgia, Georgia Power urges customers to take action to minimize the impact of higher temperatures and increased energy use on electric bills. The company is committed to providing information and choices that give customers the options they need to reduce energy use and save money every day.

Tips, Tools & Resources

Georgia Power offers tips, tools and resources that can help all customers save money and energy during the heat of summer, and throughout the year. Hundreds of easy energy tips, whether you own a home or rent, are available at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Save. The website also includes access to a free online energy checkup and a variety of rebates plus incentives for both homes and businesses.

Simple summer tips to save money and energy include setting manual thermostats to 78 degrees in the summer for peak efficiency and make the most of programmable thermostats, which help decrease energy use based on your lifestyle. Also, it’s very important to have your air conditioner professionally serviced now to ensure it’s running efficiently. Change filters and trim plants around outside units so they can receive proper air flow.

Additionally, Georgia Power’s My Power Usage program, a free service-connected to Georgia Power online accounts, allows customers to track their daily energy use online, project their monthly bill and stay within a set energy budget.

Conduct a Rate Plan Review

Georgia Power offers a variety of flexible and customizable rate plans to fit every lifestyle. Ensuring that you are on the most economical rate plan for your use is one of the most effective ways to keep your energy costs low.

Customers can explore Georgia Power rate plans at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Pricing, including:

• Smart Usage – This plan can provide savings by implementing small changes in how and when you use electricity. Electric appliances such as clothes dryers, ovens and dishwashers are some of the biggest energy users and, by using these appliances at different times, you can reduce your monthly energy bill.
• FlatBill^® – This plan offers a 12-month fixed contract price that does not fluctuate when your power usage does – eliminating surprises and preventing higher bills during the summer months.  
• Plug-In Electric Vehicle (PEV) – A great option for electric vehicle (EV) drivers who can charge their EVs during nighttime hours and take advantage of lower-priced energy.  
• Nights & Weekends – If you can shift when you use electricity during the summer months to the evening, the Nights & Weekends rate is for you. By changing when you wash dishes, do laundry or cool your home, savings add up annually.  
• PrePay – One of Georgia Power’s newest rate plans, this option allows you to pay as you go and add funds as needed. This plan requires no deposit, credit check or reconnection fees.

Bill Payment Assistance

Georgia Power also offers bill payment assistance. The company works with customers to coordinate payment arrangements and discounts such as the Low-Income Senior Citizens Discount, and can connect them with community organizations that may be able to help them pay their bill including The Salvation Army’s Project SHARE program. Additional information is available at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Assistance or via phone at 888-660-5890.

# # #

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 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, 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 focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visitwww.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

Contact: Laura DiBella, Port Director, 561-756-3132, laura@nassauflorida.com or Chris Ragucci, Worldwide Terminals, 904-990-1400, chris.ragucci@worldwideterminals.com

Federal designation to help Port of Fernandina efficiently move cargo and alleviate truck traffic

FERNANDINA BEACH, FL (August 6, 2019) – The U.S. Department of Transportation designated the Port of Fernandina as an operator on its American Marine Highway, an action that will help move truck traffic off congested area roads and onto local waterways. The designation, which was announced Tuesday, July 30 by Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao, also makes the Port eligible for federal funds.

“The designation of marine highways by Congress will help move cargo and people to help grow the economy and shift freight off of congested highways,” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said in a statement announcing the designation. Congress has appropriated $7 million in 2019 for these projects.

Area Congressman John Rutherford, who helped champion the port’s designation, praised the DOT’s action saying: “The Port of Fernandina plays a crucial role in the economic development of Northeast Florida and spurs our reputation as a logistics hub of the Eastern Seaboard. By designating the Port as part of the America’s Marine Highway Program, the U.S. Department of Transportation provides Fernandina Beach the tools they need to build on the incredible growth seen in recent years and to ease traffic congestion throughout the region. I thank Secretary Chao for her leadership and commitment to America’s seaports.”

The DOT designation comes on the heels of a visit to the port by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in late March this year when he called it the “crown jewel for exporting northeast Florida forest products and manufactured products to China and the rest of the world.” He added that “the Port of Fernandina is creatively spearheading a model of providing new and efficient services that relieve the burden on our already overtaxed infrastructure.”

Fernandina Port officials said being designated a marine federal highway is a validation of their plans to add barge services to other east coast ports, as well as opening the door to federal funding.

