POWERGRAMS

3 Grandstaff was completing her junior year at Headland High School while taking dual enrollment classes at Wallace Community College in Dothan. Shelton, a senior at Hayden High School, enrolled at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, where he joined the bass fishing team. ………. A "Virtual Town Hall" led by Alabama Power CEO Mark Crosswhite was a success as employees in every division tuned in to listen and respond to topics brought up during the first-ever event brought about by the pandemic. Topics included the recently released Responsible Reentry Playbook; the company's financial and business strategy in relation to COVID-19; customer operations and support; and employee safety and health. JUNE Alabama Power and utilities across the state paused to recognize the contributions of their lineworkers and field representatives. The men and women who work on the front lines delivering the reliable energy that powers homes and businesses have had to confront new challenges during the pandemic. Lineman Appreciation Day, designated by the Alabama Legislature as the first Monday in June, acknowledges the dedication lineworkers across the state have in serving customers. …………….. Alabama Power's Smart Neighborhood was presented the 2020 Smart Grid Award by Power Magazine. Aaron Larson, executive editor, said the company's blend of modern technology and energy efficiency in the project is one of the reasons Alabama Power was selected. The Smart Neighborhood in Hoover integrates a microgrid with 62 high-performance homes containing energy-efficient systems and appliances, with solar, battery and natural gas backup systems. ……. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced Alabama schools to close their traditional classrooms in March, it hit students in rural Greene County doubly hard. Thanks to the Alabama Power Foundation, students have the technology to navigate their new virtual classrooms. The foundation provided a grant to the Greene County School System to buy Chrome books for 600 students in grades K-12. The funds helped purchase hot spots for students living in the most rural areas. JULY Alabama Power's focus on providing customers a seamless and efficient experience received a high ranking among utilities when advisory firm Forrester Research published its sixth annual Customer Experience (CX) index survey of more than 97,000 customers across 250 brands and 14 industries. Alabama Power ranked second in the utility category with an index score of 70.3. The overall industry average score was 64.4. …….. The Birmingham chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) held a virtual discussion. Monica McShan, SCS Critical Risk Program manager and chapter president, convened the discussion "America's Communities of Color: Shifting the paradigm from anguish to action." Birmingham Division External Affairs Manager Ralph Williams Jr. moderated. Panelists were Roy Johnson, Bobbie Knight, Kenny Coleman, Kristina Scott, Mike McClure and DeJuana Thompson. ……….. Alabama Power's 2019 Council on Culture and Inclusion (CCI) Strategic Report and associated employee communications received the Hermes Creative Awards Platinum designation – the highest achievement in an international competition that recognizes outstanding work of marketing and communication professionals. The 2019 Strategic Report was compiled to celebrate the company's culture and share the then-newly formed CCI's mission and first-year activities. AUGUST As part of its commitment to developing the state's workforce, Alabama Power is expanding partnerships for lineworker training, with programs being offered in Birmingham and Mobile. Through partnerships with community colleges, the company is cultivating a workforce pipeline of skilled workers prepared for meaningful careers in the utility industry. In its second year, the Lineworker Training Program at Bishop State Community College in Mobile offers a 9-week course. ………………… The CCI shared plans for turning conversation into action, following the events of racial injustice in the U.S. Employees across the company participated in a period of focused listening through July, providing feedback on current events, an assessment of company culture and ideas for developing more inclusive communities. During a virtual town hall, company leaders shared actions being taken based on employee feedback to help end racism and advance inclusion. …………… Alabama Power crews, fresh off supporting East Coast restoration efforts after Tropical Storm Isaias, moved west to help get the lights on in Illinois. More than 200 personnel spent the weekend and early part of the week in New Jersey, where more than 1 million residents had outages. While crews were wrapping up restoration work in New Jersey, a violent derecho was tearing through the Midwest. Alabama Power crews arrived in Illinois to assist more than 400,000 people. SEPTEMBER Alabama Power completed the purchase of the Central Alabama Generating Station in Autauga County – a historic move that will support the long-term energy needs of customers. The 885-megawatt, natural gas combined-cycle generating facility can produce enough power for 220,000 homes. The facility, in Billingsley, was formerly owned by Tenaska Alabama II Partners. Nineteen Tenaska employees join Alabama Power as the company takes over operations. ………… Searing heat, obliterated infrastructure and clogged roads challenged Alabama Power crews helping bring some normalcy to communities after Hurricane Laura. For nearly a week, more than 350 personnel rebuilt the grid and restored service in Texas and Louisiana. Alabama Power crews then arrived in Houston, and from that base helped Western Division employees in staging area outside Red Bank, New Jersey.

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