POWERGRAMS

1 Mitchell Dam is a vintage hydroelectric facility located on the Coosa River, halfway between Birmingham and Montgomery. The state's second oldest dam was named for James Mitchell, Alabama Power's president from 1912 to 1920. Built by Dixie Construction Co., the facility was dedicated Dec. 19, 1921. The dam went into service less than two years later, on Aug. 15, 1923. Hydro is a cornerstone of Alabama Power's energy mix, supplying 1,700 megawatts of electricity. "This was the original clean energy resource that our company was founded on, with our hydro plants, and we're investing a lot right now in hydro modernization," said Senior Vice President and Senior Production Officer Brandon Dillard. "A lot of those units were built 80 to 100 years ago, and they run really well with minimal investment, but at several of these dams, we are performing an overhaul to have them ready the next 30 years." Since Mitchell began operation, 23 spillway gates have helped control water flow while preventing flooding and maintaining water levels. This spring, with ongoing modernization efforts, the company has begun replacing the more than 100-year-old spillway gates. The original gates were gear-driven, requiring two operators to manually open and close them. The new gates will allow for more flexibility in operation, with the ability to be controlled from the control room or manually. This modernization enhances safety and efficiency. Montreall Hearn, superintendent at Mitchell Dam, fully realizes the importance of this project. "With the old gates, they were either all the way open or closed," Hearn said. "These new gates will allow us to have more control over the water flow and will be safer to operate." It takes time and care to safely retrofit the dam's infrastructure. The river's formidable flow rate of 6,000 cubic feet per second adds complexity, and weather conditions also play a role. During flood control operations, work must pause for safety reasons. When this multiyear project is complete, it should help provide clean and reliable power for the next generation of customers. By Greg Ward For Alabama Power, being prepared to respond to storm-related power outages and other customer needs in areas affected by hurricanes is an ongoing priority. "We are prepped and ready for hurricane season," said Power Delivery Vice President Scott Moore, who leads the Transmission and Distribution organizations. "That's part of our commitment to providing dependable service for customers. We want to make sure our customers are prepared as well, starting with awareness that the threat is a little higher than normal this year." Preparations and resources are in place for the 2025 hurricane season. The NOAA forecast predicts three to five major hurricanes, meaning categories 3, 4 and 5, with winds of 111 MPH or higher. Six to 10 hurricanes are projected, storms with winds of 74 MPH or greater. Storms are named when sustained winds exceed 39 MPH, with the NOAA model calling for 13 to 19 named storms this year. When hurricanes affect the Yellowhammer State, company crews and equipment are on the ground as soon as it's safe to promptly and effectively restore power and help people and communities begin the recovery process. To minimize the number of homes and businesses affected, Alabama Power uses outage prevention technology that isolates problem areas and reroutes electricity to prevent broader outages. During thunderstorms and tornadoes in February that caused outages affecting more than 120,000 Alabama Power customers, the company's prevention technology kept nearly 30,000 additional customers from experiencing prolonged outages. Since Alabama Power began implementing this technology, more than 2 million outages have been prevented. Vegetation management is an integral part of Alabama Power's readiness for severe weather. Fallen trees are the leading cause of outages, so controlling vegetation to keep trees and underbrush away from power lines is vital. To meet customers' needs during outages, Alabama Power supplements its efforts by bringing in contractors and other external resource providers to speed up restoration. When hurricanes and other disasters cause major outages outside Alabama, crews and equipment from Alabama Power are regularly deployed to help restore service. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene became the most destructive in the history of Southern Company. On the fringe of the hurricane path, 27,000 Alabama Power customers were affected. Once those outages were resolved, company crews helped Georgia Power restore service to more than 600,000 customers. "Alabama Power customers come first, but once we're in the clear, we are ready to help others," said Storm Center Operations Manager Corey Sweeney. "We sent more than 1,000 Alabama Power employees and 500 contractors to Georgia – the largest storm crew we've ever provided to another state. They replaced more than 2,700 poles, 1,150 transformers and nearly 11,850 spans of wire. Alabama Power also supports electric utilities outside its corporate family. Early in the 2024 hurricane season, the company sent a 350-person storm team to Houston, along with 300 contractors, to help restore power after Hurricane Beryl. Alabama Power's work in Texas and Georgia helped earn the company a 2024 Emergency Response Award from the Edison Electric Institute. Whatever the upcoming hurricane season brings, Alabama Power is ready. By Mark Kelly RETROFITS FOR RELIABILITY Mitchell Dam spillway gates retire after 100 years The company is replacing Mitchell Dam's spillway gates. On May 22, NOAA's National Weather Service released its prediction of activity for the 2025 Atlantic Ocean Basin hurricane season that runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. The outlook – which predicts hurricane activity, not the likelihood of landfall – forecasts a 60% chance of an above-normal season, along with a 30% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of a below-normal season. Company ready to respond to NOAA prediction of above- normal hurricane season Alabama Power line crews respond as quickly and safely as possible during power outages. (file) "Alabama Power is committed to restoring power safely and efficiently," Moore said. "Outages are unavoidable during hurricane season. By getting power restored as quickly as possible, we help our customers begin getting life back to normal."

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