POWERGRAMS

When Hurricane Sally knocked out service to thousands of Alabama Power customers and destroyed hundreds of distribution and transmission structures last fall, crews got the lights back on quicker and more efficiently than ever. One of the primary reasons: Power Delivery's increased emphasis on using standard materials and equipment. In 2020, Alabama Power and Southern Company Power Delivery employees began partnering to refocus their efforts to standardize the types of materials and equipment purchased at each operating company. Power Delivery has also adopted standard construction specifications systemwide. The entire organization, including Distribution, Transmission and Substations, has played a part in this massive project, said Bobby Hawthorne. "Power Delivery has been moving toward standardization since the 1990s, but we recently renewed the emphasis to further reduce our inventory costs and improve efficiencies across the system," said Hawthorne, Distribution Engineering Services manager. "It will also help when we're working together during storm restoration. When crews go from one operating company to another or one state to another, it will be easier for us to support one another because the materials will be the same, the construction standards will be the same and even the training will be the same." The ability to use standard materials during Hurricane Sally shows how these efforts are already paying off, said Dennis Ashley, buyer, Supply Chain Management. "In the past, our manufacturer had different overhead transformers stockpiled for each operating company," Ashley said. "But when Alabama was hit really hard by Sally, Mississippi SETTING STANDARDS SETTING STANDARDS INNOVATION Power Delivery efforts reduce costs, improve efficiency Anniston Lineman Jamian Hicks uses materials that are now standardized across Southern Company. 33

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