“There is a major market opportunity for short-sea shipping, by diverting containers that typically move by truck and putting them on barges instead,” says Worldwide Terminals CEO Christopher T. Ragucci, whose company serves as the terminal operators of the Port of Fernandina. “Fernandina’s marine highway route along, M-95, could ultimately connect Fernandina by sea to Jacksonville, Savannah and Charleston and beyond.”

“These connections with surrounding hub-ports will enable users of Fernandina to connect with virtually every other Port in the world through the large shipping lines calling at these other ports, while at the same time, taking a significant number of trucks off the road,” he explains.

Nassau County Economic Development Board Executive Director and Port Director, Laura DiBella, also sees the marine highway designation as a significant economic milestone for the port.

“As trucking congestion continues to grow, it’s becoming obvious that our strategic location and on-dock rail system can offer more reliable and cost-effective opportunities when combined with our proposed container-on-barge service,” she says. “It’s only a matter of time before a hub and spoke model similar to that of airports will become commonplace among seaports, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this environmentally sustainable effort.”

Modernization of the port’s facilities are on-going with plans for capital investments of $15 million for additional cranes, cargo handling equipment, on-dock warehousing, and deepening of the berths to 40 feet MLW say officials.

The Port of Fernandina is a rail-served, natural deep-water port on the Atlantic seaboard adjoining the U.S. mainland, just 2.2 miles from the open ocean. It handles a variety of cargoes, including steel, aluminum, machinery, forest products project cargo and manufactured goods. It has 250,000 square-feet of on-site warehouse space, 100,000+ square-feet off-port, and 10 acres of open storage, all which sits minutes away from a new six-lane A1A/SR 200 highway enabling easy access to both Interstates 95 and 10. The Port of Fernandina supports more than 65 direct jobs and hundreds of indirect jobs throughout Nassau County and contributes greatly to the local economy. The Port of Fernandina handled over 290,000 tons of cargo last year and is on course to double this amount in 2019. www.portoffernandina.com

Contact: Media Relations, Georgia Power, 404-506-7676

email: www.georgiapower.com

Georgia Power, PulteGroup celebrate opening of Atlanta’s first smart neighborhood

ATLANTA – July 25, 2019 – Georgia Power and PulteGroup are celebrating the opening of Atlanta’s first Smart NeighborhoodTM. Leaders from Georgia Power, PulteGroup, the Georgia Public Service Commission, U.S. Department of Energy, City of Atlanta and the project’s technology partners joined together to officially open the neighborhood today at PulteGroup’s development in Atlanta’s Upper West Side, one of the city’s most vibrant and popular areas.

“The Smart Neighborhood will allow Georgia Power to continue to be at the forefront in offering innovative solutions that help our customers more efficiently manage their energy usage,” said Paul Bowers, chairman, president and CEO for Georgia Power. “The research, insights and learnings we receive from these homes will help us better understand the interactions between rooftop solar, in-home battery storage, energy efficiency measures and our electric grid – maximizing the value of renewable energy and shaping how we grow our smart home offerings for customers.”

The first 46 townhomes developed at Altus at the Quarter will be a part of the Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood, where each technology-enhanced home will be served by Georgia Power and supplemented by rooftop solar installations and inhome battery energy storage.

The homes will feature Pulte’s Hutton and Summerford floor plans. The four-story townhomes span 2,800+ sq. ft. and feature three to four bedrooms and a two-car garage. They will be equipped with the latest energy technologies such as optimal insulation for maximum efficiency, advanced heating and cooling systems, LED lighting, electric vehicle chargers, and home automation featuring smart thermostats, smart locks, smart light switches, smart outlets, outdoor cameras and voice control. With the additional insulation and rooftop solar, the homes will have a home energy rating system (HERS) score in the high 30s compared to the average HERS score of high 70s for single family homes built in 2017.

“In developing Atlanta’s first Smart Neighborhood, we are further demonstrating our commitment to product innovation and sustainable building practices,” said PulteGroup President and Chief Executive Officer Ryan Marshall. “This partnership with Georgia Power provides us with a unique opportunity to introduce innovative solutions that create lasting benefits for homeowners and the environment.”

Main features in the Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood home include:

Energy Efficiency

• Mini Split, Lennox – This HVAC system features high efficiency heating and cooling for the top level in Smart Neighborhood homes.

• Puck, Flair – This smart thermostat integrates with the mini split to easily adjust the temperature of the top level of the homes.

