SHORELINES

12 Shor e l i n e S | 2014 Vol :3 More than a century ago, Alabama Power Company began building a series of dams on the Coosa, Tallapoosa and Warrior rivers. Historian Harvey H. Jackson III, in his book "Putting 'Loafing Streams' to Work," writes of the significance of these dams to the state. "The dams were a turning point. When their turbines began spinning and electricity began to flow from the powerhouses to farms, towns, and cities, Alabama moved from the 19th into the 20th century. The state and its people would never be the same again." Since our first dam – Lay Dam – began providing energy to the state's rural countryside, we have harnessed the power of the state's rivers with 14 dams. The 11 Alabama Power lakes they created provide recreation, drinking water, sporting and economic development to many Alabamians each year. True to their original purpose and through upgrades, these dams provide reliable, affordable, renewable, emission-free electricity to power 400,000 homes in Alabama. But with more than 1.4 million customers, we can no longer rely on hydropower alone to provide reliable service. Today, we also rely on a mix of natural gas, renewables, energy efficiency, nuclear and coal to continue the tradition started by Above: Photo by Bernard troncale — Thurlow Dam is one of 14 dams operated by Alabama Power. Mandating more expensive energy F R O M H Y D R O P O W E R T O C O A L T O N U C L E A R A N D N AT U R A L G A S, A L A B A M A P O W E R N E E D S A D I V E R S E M I X O F F U E L S T O P R O V I D E B E L O W - AV E R A G E P R I C E S A N D S U P E R I O R R E L I A B I L I T Y.

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