U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby visited the Greene County Steam Plant on Jan. 18 and praised the facility as vital to west Alabama.

“We know how important it is for the production of electricity,” the senior senator from Alabama said after being briefed by Plant Manager Riley Wells. “We know how important it is to the economy of Greene County and Marengo County.”

Shelby has been traveling the state with a focus on visiting businesses and industry to learn more about the challenges companies face in creating jobs.

Wells updated Shelby on the plant’s long history of safely providing reliable, affordable electricity to west Alabama communities, and its economic impact on the region, which tops $100 million per year from fuel purchases, capital, and operations and maintenance expenditures.

Jim Heilbron, senior vice president and senior production officer, was also at Plant Greene County for Shelby’s visit. “We appreciate Senator Shelby’s interest in our facility and what our employees do every day at our Greene County facility to keep the lights on for our customers,” Heilbron said.

Greene County Steam Plant is also an important source of jobs in west Alabama. The plant employs about 125 people from 10 counties, for a total annual payroll of about $8 million. The plant provides more than $2 million in tax revenue to Greene County.

Shelby said the importance of the steam plant near Demopolis on the Black Warrior River goes beyond its financial impacts. It’s also about the electricity the plant provides to power west Alabama’s economy, to keep the lights on in area homes and to maintain industrial output.

“At the end of the day, jobs is what it’s about,” Shelby said. “Without electricity, there’s not going to be many businesses operating.”