Alabama Power celebrates Power Delivery Operations Day
A team of Power System coordinators in the Alabama Control Center at Alabama Power work to restore service after a tornado caused multiple outages. (contributed)
Whether it’s power lines downed by falling trees during a severe storm, a car crashing into a power pole, or just the daily routine of maintenance and repairs, the work of the Operations staff of Alabama Power is vital to the company’s commitment to keeping the lights on for Alabamians.
Facilitating the day-to-day operations of generating and delivering safe, reliable and affordable electricity to customers and communities, the teams at the Alabama Control Center (ACC) and the five Distribution Control Centers (DCCs) across the state, along with the Operations Support staff, are the company’s nerve center.
Martell Williams. (contributed)
“When there’s trouble on the distribution grid, we get the call,” said Martell Williams, manager of Alabama Power’s DCCs. “Our Operations team fills roles that are critical to our system, especially when questions or challenges arise. If you’re in our service territory and you see an Alabama Power lineman talking on the radio? They’re talking to us.”
In addition to the DCC, Operations includes the ACC. The center monitors Alabama Power’s transmission of electricity “24/7/365,” noted Dee Anne Odom, system operations manager at the ACC.
All information from Alabama Power facilities in the field flows to and through the ACC, Odom explained – nearly a half-million data points. When work needs to be performed on the transmission system, a request is sent to the ACC, which decides whether and when the work can proceed.
“What is the issue? Who needs to know about it? How do we respond?” Odom summed up the ACC’s responsibilities. “A lot of decisions that are important to our customers and the power grid are made inside the ACC.
Dee Ann Odom. (Phil Free / Alabama News Center)
“The people in Operations truly are first responders. Multiple people are in our control centers every hour of the day, doing their jobs to make sure the lights stay on – and, when something happens, to get them back on as soon as possible.”
Working with the control centers is Operations Support. That group ensures that all necessary tools and equipment are always available and in good working order.
The work of Operations is especially important when bad weather affects any part of the power grid and restoration efforts are needed. When that happens, centers are fully staffed, directing resources to support the response in the field, often for days at a time. But, while more intense than the average day, the performance of Operations during emergencies typifies the attitude it brings to even the most routine workday.
“The job is essential,” said Williams. “We’re here to help our field forces do their jobs. We’re like the offensive line on a football team. You don’t hear much about the offensive line until the quarterback gets sacked, and nobody talks about operations until the lights go out. Like them, our job is to keep the ball moving.”
The ACC’s Odom also sees teamwork as key to the effectiveness of Operations and the important role it fills for Alabama Power. The mission at the core of customer service – keeping the lights on – is the driving force behind a work environment that thrives on the challenge and prides itself on the services it delivers to Alabama Power customers.
“It’s very collaborative,” said Odom. “There’s a true team environment, a sense of working together to achieve and maintain high standards.”
To recognize and honor the dedication and hard work of Operations employees, Alabama Power is celebrating, on Nov. 6, Power Delivery Operations Day. The acknowledgement is fitting, Williams and Odom agreed.
“Operations is a group of unsung heroes,” said Williams. “Our team is here to serve Alabama Power and our customers. Having the company recognize Operations Appreciation Day is not just appropriate and gratifying; it also provides motivation to keep striving to do better.”
Scott Moore (Phil Free / Alabama News Center)
“The people in Operations sacrifice a lot,” Odom added. “They monitor the system on nights and weekends so other people don’t have to. The importance of that is worth remembering this time of year, when people are getting ready to celebrate holidays with their families. That’s deserving of acknowledgement and celebration.”
The DCC and ACC become even more important during months when severe weather is more probable, like hurricane season, which lasts from June through November in the U.S. Their advanced technologies and dedicated teams ensure the safety and reliability of the company’s power delivery infrastructure in extreme weather. These control centers coordinate and manage resources to minimize disruptions, restore power efficiently and prioritize critical services for affected communities.
“Our Operations teams form the backbone of our preparedness and response efforts, particularly during the challenges severe weather can bring,” said Scott Moore, Alabama Power senior vice president of Power Delivery. “Our commitment to delivering the safe, reliable power our customers depend on starts with the Operations teams.”
