POWERGRAMS

4 As the new yearlong Transmission Maintenance training drew to a close, Laken Baker said the most valuable takeaways are having the opportunity to develop new relationships and share best practices and knowledge with her counterparts statewide. "We were able to learn from each other and talk through tasks to develop the most efficient way to do them," said Baker, team leader, Transmission Lines, Southern Division Complex. "Because it was a small class, everyone was more likely to talk candidly about how they actually do things than they would in a different environment." In June, 14 engineers and specialists from Alabama Power's eight Transmission Maintenance Centers completed the organization's first in-depth training program designed to broaden their knowledge base, develop their leadership skills and enhance their technical expertise. Launched last spring, the training consisted of two tracks – one for Substations engineers and specialists and the other for their peers in Transmission Lines. "We have had a lot of new engineers and specialists join our organization in recent years, and we identified a need for specialized training for employees in these positions," said Chad Skinner, Area Transmission Maintenance manager, Southern Division Office. "We felt there was a knowledge gap we needed to fill. We wanted to get these new employees up to speed more quickly. That's why we decided to include a mix of seasoned and new employees so they could learn from each other." The two programs, which ran concurrently, used classroom and hands-on training designed to meet the technical and business needs of the employees. Depending on the topic, the classes were at the Southern Division Complex, the General Services Complex or Corporate Headquarters. The Substations and Lines modules included topics specific to the technical needs of each group. To give a better understanding of the business as a whole, both groups took classes focusing on organizations such as Labor Relations, Marketing and the General Shops. Employees took a field trip to the Hyundai plant in Montgomery, where they saw how Alabama Power's Transmission and Marketing organizations work to provide safe, reliable electricity to customers. "I really enjoyed the Hyundai tour," said Allison Bright, Transmission Substation Services engineer, Corporate Headquarters. "There were so many processes that had to take place in a sequential order to build a car. It's similar to our business in that you don't always know what's going on behind the scenes to build, commission and maintain a substation. Although you see the big picture, you don't understand fully the role Accounting, Purchasing, Construction and other groups play in the process." Skinner said the training will have multiple, far-reaching benefits for the employees and the company. "If our employees are more knowledgeable about how to operate and maintain our transmission equipment, it means the job will be better organized and better planned, which will help the crews be more efficient," Skinner said. "The result will be improved reliability for our customers." Protection and Control (P&C) Field Services is another Transmission organization committed to providing in-depth training. P&C Field Services Basic Training is a 10- to 12-week program to provide new employees with the skills and knowledge to install, test and maintain relay equipment on substations. Launched in 2011, the training is usually offered in the fall and spring. "Because our employees work in teams, it's important that new hires get on their feet as quickly as possible," said Paul Scalisi, P&C Field Services team leader, Corporate Headquarters. Six P&C employees attended the training this spring, which included classroom instruction and hands-on experiences. The classes at the Hueytown Crew Headquarters and the General Services Complex introduced employees to relay procedures and equipment, transformer protection and controls, the steps involved in upgrading or commissioning a substation, and required documentation. Employees spent several days helping upgrade the Double Springs Distribution Substation, Scalisi said. They replaced old mechanical relays with microprocessor relays, installed new circuit breakers and upgraded the interface with the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. "Basic training helps new P&C engineers get up to speed on Alabama Power standards and procedures so we can be more productive and contribute to co-workers in the field," said West Jefferson Test Engineer Kreana Pye, who transferred to this job after working for more than two years at Florida Power and Light. "With my previous background in substation maintenance, I am used to troubleshooting substations equipment. But there were a lot of things I didn't know until I came to this training, such as how to check and test the protective equipment," said Blake Bright, test engineer, West Jefferson. "At the end of the day, this job is very important, so it's critical we have the training needed to prepare us to do it safely and efficiently." Kristie Barton said training programs like those sponsored by Transmission Maintenance and P&C Field Services have a huge impact on the organization's success. "When you think about the technical aspect of the job, having employees who are competent and capable to perform their duties is critical to the long-term success of our organization," said Barton, Transmission Maintenance general manager. "I'm proud of our employees and excited that we have these training programs that mean so much to the future of Transmission." By Carla Davis Employees completing breakthrough training ENERGY EFFICIENCY Pye, Scalisi, Bright and Kristy King in field during training. Photo by Billy Brown

• Cover