Alabama Power Company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is a company in the southern United States that provides electricity service to 1.3 million homes, businesses, and industries in the southern two-thirds of Alabama. It is one of four U.S. utilities operated by the Southern Company, one of the nation's largest generators of electricity.
Alabama Power is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility, and the second largest subsidiary of Southern Company. More than 78,000 miles of power lines carry electricity to customers throughout 44,500 square miles.
Alabama Power's hydroelectric generating plants encompass several lakes on the Tallapoosa, Coosa, and Black Warrior Rivers, as well as coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear and cogeneration plants in various parts of the state. In addition to generating electricity, the waters surrounding the plants offer recreational opportunities for Alabama residents and visitors.
Corporate Citizenship
The
Alabama Power Foundation is a non-profit foundation providing grants for watershed, environmental and community projects along the Coosa River and within the state of Alabama
In April 2006, Alabama Power and Southern Company were given the "Outstanding Stewardship of American Rivers Award" by the National Hydropower Association for their "Renew Our Rivers" program.
Environmental Litigation
In 1999 the
United States Environmental Protection Agency commenced an enforcement action against Alabama Power under the
Clean Air Act. In 2006, the EPA announced that Alabama Power had agreed to spend more than $200m to upgrade pollution controls as a partial settlement of this action. The settlement did not include claims regarding five coal fired plants. Those claims proceeded to trial, and Alabama Power prevailed. However, the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) has stated that they intend to appeal the ruling. SELC was involved in a case against
Duke Energy that was appealed to the
Supreme Court in 2006.
Power Generating Facilities
Fossil Fuel Plants
| Plant
| Nearest City
| Coordinates
| Capacity |
| James M. Barry Electric Generating Plant
| Bucks, Alabama
|
| 2,657,200 kW |
| Gadsden Electric Generating Plant
| Gadsden, Alabama
|
| 120,000 kW |
| Ernest C. Gaston Electric Generating Plant
| Wilsonville, Alabama
|
| 1,880,000 kW |
| William Crawford Gorgas Electric Generating Plant
| Parrish, Alabama
|
| 1,221,250 kW |
| Green County Electric Generating Plant
| Demopolis, Alabama
|
| 1,220,000 kW |
| James H. Miller, Jr. Electric Generating Plant
| West Jefferson, Alabama
|
| 2,640,000 kW |
Hydroelectric Plants
| Coosa River
|
| Plant
| Nearest City
| Coordinates
| Capacity |
| Weiss Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Leesburg, Alabama
|
| 87,750 kW |
| Henry Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Ohatchee, Alabama
|
| 72,900 kW |
| Logan Martin Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Vincent, Alabama
|
| 128,250 kW |
| Lay Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Clanton, Alabama
|
| 177,000 kW |
| Mitchell Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Verbena, Alabama
|
| 170,000 kW |
| Jordan Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Wetumpka, Alabama
|
| 100,000 kW |
| Bouldin Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Wetumpka, Alabama
|
| 225,000 kW |
| Tallapoosa River
|
| Plant
| Nearest City
| Coordinates
| Capacity |
| Harris Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Lineville, Alabama
|
| 135,000 kW |
| Martin Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Tallassee, Alabama
|
| 154,200 kW |
| Yates Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Tallassee, Alabama
|
| 45,500 kW |
| Thurlow Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Tallassee, Alabama
|
| 85,000 kW |
| Black Warrior River
|
| Plant
| Nearest City
| Coordinates
| Capacity |
| Smith Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Jasper, Alabama
|
| 157,500 kW |
| Bankhead Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Northport, Alabama
|
| 53,985 kW |
| Holt Hydroelectric Generating Plant
| Holt, Alabama
|
| 49,000 kW |
Nuclear Plants
| Plant
| Nearest City
| Coordinates
| Capacity |
| Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Electric Generating Plant
| Dothan, Alabama
|
| 1,720,000 kW |
Cogeneration Plants
Central Business District Steam Plant
| Plant
| Nearest City
| Coordinates
| Capacity |
| Powell Avenue Steam Plant
| Birmingham, Alabama
|
| n/a - steam production only |
References
- Atkins, Leah Rawl (2006). "Developed for the Service of Alabama" - The Centennial History of the Alabama Power Company 1906-2006. Birmingham, Alabama: Alabama Power Company.
- Jackson, Harvey H. III (1997). Putting Loafing Streams To Work-The Building of Lay, Mitchell, Martin, and Jordan Dams, 1910-1929. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: The University of Alabama Press.
External links
Notes
