Georgia Power, the largest electric provider in the state and perhaps the most powerful corporate voice in state politics, named a new chief executive officer to take office in April.

Chris Womack will be the company’s first Black CEO. Womack, 62, who is currently is head of external affairs at Georgia Power’s parent, Atlanta-based Southern Company, will succeed Paul Bowers, 64, who is retiring.

The shift comes before Georgia Power’s most important generation project in decades, the long-troubled nuclear expansion of Plant Vogtle, is completed. Additional challenges have emerged in making the latest regulatory deadline for the first of two new, multi-billion-dollar nuclear reactors to be in commercial operation in November of 2021. The second is slated to be in operation in November of 2022.

In a company release, Bowers said progress on the Vogtle project and confidence that the first unit “will be online to meet our regulatory commitment assures me that it’s the right time for us to start the transition to my retirement and leave the company in Chris’ capable hands.”

In his current Southern position, Womack oversees public policy strategies, governmental and regulatory affairs and corporate communications.