POWERGRAMS

GOVERNMENT Photos by Wynter Byrd Shelby visits Greene County, praises role plant plays in area Shelby posed with Greene County and company employees after meeting with them in plant offices. U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby visited the Greene County Steam Plant on Jan. 18 and praised the facility as vital to west Alabama. "We know how important it is for the production of electricity," the senior senator from Alabama said after being briefed by Plant Manager Riley Wells. "We know how important it is to the economy of Greene County and Marengo County." Shelby has been traveling the state with a focus on visiting businesses and industry to learn more about the challenges companies face in creating jobs. Wells updated Shelby on the plant's long history of safely providing reliable, affordable electricity to west Alabama communities, and its economic impact on the region, which tops $100 million per year from fuel purchases, capital, and 6 operations and maintenance expenditures. Greene County Steam Plant is also an important source of jobs. The plant employs about 125 people from 10 counties, for a total annual payroll of about $8 million. The plant provides more than $2 million in tax revenue to Greene County. "We appreciate Sen. Shelby's interest in our facility and what our employees do every day at our Greene County facility to keep the lights on for our customers," said Jim Heilbron, Alabama Power senior vice president and senior production officer, who was at the plant during Shelby's visit. Shelby said the importance of the steam plant near Demopolis on the Black Warrior River goes beyond its financial impact. It's also about the electricity the plant provides to power west Alabama's economy, to keep the lights on in area homes and to maintain industrial output. "At the end of the day, jobs is what it's about," Shelby said. "Without electricity, there's not going to be many businesses operating." By Michael Sznajderman

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