POWERGRAMS

42 LOOK BACK ON TIME AT PLANT As far as safety, the approach has changed, how we troubleshoot problems," Mickens said. Whatever the issue, McKay said at Gorgas he was always surrounded by people who were "top-notch, dedicated and smart." He said employees have had to deal with many issues over the years. "Everybody started pulling together to get it back online, to get it done, in a safe position," McKay said. "When things are bad, people really pulled together to make it right." 'GORGAS IS OUR HISTORY' Gorgas was considered a "mine-mouth" steam plant, meaning coal from the nearby mine was used at the plant. Winona Coal Co. owned the mine, which Alabama Power later purchased. Alabama Power left the mining business in the 1970s. "It was kind of like farming, you got everything you needed. It was a one-stop shop," McKay said. In addition to the plant and mine, Gorgas was a way of life for many people. Because of its remote location, Alabama Power built homes for employees starting in the 1920s. The homes were nestled on a hillside overlooking the Black Warrior River. The Gorgas village had it all – a post office, a commissary, churches, dining hall, doctors and schools. "This plant has been such a large part of the Walker County community for so long. We literally have employees who grew up on this site," said Plant Manager Valerie Wade. "For the plant to be retired, it's very emotional for our employees. It's a member of their family. They have a ton of ownership in Plant Gorgas. It's their home. I think that's the tribute to Gorgas – how personal this plant is to people and how influential it's been to their family's lives, their parents' lives and their grandparents' lives." Mickens is on his third tour of Gorgas and said when he's returned to the plant he's been greeted by familiar faces. "Each time, there's been very small personnel change. I've gotten to know the employees really well, and some of them are close to me," Mickens said. "It's like home; it's an extended family. It's something that will always be a part of me." It's not uncommon for multiple generations of family members to have worked at Gorgas. Or in some cases, both husband and wife. Alesia Manuel, an equipment operator in Fossil Generation from Quinton, met her husband, Knox, during an outage on unit 8. He was a welder, and she was a helper at the time she started with the company in 1985. She has worked only at Gorgas. From her early days at the plant, Manuel remembers when guests stayed in or rented the now-gone homes in the village, and a locomotive ran through the plant as well as a belt line from the mines. "It still had some of the culture of when everyone lived in the village and worked at the plant. Gorgas is our history," Manuel said. Manuel, McKay and Mickens plan to stay on at Gorgas in various roles. All employees will have a job opportunity either at Gorgas, another generating plant or other company role. "Plant Gorgas has been good to me and our family. I've been here since I was 22. I'm thankful for the opportunity to work here for as long as I have," Manuel said. By Justin Averette HISTORY Manuel

• Cover