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A triple play in baseball is rare and sure to be
replayed on ESPN.
While they won't make SportsCenter highlights, just
as rare are the triple-qualified journeymen who work
at the Washington County Cogeneration power plant
40 miles north of Mobile – the first in Alabama Power
history to be qualified simultaneously as mechanics,
electrical and instrumentation employees and plant
operators.
That exclusive milestone is being recognized in 2019
as the plant celebrates its 20-year anniversary.
"We're responsible for all aspects of the plant," said
Jim Eubanks, one of the original journeymen when
the cogen plant opened in 1999 who is still on the job.
"I enjoy being able to do all three classifications and
being able to work outside the control room. We are a
small group and great team of people that work really
well together."
Another milestone is the unusual nature of the
plant – a "combined-cycle" facility using both steam
and natural gas to make electricity for all customers,
and steam exclusively for Olin Corp., an international
leader in the production of chemicals and one of
Southern Company's largest customers. The Alabama
Power plant is onsite at Olin.
Olin's $700 million factory was built in 1952 on
1999-2019
WASHINGTON COUNTY COGEN CELEBRATES TWO DECADES
by Gilbert Nicholson
