POWERGRAMS

42 Employees' "out-of-the box" ideas have been numerous through the years and were oen the spark that led to progress in education, economic development, the environment and the community. One of the earliest innovations was the creation of the Thurlow Backwater Suppressor. During the construction of Mitchell Dam, Oscar Thurlow, chief engineer at the time, realized that floodwaters could keep dams from generating electricity efficiently. He found a way to construct the downstream face of Mitchell Dam to get around the problem. His idea revolutionized dam construction worldwide. In 1926, Alabama Power Commercial Marketing Manager Ashton Collins drew what has become one of the most well-known figures in the electric utility industry – Reddy Kilowa. For the first few years, Reddy Kilowa worked solely for Alabama Power promoting appliances and services. But when Collins moved to Commonwealth and Southern Company, he realized Reddy's influence could be much greater. Collins formed his own company, Reddy Kilowa Inc., in 1933. Since then, Reddy has become the electric ambassador for utilities around the world. Realizing the importance of innovation to the progress of the state and the region, Alabama Power CEO Tom Martin headed up the formation of Southern Research in Birmingham in 1941. Today, Southern Research is a nonprofit organization with nearly 500 scientists and engineers working in drug discovery and development, engineering, energy and the environment. During the 1970s, Terry Arnold, manager of Environmental and Technical Services, and his team joined with the University of Alabama School of Engineering to develop a turbine aeration system, which raises dissolved oxygen levels in the water discharged from dams, making it easier for fish and aquatic organisms to breathe. The system increased the water's oxygen content by allowing water and air to mix naturally. By designing a metal deflector plate in the discharge tube of the hydro turbine, a localized area of negative pressure was created, which caused air to be sucked through the tube and into the water. Today, turbine aeration is used at eight company hydro dams. With the growth of technology and the rise of the electronic age in recent years, there have been developments within Alabama Power's Distribution organization that have changed the way employees do business. The development of the Distribution Outage Evaluation System (DOES) in 1985 allowed crews to restore power faster and more efficiently. DOES was subsequently replaced with an even more advanced system. Another game-changer was the implementation of the Automated Resource Management System (ARMS). Through ARMS, crews can receive work orders on laptop computers in their trucks. Historian Leah Atkins said innovation and creativity have always been cornerstones for Alabama Power. "Alabama Power has always had employees who were very innovative and who could discover a beer way to do things," she said. "As the company moves forward, it's very important that employees continue this commitment to innovation and pass it down to the next generation." Innovation integral to APC's DNA Reddy Kilowatt was originated by Marketing Manager Collins in 1926. Chief Engineer Thurlow devised the backwater suppressor that bears his name.

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