Atlanta-based Southern Company, parent of Georgia Power, Thursday announced that Chris Womack, currently executive vice president and president of External Affairs, has been elected by the Georgia Power Board of Directors to succeed Paul Bowers as Chairman, President and CEO of Georgia Power.
Bowers’ retirement is scheduled to coincide with Nuclear Plant Vogtle’s Unit 3 fuel load, which is expected in April 2021. Womack will serve as president of Georgia Power effective November 1, 2020 and assume his additional responsibilities as chairman and CEO upon Bowers’ retirement.
Chris Womack
“For more than a decade, Paul has led Georgia Power to become the premier energy company it is today,” said Tom Fanning, chairman, president, and CEO, of Southern Company.
From industry-leading storm response and customer satisfaction, to the growth of a diverse fuel portfolio and a deep commitment to the communities we serve, the company is positioned for continued success,” Fanning added.
“Chris Womack is a pillar of the community,” Fanning said, “And he leads with a passion for people.” I have confidence the company, including its employees and customers, will be in good hands and will continue to provide clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy for millions of Georgians.”
“It has been the honor of my life to serve alongside the men and women of Georgia Power. Each day, I have been reminded of their dedication to our customers, our communities, and our state both in how they serve our customers and what they do for our communities,” said Bowers.
“I’m also extremely proud of the accomplishments the Georgia Power team has made, including building a clean energy future for our state, and their dedication in bringing Vogtle units 3 & 4 online to meet Georgia’s energy needs for the next 60 to 80 years. Their incredible progress gives us confidence that Unit 3 will be online to meet our regulatory commitment and assures us this is the right time to start the transition and leave the company in Chris’ capable hands,” Bowers added.
When Womack assumes his new role in November, he will lead Georgia Power in serving its 2.6 million customers across the state with responsibilities for the company’s customer service, economic development, generation, transmission, distribution, energy efficiency, charitable giving, volunteerism, storm response, environmental efforts and more.
“It’s an exciting time to be back at Georgia Power, especially when we’re poised to make history with the first new nuclear units in the U.S. in decades,” said Womack. “This company has an incredible legacy of delivering world-class customer service and reliability to Georgians, while also being a leader in the communities it serves. It is an honor to be a part of the wonderful team at Georgia Power.”
Serving as executive vice president and president of External Affairs for Southern Company since 2009, Womack has led overall external positioning and branding efforts including the company’s public policy strategies, governmental and regulatory affairs, corporate communication, and other external and strategic business engagements.
He joined Southern Company in 1988 and has held several leadership positions within the company and its subsidiaries, including serving as executive vice president of external affairs at Georgia Power and senior vice president and senior production officer of Southern Company Generation, where he was responsible for coal, gas, and hydro generation for Georgia Power and Savannah Electric. Prior to joining Southern Company, Womack worked for the U.S. House of Representatives for then-Congressman Leon E. Panetta.
In connection with the changes at Georgia Power, Southern Company announced the promotion of Bryan D. Anderson, senior vice president of governmental affairs, to the roles of executive vice president and president of external affairs, effective Nov. 1, succeeding Womack. Anderson will also serve on the company’s executive management council.
