POWERGRAMS

2 About 275 APSO members met in Montgomery to discuss how to build on the organization's 25 successful years of service. Members volunteered more than 55,000 hours in 2015. ……….. Alabama Power scored its highest mark ever in business customer satisfaction, based on research by J.D. Power. The 2016 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study gave the company a 740 score on a 1,000-point scale, which was 11 points higher than in 2015. Alabama Power's score ranked second in the South for large utilities and was the sixth-highest nationwide among 102 targeted companies. Alabama Power was 36 points above the national average and its score would have placed first in the East Region Large Segment and Midsize Segment, as well as the Midwest Region Large Segment. Alabama Power was ranked second in the South the past four years, scoring 729 (2015), 698 (2014), 689 (2013) and 705 (2012). The company had the top region score in 2011 (683) and 2010 (688). Its 2016 score was 23 points above the regional average. ……….. Alabama Power was named a 2016 top supporter of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), marking its third consecutive year on the prestigious list of U.S. companies. US Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine annually surveys the deans of the accredited HBCU engineering programs and the corporate-academic alliance "Advancing Minorities' Interest in Engineering" (AMIE). The deans select the corporate, government and nonprofit organizations that provide the most support to schools. AMIE Chairman and Vice President Darryl Stokes said Alabama Power was honored for its "exceptional contributions, achievements and successes within the workforce and in diversity outreach." "The significance of this honor is immense, as it represents a noteworthy milestone in your STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) efforts," Stokes said, adding that Alabama Power is "a leader, role model and source of inspiration … within your industry." MARCH The Carbon Capture International Test Center Network (ITCN), a global coalition of facilities working to accelerate research and development, is now headquartered at the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) at Wilsonville, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) research facility operated by Southern Company. NCCC employees will chair and operate the ITCN with DOE's Office of Fossil Energy for two years, a role held since 2013 by Technology Centre Mongstad of Norway. The transfer of the chairmanship was officially observed during a ceremony in Houston. Formed in 2012, the ITCN facilitates knowledge-sharing among carbon capture test facilities around the world with the goal of advancing development and commercial deployment. ……….. Almost 100 middle school girls turned out for the 2016 iCan Girls Engineering Conference at Corporate Headquarters. The event drew students from sixth- grade to eighth-grade from more than 50 metro Birmingham schools. Accompanied by their parents, girls were divided into teams assigned to three projects to learn about electrical, mechanical and civil engineering. Colleges, universities and engineering societies were represented at booths to discuss educational opportunities. Alabama Power college co-op students were on hand to discuss their experiences. ……….. Selma's Byrd First Class Early Learning Center has a new playground for its 240 preschool students, thanks in part to Alabama Power. A new $54,000 playground began being built piece by piece with grants, including $10,000 from Alabama Power. It includes a music wall, raised sandbox, rock climbing wall, slides, play stations and learning areas. The former Byrd Elementary School playground was dismantled to make way for younger students, said Principal Carolyn Keasal. Alabama Power and Hyundai partnered to sponsor the Montgomery Symphony League's annual Children's Concerts at the Alabama State University Dunn-Oliver Acadome. Each year, thousands of children from the River Region are invited to the concerts, which are open to sixth- graders as well as home-schooled students. More than 2,800 students took part in the 2016 concerts. In addition to hearing the music, students gained an understanding of different musical instruments, sounds and the purpose of an orchestra. APRIL Alabama Power's Energizers are the nation's largest single contributor for the novel search-and-rescue effort "Project Lifesaver," as the retiree volunteer group pitched in a record one-time amount of $93,000. Alabama now has the distinction of all 67 counties participating in the transmitter bracelet program to locate missing people with Alzheimer's disease or autism. "We've had tremendous support from Alabama Power," said Stan Stabler, director of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. "Organizations like the Energizers make projects like this a reality. Without them, it's not possible." ……….. The Western Division APSO chapter filled boxes to the brim with school supplies for middle school students. Davis-Emerson Middle School in Cottondale is in need of community support. Of 395 students, about 90 percent depend on free or reduced- price lunch, a significantly higher rate than the state and national averages. While many students face hardships, the tornadoes on April 27, 2011 brought new challenges that students are still coping with today. Project LifeSaver transmitter bracelet helps save lives.

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