• Water Heater, A. O. Smith – The Voltex® heat pump water heater will be able to connect to the homeowner’s energy management platform to be used as a thermal energy storage device.

Home Automation

• Home Control Panel, Vivint Smart Home – The panel lets you control many of the connected products in a Smart Neighborhood home, including arming and disarming the security system, all from one convenient touchscreen.

• ecobee4 Thermostat, ecobee – This smart thermostat will ensure Smart Neighborhood residents are comfortable in their homes. With room sensors, homeowners can manage hot or cold spots, and with built-in Amazon Alexa Voice Service, homeowners can even ask it to order groceries or read the news.

• Video Doorbell, Vivint Smart Home – The video doorbell alerts you to visitors and lets you see and speak with anyone at your door from anywhere.

• Smart Locks, Vivint Smart Home – Smart locks can automatically lock up at night or when you leave and let you give keyless access to family and guests. • Smart Shades, Lutron – Smart shades are located throughout the entire second floor in the home and can be raised or lowered via phone or voice control.

• Smart Outlets, Vivint Smart Home – Smart outlets allow you to remotely control and schedule your outlets from anywhere for added convenience and energy savings.

Battery Storage

• Battery Energy Storage System, LG Chem – The two in-home battery storage systems store electric energy for later consumption, giving Smart Neighborhood homeowners additional peace of mind with a reliable and safe source of backup power.

• Battery and Solar Controller, Delta Electronics – The controller platform will enable the LG Chem battery energy storage system by forecasting and scheduling operations to automate energy bill savings.

• Solar Panels, installed by Hannah Solar – The rooftop solar panels will supplement the grid to power the homes. The panels will produce approximately one-third of the homeowner’s annual energy usage.

For a full list of the Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood technology and partners, visit www.georgiapower.com/smartneighborhood.

Georgia Power is also collaborating with Southern Company Research and Development (R&D) to better understand the integration between rooftop solar, in-home battery storage and the traditional electric grid as well as how homeowners interact with their connected devices and high efficiency technologies. The project’s additional research partners include the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, who developed the Smart Neighborhood’s home energy optimization platform to intelligently schedule each homes’ major appliances, in coordination with solar and batteries, to minimize cost while optimizing each homeowner’s comfort. Additionally, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is providing design guidance, data analysis and final reports for the Smart Neighborhood project.

“I want to applaud Southern Company and Georgia Power, Pulte Homes, and the many other individuals involved in making today possible. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work and I know that in many ways, it’s also just the beginning. The Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood at Altus at the Quarter is an example of the future of American energy and innovation. This project leverages the resources of the public sector with the ingenuity and nimbleness of the private sector. It relies on cutting-edge technology that enhances energy efficiency,” said Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes.

Georgia Power offers a full suite of smart-home options, which includes easy access to products and services to help make customers’ homes more energy efficient and connected. The company brings together popular products in the Smart Neighborhood, including the latest in smart thermostats and smart home products such as smart filters, lighting, door locks, light switches, vents, smoke alarms and doorbells, to a single convenient online portal on Georgia Power Marketplace. 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 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, 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 focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

About PulteGroup PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM), based in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of America’s largest homebuilding companies with operations in more than 40 markets throughout the country. Through its brand portfolio that includes Centex, Pulte Homes, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods and American West, the company is one of the industry’s most versatile homebuilders able to meet the needs of multiple buyer groups and respond to changing consumer demand. PulteGroup conducts extensive research to provide homebuyers with innovative solutions and consumer inspired homes and communities to make lives better.

For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup brands, go to pultegroup.com; www.pulte.com; www.centex.com; www.delwebb.com; www.divosta.com; www.jwhomes.com; and www.americanwesthomes.com. Follow PulteGroup, Inc. on Twitter: @PulteGroupNews

Contact: Media Relations, Georgia Power, 404-506-7676

email: www.georgiapower.com

Georgia to be a leader in energy storage in the Southeast: Georgia Power set to own and operate 80 MW of battery energy storage

Georgia Public Service Commission has unanimously approved Georgia Power’s 20-year plan to meet the state’s future energy needs, including battery energy storage, 72 percent more renewable generation by 2024, and environmental plans

Company will continue to invest in diverse energy resources to deliver clean, safe, reliable energy
at rates that are well below the national average

ATLANTA – July 16, 2019 – The State of Georgia is positioned to become a leader in battery energy storage in the Southeast with Georgia Power’s planned investment to own and operate 80 megawatts (MW) of battery energy storage. The company’s 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), unanimously approved today by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), includes energy storage, 72 percent more renewable generation by 2024, and approval of the company’s environmental compliance strategy.

