AI at work: Southern Nuclear’s adoption of Copilot agents drives fleet forward
Southern Nuclear is leading the charge in artificial intelligence integration, with employee-developed applications driving efficiencies in maintenance, operations, safety, and performance.
The tools span all roles within the company, with thousands of documented uses throughout the fleet, including improved maintenance efficiency, risk awareness in maintenance activities, and better-informed decision-making. The data-intensive process of preparing for and executing maintenance operations is streamlined by leveraging AI to put the right information at the fingertips for maintenance leaders, planners, schedulers, engineers, and technicians.
Water vapor rises from the cooling towers of Vogtle’s four units in Waynesboro, Ga. (Photo: Southern Nuclear)
“The opportunities AI presents are limitless, and Southern Nuclear is committed to pioneering the integration of AI to enhance our operations,” said Rick Libra, the company’s executive vice president and chief nuclear officer. “We know that now more than ever our country is dependent on reliable nuclear power, and our internally developed [Microsoft] Copilot agents reflect our commitment to innovation. With dedication to help our industry embrace AI, we are working to optimize our current processes and set a new standard for the energy sector.”
Driving value
Jesse Thomas, Southern Nuclear’s general manager of strategy and innovation, has been at the forefront of the company’s AI movement.
“Every decision we make is based on what’s best for the customer,” said Thomas. “We understand how vitally important value is to our customers. Nuclear has an important role in keeping the lights on, and the more we can do to enhance our processes within our fleet, the more value our owner companies can pass along to the customer.”
Thomas explained that while AI agent applications range from corporate functions like communications and human resources to technical roles like engineering and licensing, there are three agents that particularly stand out to support plant maintenance teams: the Fleet Operating Experience, Safety Advisor Copilot, and Organizational Effectiveness & Performance Improvement agents.
Plant Vogtle employee-owned safety program lead Rich Merjuste (left) and Plant Vogtle safety coordinator Brian Vallee perform a safety walkdown using references from the Safety Advisor Copilot agent. (Photo: Southern Nuclear)
OE: Putting operating experience at workers’ fingertips
At the heart of this AI initiative is the Fleet Operating Experience (OE) agent, which revolutionizes access to OE data. By streamlining work package preparation and troubleshooting equipment issues and craft work preparation, the OE agent enables teams to optimize operations and maintain peak efficiency. This results in more agile and responsive maintenance teams capable of addressing challenges with safety, precision, and efficiency, which ultimately improves equipment reliability.
The OE agent was first deployed in June 2025 and currently is an integral part of issue response teams’ toolkit to quickly find internal OE from a vast database of sources and get the information to problem solvers in just minutes.
Safety Advisor Copilot: Elevating safety standards
By providing instant access to safety procedures and OSHA guidance, the Safety Advisor Copilot agent supports broader worker knowledge and ensures streamlined work preparation. It can be used by work planners to make sure that applicable safety information is included in work packages and is easily accessible by technicians to find information quickly. This supports a proactive approach to safety and also underscores Southern Nuclear’s commitment to a strong safety culture—as safety remains the company’s top priority.
The Safety Advisor Copilot agent was developed by the Plant Vogtle employee-owned safety program lead, Rich Merjuste, who said, “This new tool creates a means to help improve our work and enhance the effectiveness of our teams. These agents create the ability to have the knowledge of the subject matter expert by your side through any job, which only enhances our ability to put safety first.”
OR/PI: Enhancing organizational performance
The Organizational Effectiveness & Performance Improvement (OR/PI) agent is instrumental in fostering high-quality improvement plans. By assisting in the development of these plans and effectively communicating underlying issues, this AI agent facilitates the timely resolution of problems. It has been used to create fundamental improvement plans to advance precision, craftsmanship, and overall maintenance effectiveness across the Southern Nuclear fleet. It also enhances overall organizational performance and drives continuous improvement across the company.
Maintenance I&C technicians Jonathan Cox (left) and Anthony Glover use information from the OE AI agent to prepare for plant maintenance activities. (Photo: Southern Nuclear)
One team toward innovation
Southern Nuclear’s AI transformation is spearheaded by its AI Working Group, which works in close collaboration with the Southern Company AI Center of Excellence.
“The AI Working Group at Southern Nuclear is a catalyst for collaboration and innovation. By bringing together diverse expertise from across our organization, we are able to develop and deploy AI solutions that enhance our operational capabilities,” said Southern Nuclear project manager Roy Berryman. “This collaborative approach not only accelerates our AI initiatives but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement and shared learning. Together, we are paving the way for a more efficient and forward-thinking future.”
A vital aspect of the AI Working Group is the collaboration and engagement of all major functional areas and sites in the company. According to working group member Jacob Walker, a maintenance supervisor at Plant Farley, “The benefit of bringing a diverse set of experiences to the table in AI advancement is that the end users are integrally involved in what we are doing with AI. The perspective that I am able to bring from the day-to-day plant maintenance experience ensures that we are using AI in a manner that provides the most benefit at the point of execution.”
Maintenance department leaders are leveraging these tools to align their teams on key focus areas. “AI tools help us compile information so we can share it with maintenance teams on a regular basis and present it in a concise and consistent format,” Walker added. “These tools allow maintenance leaders to quickly develop communications from important performance data that would have previously required much more software expertise and time to develop.”
As AI continues to play a pivotal role in efficient plant maintenance and operations, the company has cultivated a robust ecosystem of more than 850 active Copilot users and a growing portfolio of custom-built agents. This strategic commitment to embedding AI into nuclear operations has not only earned industry recognition but also sets a benchmark for innovation in the energy sector.
As Southern Nuclear continues to refine and expand its AI agents, the company is driving progress for a smarter, more reliable and efficient future, serving as a model of progress and inspiration for the entire industry.
Leighton Burkett is an external affairs and communications manager at Southern Nuclear.