POWERGRAMS

100% CONNECTED Photo by Christopher Jones Maxwell-Gunter backup power opens doors to job expansions Southern Division Complex Meter Tester Eleanor Colon checks new meter at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base. The Defense Information Systems Agency's (DISA) data center at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base was recently designated a Core Data Center (CDC) for the Department of Defense, opening the way for more jobs and continued economic growth in Montgomery. When Congress and the Pentagon began looking at closing military installations to reduce costs, Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base needed an edge. The Department of Defense, the city of Montgomery, the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, Alabama Power and Dixie Electric partnered to help provide that edge. They realized the key was the on-base facility called the Defense Enterprise Computing Center (DECC) Montgomery. "What was needed to grow this facility was to have redundant power from two different substations," said Joe Greene of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce. "It would be the first DISA data center in the country with backup power, and would give active military personnel and their dependents from all services 24/7 access to records stored there." With this assignment in mind, Alabama Power employees worked together to determine the best option to meet the center's need for redundant power. They decided the most effective solution was to extend an existing three-phase distribution feeder from a nearby off-site substation. Under normal circumstances, power is distributed from a substation on the base. "Because of our excellent working relationship with MaxwellGunter Air Force Base and the teamwork between Power Delivery, Marketing and Power Contracts, we were able to finish the job more than a month before the September deadline set by the Department of Defense," said Steve Sherman, Alabama Power account manager for Maxwell-Gunter. "I'm truly proud of the efforts and the good work of our employees because they were the impetus that made this happen," said Southern Division Vice President Leslie Sanders. "Once 4 they learned the need, they did what it takes to get the job done quickly and effectively. It's extremely significant for our company to be able to supply the kind of power a military installation like Maxwell-Gunter needs to help protect their employees and their current mission, and provide a foundation for the facility's future growth." The availability of backup power helped DECC Montgomery qualify for Tier III/Tier IV designation, which means it would operate more than 99.9 percent of the time. It was chosen one of eight CDCs in the continental United States. These centers were selected from among 200 facilities. All data from the 200 facilities will be consolidated into the eight CDCs in the next five years. Scott Baker, director of DECC Montgomery, commended Alabama Power for its timely response to his organization's request. "Having a dual power feed establishes us as one of the premier data centers within DISA because it moves us toward Telecommunications Industry Association standards," said Baker. "Like Google or Amazon, we would never be down, which is important because we store massive amounts of information for our active duty military personnel. It allows us to support our troops stationed around the world." The center is the first DISA facility served by a dual and distinct backup power feed, putting it at the head of the line for expansion, Greene said. The facility has already received $14 million in new work and is expected to add more than 200 jobs in the next five years. "The data center is making plans for $16 million in upgrades," Greene said. "Expansion of the facility and additional jobs will mean significant growth for our community, our region and our state." By Carla Davis

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