“Working with the Georgia PSC, we are positioning Georgia as a leader in the Southeast in battery energy storage, which is critical to growing and maximizing the value of renewable energy for customers as we increase our renewable generation by 72 percent by 2024,” said Allen Reaves, Georgia Power’s senior vice president and senior production officer. “Through the IRP process, Georgia Power will continue to invest in a diverse energy portfolio including the development of renewable resources in a way that benefits all customers to deliver clean, safe, reliable energy at rates that are well below the national average.”

Under the approved IRP, Georgia Power will:

* Own and operate 80 MW of battery energy storage systems, which will help position Georgia as a leader in storage in the Southeast. Battery energy storage systems are critical to growing and maximizing the value of renewable energy and this will provide the company the opportunity to demonstrate the deployment, integration and operation of storage to gain valuable insight into how to maximize the value of storage for customers.

* Add 2,260 MW of new renewable (solar, wind or biomass) generation to the company’s energy mix, which is already one of the largest voluntary renewable portfolios in the country. With this addition, Georgia Power will continue as a leader in solar energy production and grow its renewable generation by more than 72 percent to 5,390 MW* by 2024 and increase the company’s total renewable capacity to 22 percent of its already diverse portfolio.

* Continue making capital investments to ensure high reliability of the system and help ensure the company meets all state and federal environmental compliance regulations. Georgia Power will move forward with five hydro investment projects including projects at Terrora, Tugalo, Bartletts Ferry, Nacoochee and Oliver generating facilities. The company will also continue with its environmental compliance strategy, which includes comprehensive plans to safely close all 29 ash ponds while protecting water quality every step of the way and complying with all state and federal requirements.

* Retire five coal-fired units, four at Plant Hammond near Rome, Georgia, and one at Plant McIntosh near Rincon, Georgia, reducing the company’s coal-fired generation capacity to approximately half of what it was in 2005. The company also will not renew its operating licenses for the Estatoah, Langdale and Riverview hydro dams.

Energy Efficiency Programs

The plan also includes energy efficiency targets 15 percent more than those approved in previous IRPs, while adding new, innovative energy-saving programs for both residential and commercial customers. New energy efficiency programs for customers approved in this plan, include:

• Income-Qualified program to provide greater financial assistance to income-qualified households that are historically under-represented in energy efficiency program participation. The program will provide the opportunity to help contribute and raise funds for customers in need of home weatherization assistance or home energy efficiency improvements.
• Income-Qualified Energy Efficiency pilot program designed to help up to 500 income-eligible residents save an estimated 20 percent of their household electric energy. This program will allow Georgia Power to cover the upfront costs of installation for eligible energy efficiency upgrades. The customer will repay the cost of the upgrades and installation through their utility electric bills via a Commission-approved tariff. The pilot program will be submitted for PSC approval by April 1, 2020, once PSC staff and the company come to an agreement on program details.

Additionally, the company is expanding assistance to income-qualified customers by increasing the annual funding for the HopeWorks low-income weatherization program by more than 60 percent.

Integrated Resource Plan Process

Georgia Power’s IRP, which outlines how the company will continue to deliver clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to its 2.6 million customers over the next 20 years, is filed every three years with the Georgia PSC. The 2019 plan was a result of the in-depth IRP process, which includes projections of future fuel costs, load and energy forecasts, an analysis of available generation technologies, the 10-year transmission plan, and an economic assessment of potential and proposed energy efficiency and demand response programs. The company also evaluated the cost-effectiveness of its generating resources given changing environmental regulations and emerging technologies and discussed the growing importance of resilience to the electric system.

Contact: Dave Scott, KaZee Inc., 770-354-7228

email: dscott@kazee.us

Illinois Departments of Corrections and Juvenile Justice sign electronic health records contract with Georgia firm

KaZee’s Inc.’s efforts will improve the health of those in custody

ATLANTA, GA (July 15, 2019) — The State of Illinois has turned to a Georgia company, KaZee, Inc., to help it streamline and improve the health and healthcare of the more than 39.000 adults and juveniles incarcerated in its prisons and detention centers while at the same time cut costs.

