Alabama Power has won the first Excellence Award presented by the Southeast Area of the American Power Dispatchers Association (APDA).

The honor stems from outstanding employee contributions and service to the APDA, as well as the safety record and commitment of the staff of the Alabama Control Center (ACC), said Bryan Kurtz, a Tennessee Valley Authority employee who is president of the nine-state Southeast Area.

“I’m pleased to accept this recognition from the APDA on behalf of the Alabama Power employees who have made significant contributions to the organization,” said Transmission Vice President Scott Moore.

“The APDA offers professional development opportunities as well as leadership opportunities for transmission system operators across the country. The leadership exhibited by Alabama Power employees within this organization is another example of how our employees continue to make a positive difference in leading professional organizations in which they choose to be involved.”

The APDA was formed in 1941, with the Southeast chapter opening in 1992. Alabama Power employees were instrumental in forming the area group and continue to be leaders, filling three of the five current elected positions: Vice President Chad Williamson, who is Power System coordinator; Secretary Kenneth Davis, who is Power System coordinator; and Trustee Karen Mims, who is Transmission Control Center supervisor and a former national APDA treasurer.

The APDA’s purpose is encouraging and promoting the formulation and attainment of higher professional standards among system operators (load and power dispatchers) and to facilitate the interchange of ideas and information, Williamson said.

Historically, system operators in the Southeast had few opportunities to assemble across company boundaries except on rare occasions involving contracts, system reliability or business issues, Williamson said. Telephone relationships were built through the years, but some operators retired without ever having an opportunity to meet comrades from other companies. That changed in 1992, when Birmingham employees began contacting neighboring utility workers about their interest in organizing a Southeast APDA.

The Southeast Area holds meetings twice annually and had its 20th anniversary celebration at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear Oct. 8-10, 2012. Kurtz sought to establish the “Southeast Area APDA Excellence Award” during the anniversary meeting. After members approved the award, Kurtz made the first nomination of the ACC, which the membership unanimously approved.

Kurtz said the Southeast Area APDA is a leader in providing quality, low-cost continuing education courses during the annual spring and fall conferences.

“APDA is an organization specifically for operators and totally run by operators,” said Williamson. “I am grateful that our management sees the value in the APDA organization and allows our Power System coordinators to continue to be an integral part in the Southeast Area.”

Alabama Power employees involved at the national level include Transmission Control Center Supervisor Emmett Handy, who is webmaster of the ADPA online site and a former Southeast president; and retiree James Ford, who is a national ambassador at large. Ford was a key organizer and first president of the Southeast Area.

Alabama Power employees have held every position offered in the APDA. Williamson said they are leading the efforts in securing a national partnership for North American Electric Reliability Corporation-approved courses.

“The Southeast APDA has become the flagship area of the national organization through its continuous efforts to stay ahead of the needs of the system operators,” said Williamson.

By Chuck Chandler