POWERGRAMS

Wringing out the risk of "minimal disturbances" was a challenge on several fronts. For starters, Airbus requires 100 percent "redundancy" so any glitch in electrical power is automatically backed up. Alabama Power's facilities at that time "were not robust enough" to carry the load or to ensure redundancy, Haynes said. "The Mobile Power Delivery Distribution team of Bob Bailey, David Richardson, Elena Cook, Lam Van Tran and others spent endless hours evaluating and designing a distribution system to meet the requirements," Haynes said. The Mobile Distribution Control Center has the task of monitoring power to not only the massive Airbus facility, but to Honeywell, which provides chilled water and compressed air to the Airbus facility, and to MAAS Aviation, whose employees paint the 320s. APC passed all the technical tests with flying colors. "Once the decision was made to come to Mobile, their power delivery team was extremely supportive in assisting the design and construction teams to make the facility a reality," said McArtor. Perhaps the icing on the cake is the Airbus CEO's summation of the entire Alabama Power effort, from economic development to providing electricity. "Alabama Power is truly a company that is about business and for business in Alabama." 4 More than 1,000 local workers are engaged in building the popular A320 aircraft. Photos courtesy of Airbus Mobile skyline in the background of the $600 million Airbus facility at the Brookley Aeroplex.

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