The recently contracted Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and its Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) programs are part of an agreement with the federal government to upgrade the state’s prison system to help advance the quality of healthcare provided to patients and improve healthcare outcomes. As part of this program, the state has agreed to expand and upgrade its healthcare facilities and equipment, and hire staff dedicated to implementing and overseeing stringent quality assurance and disease control programs and electronic health records systems.

The State of Illinois, through IDOC and IDJJ, contracted with KaZee, Inc, an Atlanta-based healthcare IT company, to assist with the implementation and support of a state-wide electronic heath records system. KaZee is charged with assisting the state in automating the process of managing patient healthcare charts and records and supporting it in the delivery of cost-effective quality medical, dental, mental health, pharmacy and other specialty care.

“The cost of providing healthcare continues to increase rapidly, states are under severe pressure to improve the quality of the healthcare they provide to the people in their custody,” says Albert Woodard, chairman and CEO, KaZee, Inc. “As a result, they are increasingly turning to information technology systems and solutions.”

KaZee is intimately familiar with the IDOC having helped automate health record systems for its female facilities the past six years.

“Improving access to quality healthcare and specialists along with continuity and follow-up care should greatly improve healthcare outcomes and improve the overall physical and mental health of the persons in the custody of the Illinois Departments of Corrections and Juvenile Justice” says Woodard. “In addition to improving the overall health of the state’s prison population these programs will help assist them as they re-enter society, decrease recidivism rates and help improve public safety.”

From 1988 to 1998 the US prison population doubled according to the U.S. Justice Department making the U.S. the number one incarcerator worldwide. In 1978 the U.S. inmate population was approximately 750,000 people. Today that number is reported to be in excess of more than 2.2 million individuals. “The increasing prison population is due to aging, tougher sentencing laws, longer prison sentences, as well as increases in chronic illnesses diabetes and heart disease, infectious diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis and mentally ill and homeless patients now being housed in prisons and jails,” says Woodard.

Illinois is no exception; its prison population has grown eight percent since 2000. Illinois has the 22nd lowest incarceration rate in the country, with a rate of 341 per 100,000 people sentenced to a year or more behind bars in 2016, slightly below the national average.

About KaZee, Inc.

KaZee, Inc., is a leading provider of high-quality information technology (IT) products and services to the healthcare industry. Working with the University of Texas Medical Branch and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, KaZee helped develop and implement one of the first Electronic Health Records Systems in the Country and one of the largest Telemedicine Operations in the World outside of the U.S. Department of Defense. KaZee works with Parkland Hospital today to help support Parkland’s contract with Dallas County to provide quality healthcare to the County’s inmate populations. Both programs have received high recognition for the quality and cost effectiveness of the healthcare they provide their inmates. KaZee is a national firm that supports its customers all across the country. For more information about KaZee visit www.KaZee.us.

Contact: Mary-Margaret Fox, Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, 229-931-2077

email: marymargaret.fox@gsw.edu

Rosalynn Carter Institute calls for Caregiver of the Year nominations

Awards recognize outstanding Georgians who tirelessly dedicate themselves to others

AMERICUS, GEORGIA — The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) is pleased to open nominations for the 2019 Georgia Caregiver of the Year Awards. The Awards recognize the self-less work done by caregivers across the state in three categories: Family Caregiver, Volunteer Caregiver, and Para-Professional Caregiver. 

“The people who care for others is often a role that is not recognized. Mrs. Carter started the Institute to ensure that these selfless people have their unique needs addressed and are recognized for their work,” said Dr. Jennifer Olsen, Executive Director of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving. “What better place to start than here at home in Georgia?” 

Caregivers may be nominated by those able to evaluate their performance and demonstrate how they are making a difference in the lives of the care recipients they serve. 

From these nominations, three caregivers will be selected as the top Caregivers of the Year in Georgia. The three different categories recognize a unique role within the caregiving community. 

The Family Caregiver Award is presented to a family member, or non-relative close friend who provides assistance to a person with a disability, chronic illness or other condition requiring support and assistance to have a full life in the community.

The Para-professional Caregiver Award is presented to a licensed practical nurses (LPNs), therapy aide, home health aide, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), nurse’s aide/patient care technician, or direct support caregiver such as companions or sitters for their work. 

The Volunteer Caregiver Award is presented to a volunteer that has completed at least one year of service caring for an individual or individuals in a capacity that aids and/or improves their life. Additionally, this could also be someone who supports caregivers by volunteering at a caregiving organization or facility. 

To be eligible for either of the awards, the nominee must be currently providing care or volunteering, or must have provided care or volunteered within the past year. 

