POWERGRAMS

8 It's early to bed and early to rise for Herbie Johnson, except when performing his presidential duties. President, that is, of the National Hydropower Association. Johnson's regular day job is general manager of Hydro – meaning power- generating dams – for Southern Company Generation based in Birmingham. It's a big task, overseeing 32 hydroelectric dams in Alabama and Georgia. But it's also a big task heading the NHA, a trade organization of more than 200 companies, most making electricity with water turning turbines. The water used by these dams just happens to be the largest renewable energy source in America. "I'm typically in the bed consistently at 9:30 p.m.," Johnson said. "But when I'm in Washington conducting our board meetings, I typically will not get to sleep until midnight. I'm an early to bed, early to rise type of guy." He's also a popular type of guy, and that, combined with burning the midnight oil, has paid dividends. Johnson was re-elected to his second term as president for 2018. He finds himself at the helm of the NHA in interesting times. With high demand for clean, renewable energy, potential developers around the country are frustrated at the red tape and high costs of bringing new hydro generation online, especially at dams originally built not to produce electricity. The relicensing of existing dams is a costly, time- consuming, exasperating ordeal that can take a decade. Add to the mix that the NHA must not only interface with state regulators, but federal agencies, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Department of Energy and the Army Corps of Engineers. NHA HAS FOUND ITS MAN "Herbie is the face of the hydropower industry to policymakers in Washington and to NHA members around the country," said Jim Hancock, who is NHA general counsel. "With his engineer's understanding of hydro system operations, coupled with his boundless energy and enthusiasm, Herbie has been an enormously effective advocate for advancing hydropower's interests in Washington and beyond." It's not an overstatement to say the NHA is the nation's leading advocate, promoter, defender and voice of water power. It plays a high-profile role unifying the industry, shaping policy and speaking out on behalf of members. Johnson's presidential trappings aren't red carpets and limo rides. "The role of NHA president isn't ceremonial," said NHA Executive Director Linda Ciocci. "It requires someone willing to roll up their sleeves to advocate for industry policies that improve the economics of hydropower facilities and our ability to compete in the marketplace." Indeed, Johnson seems to relish the contact sport that is Face of an Industry HONORS JOHNSON HEADS NATIONAL HYDROPOWER ASSOCIATION by Gilbert Nicholson

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