Kemper County IGCC plant to be delayed

Southern Company  has said it will not be able to finish constructing its Kemper County, Miss., IGCC facility by May of 2014. Mississippi Power, the smallest utility unit of Southern Co., is building the plant.

"The expected extension of the schedule beyond May 2014 reflects Southern Company's and Mississippi Power's current analysis of the time needed to complete the construction and start-up activities of the Kemper IGCC," the company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The new Kemper plant will be equipped with the Transport Gasifier that specializes in low grade coal. In Kemper County, Mississippi lignite will be turned into syn gas. .

To meet its initial deadline Southern Co. even increased the number of workers to more than 6,000. But due to wet weather and less than expected productivity the project will not meet its May deadline, the company has announced.