Caregivers can be nominated here. 

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter will host a luncheon October 25, 2019 in Americus, GA to honor the three recipients and their nominators. 

The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) is the preeminent organization dedicated to strengthening the over 65 million caregivers in the United States through advocacy, education, research and service. Established in 1987 by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, RCI works to raise the awareness of caregivers’ needs and to create an environment that supports them. 

For additional information about the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, visit www.rosalynncarter.org.

Contact: George Heiring, Georgia Writers Museum, 706-473-0150

email: gwheiring@plantationcable.net

Georgia’s poet laureate serves as museum ghost host

Step inside the Georgia Writers Museum in downtown Eatonton, Georgia, and you’ll come face to face with a literary ghost. Frank Lebby Stanton, was Georgia’s first poet laureate, an editorial writer and a popular columnist for the Atlanta Constitution from 1888 to 1927. His charming, witty verse became lyrics for top selling parlor songs at the turn of the century, among them “Mighty Lak a Rose“and “Just Awearyin’ for You.”

Today his imposing portrait, dressed in a frock coat and smart red tie, welcomes visitors to a museum celebrating internationally famous Georgia writers, including Stanton’s long-time friend Joel Chandler Harris, co-editor on the Atlanta Constitution and author of Uncle Remus stories admired by Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling and Teddy Roosevelt.

Once inside the museum, ghost host Stanton makes a brief appearance in an introductory video, then serves as an amiable audio tour guide. The Georgia Writers Museum spotlights three famous writers who began their creative lives near Eatonton. In addition to Harris, it features Flannery O’Connor—considered one the best short story writers of the 20^th century—and Alice Walker, novelist, poet and activist who received the Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Color Purple.

The museum is also the year-round home for the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame. Photos of all 69 writers inducted into the hall are on display, along with timelines of major literary achievements throughout Georgia’s history. Recent renovation makes use of video, audio, and interactivity to keep visitors informed and engaged. The museum is open Thursday-Friday, 11am-5pm, Saturday 10-4, and Monday – Wednesday by appointment. More information is available at georgiawritersmuseum.com.  

As for Stanton, you’ll find he is a cheerful, not a scary, ghost host, one in keeping with the inscription on his tombstone in Atlanta’s Westview Cemetery: “This world we’re a’livin’ in, is mighty hard to beat. You get a thorn with every rose, but ain’t the roses sweet?”

Contact: Amy Henderson, Georgia Municipal Association, 678-686-6226

email: ahenderson@gmanet.com

Cities recognized for adopting ethics ordinances

SAVANNAH – The city of Crawfordville was recognized as the most recently certified Cities of Ethics at the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Annual Convention June 24. Gilmer County also received the County of Ethics certification, while 36 additional cities received recertifications.

The cities of Acworth, Barnesville, Brunswick, Buford, Centerville, Clarkston, Dawsonville, Donalsonville, Dublin, Dunwoody, Grantville, Helen, Hinesville, Hiram, Lakeland, Luthersville, Madison, Maysville, Meansville, Midway, Moultrie, Mount Airy, Mount Vernon, Newnan, Nicholson, Powder Springs, Reynolds, Sandersville, Savannah, Sugar Hill, Suwanee, Swainsboro, Sylvester, Tifton, Trion and Vienna.

The City of Ethics program began in 1999 and was developed by a panel of business and government leaders to encourage cities to adopt and adhere to a set of key ethical principles and adopt a local ethics ordinance. The ordinance must contain definitions, prohibited conduct and due process for officials accused of violations in areas such as financial disclosures, conflicts of interests and outside employment. The ordinance must also contain penalties for city officials who violate the ordinance.

GMA requires cities with the designation to recertify for the program, ensuring that ordinances maintain the standards of the program and city officials are regularly reminded of their ethical obligations as individuals and as a governing body. Each city is required to apply for recertification every four years.

A panel of attorneys reviewed the ordinances to determine if they comply with the criteria set by GMA. The cities received a plaque and are now authorized by GMA to use a “Certified City of Ethics” logo on city stationery, road signs, city vehicles and for other uses.

Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit and consulting services to its 538 member cities.

Contact: Ashley Bush, Southwire, 770-832-4577, email: ashley.bush@southwire.com

Contact: Noah Southerland, FiberRise Inc., 256-604-9937, noah.southerland@fiber-rise.com

Contact: Marjorie Dykes, Georgia Manufacturing Alliance, 770-338-0051