Mississippi Power

Mississippi Power
	File:Mississippi Power logo (2016).svg
Company type	Subsidiary
Traded as	Template:NYSE was
Industry	Utilities
Founded	1925; 101 years ago
Headquarters	Gulfport, Mississippi, United States
Key people	Anthony Wilson (chairman, president & CEO)
Number of employees	1,253
Website	mississippipower.com

Mississippi Power, previously known as Mississippi Power Company (MPC), is an electric utility firm based in Gulfport, Mississippi. It functions as a subsidiary under the Atlanta-headquartered Southern Company.

Employing more than 1,000 staff members, Mississippi Power provides electricity to the majority of municipalities and communities within 23 counties in southeastern Mississippi. Additionally, it delivers wholesale electric power to six cooperatives financed by the Rural Electrification Administration—Coast EPA, Singing River EPA, Southern Pine EPA, Dixie EPA, Pearl River EPA, East Mississippi EPA—as well as to the City of Collins. These entities subsequently distribute electricity to local consumers. Data from the 2018 U.S. Energy Information Administration indicates that Mississippi Power’s average retail price for electricity was 8.99 cents per kWh, which is lower than the national average of 10.58 cents.

History

Established in 1925, Mississippi Power became integrated into Southern Company in 1949 when the parent corporation was formed to oversee four utilities including MPC. The company adopted the shortened name Mississippi Power in 1976.

Hurricane Katrina

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused widespread destruction to Mississippi Power’s infrastructure, resulting in a complete power outage for all customers. A collaborative restoration effort involving 12,000 employees and crews from across the United States and Canada succeeded in restoring electricity to all accessible areas within a span of 12 days. This disaster shaped the company’s future investments, particularly influencing the siting of the Kemper Project (Plant Ratcliffe), which is located safely inland away from the Gulf Coast. The facility is named in honor of former Southern Company CEO David Ratcliffe.

In 2007, Mississippi Power collaborated with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to aid environmental recovery after Katrina by releasing more than 2,500 largemouth bass fingerlings into the Pascagoula River.

Steam plants

Plant	Nearest city	Units	Capacity (MW)
A.J. Watson Electric Generating Plant	Gulfport, Mississippi	5	1,012
Victor J. Daniel Electric Generating Plant (Plant Daniel)	Escatawpa, Mississippi	4	1,580
Greene County Electric Generating Plant (40% ownership)	Demopolis, Alabama	2	200
Lonnie P. Sweatt Electric Generating Plant	Meridian, Mississippi	2	80
David Ratcliff Electric Generating Plant	Kemper County, Mississippi

Combustion turbines

Plant	Nearest city	Units	Capacity
Chevron Cogenerating Plant	Pascagoula, Mississippi	5	147,292 kW
Lonnie P. Sweatt Electric Generating Plant	Meridian, Mississippi	1	39,400 kW
Plant Watson	Gulfport, Mississippi	1	40,000 kW

Electricity Generation Fuels

Fuel	Fuel Expense	Generation Percentage
Coal	$271,992,000	51.00%
Natural gas	$260,033,000	49.00%

Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure

Mississippi Power manages 147 substations alongside more than 6,891 miles of combined transmission and primary lines. The company's total installed generating capacity is roughly 3,098 MW.

Decommissioned Facilities

The Eaton Electric Generating Plant, located in Petal, Mississippi and named in honor of founder Barney Eaton, was a natural gas-fired station consisting of three units with a combined capacity of 67.5 MW. Established in 1945 as Mississippi's first high-pressure steam plant and the company's initial generating site, it significantly contributed to meeting the rising electricity demand following World War II.

By the late 1990s, Plant Eaton was primarily utilized to address peak summer energy demands. Due to diminished efficiency, it ceased operations in 2012 and was subsequently dismantled in 2014.

Kemper Project

Construction of the Kemper County energy facility commenced in June 2010 by Mississippi Power in Kemper County, Mississippi. The initiative focused on employing integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology to convert locally sourced lignite coal into synthetic gas, presenting lignite as an economical alternative amid fluctuating natural gas prices. This approach aligned with the company’s strategy to diversify its energy mix and reduce dependence on natural gas.

The Kemper Project featured Carbon Capture & Sequestration (CCS) systems designed to capture approximately 65% of carbon dioxide emissions generated during gasification, showcasing a forward-thinking commitment to cleaner energy solutions. Funding for this project involved substantial contributions from both Mississippi Power and the United States Department of Energy, aiming to establish lignite as a practical fuel option.

Despite its innovative goals and strategic importance, the project did not achieve expected operational benchmarks. In July 2017, the company discontinued efforts toward "clean coal" generation and shifted the plant’s fuel source exclusively to natural gas. This transition represented a major change in business direction and affected financial outcomes related to the Kemper facility.

Mississippi Power Supreme Court Decision

In February 2015, the Supreme Court of Mississippi delivered a narrow 5–4 verdict declaring that the rate increase agreement between the Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC) and Mississippi Power during the plant’s construction was invalid. The Court found that MPSC had failed to adequately notify the public about the rate hike. Mississippi Power contested this ruling and intended to pursue a rehearing. The original agreement, established in March 2013 under the state's 2008 Baseload Act, authorized utilities to recover Construction Work in Progress (CWIP) expenses to finance extensive infrastructure projects.

Alternate Designations for Kemper Project

Ratcliffe Plant
Coal Project at Kemper
Energy Facility in Kemper County
IGCC Plant at Kemper
Kemper Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Kemper Facility
Power Station at Kemper

External links