Alabama Power Company, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is a company in the southern United States that provides electricity service to 1.4 million customers in the southern two-thirds of Alabama. It also operates appliance stores. 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 of power lines carry electricity to customers throughout a service territory of .
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.
Pollution
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 $200 m to upgrade pollution controls as a partial settlement of this action.Alabama Power Company to Spend More Than $200 Million Under Clean Air Act Settlement The settlement did not include claims regarding five coal-fired plants.Partial Consent Decree, United States District Court Northern District of Alabama Southern Division 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.Legal Action Against Alabama Power Legal Actions Against Duke Energy and Alabama Power
, AP's coal-fired James H. Miller Jr. Electric Generating Plant is the single largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the United States.Who Were the Worst Climate Polluters in the US in 2021? - Inside Climate News
Public benefits
In addition to generating electricity, the waters surrounding the plants offer recreational opportunities for Alabama residents and visitors.
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 AlabamaAlabama Power Foundation Website
Allegations of media manipulation
An investigation by National Public Radio and Floodlight News found Alabama Power paid consulting firm Matrix LLC, which in turn allegedly paid newspapers or affiliated groups which ran positive coverage of Alabama Power, namely Yellowhammer News, Alabama Political Reporter (for which Matrix designed the website), and Alabama Today.
Terry Dunn ran and won a campaign for a seat on the Alabama Public Service Commission promising to hold a formal rate hearing to investigate Alabama Power's financials and why electricity prices in Alabama are among the highest in the country. He alleges a utility company lobbyist warned him to be a team player if he wanted to keep his seat, and that utility-funded newspapers conducted a smear campaign that resulted in Dunn losing the next election and avoided the promised rate hearing.
In 2017, Matrix hired a private investigator to surveil Southern Company CEO Tom Fanning near his home.Operative group Matrix hired detective who surveilled Southern Co. CEO
Power generating facilities
Fossil fuel plants PlantNearest CityCoordinatesCapacityJames M. Barry Electric Generating PlantBucks, Alabama2,657,200 kWErnest C. Gaston Electric Generating PlantWilsonville, Alabama1,880,000 kWWilliam Crawford Gorgas Electric Generating PlantGorgas, Alabama1,221,250 kWGreene County Electric Generating PlantDemopolis, Alabama1,220,000 kWJames H. Miller Jr. Electric Generating PlantWest Jefferson, Alabama2,640,000 kW
Hydroelectric plants Coosa RiverPlantNearest CityCoordinatesCapacityWeiss Hydroelectric Generating PlantLeesburg, Alabama87,750 kWHenry Hydroelectric Generating PlantOhatchee, Alabama72,900 kWLogan Martin Hydroelectric Generating PlantVincent, Alabama128,250 kWLay Hydroelectric Generating PlantClanton, Alabama177,000 kWMitchell Hydroelectric Generating PlantVerbena, Alabama170,000 kWJordan Hydroelectric Generating PlantWetumpka, Alabama100,000 kWBouldin Hydroelectric Generating PlantWetumpka, Alabama225,000 kWTallapoosa RiverPlantNearest CityCoordinatesCapacityHarris Hydroelectric Generating PlantLineville, Alabama135,000 kWMartin Hydroelectric Generating PlantTallassee, Alabama154,200 kWYates Hydroelectric Generating PlantTallassee, Alabama45,500 kWThurlow Hydroelectric Generating PlantTallassee, Alabama85,000 kWBlack Warrior RiverPlantNearest CityCoordinatesCapacitySmith Hydroelectric Generating PlantJasper, Alabama157,500 kWBankhead Hydroelectric Generating PlantNorthport, Alabama53,985 kWHolt Hydroelectric Generating PlantHolt, Alabama49,000 kW
Nuclear plants PlantNearest CityCoordinatesCapacityJoseph M. Farley Nuclear Generating StationDothan, Alabama1,720,000 kW
Cogeneration and other plants PlantNearest CityCoordinatesCapacityTheodore Cogen FacilityTheodore, Alabama273,870 kWWashington County Cogen FacilityMcIntosh, Alabama122,579 kWSabic Cogen FacilityBurkville, Alabama105,100 kWPowell Avenue Steam PlantAlabama Power Company; James L. Noles Jr., James L. Noles, 2001; Birmingham, Alabaman/a - steam production only
See also
Alabama Power Headquarters Building
References
Notes
External links Alabama Power website Southern Company website Alabama Power Company on encyclopediaofalabama.org