Alabama Power again honored as one of nation's best utilities for economic development, job creation

Alabama Power Company has once again been named as one of America’s “Top Utilities in Economic Development” by Site Selection, a leading national trade magazine.

Alabama Power was only one of 20 utilities to receive this distinction for 2020 out of 3,300 contenders across the United States.

The publication’s annual list is compiled “based on corporate end-user project investment and affiliated job creation in these utilities’ territories, evaluated on a cumulative and per-capita basis.”

“These are the cream of the crop,” Site Selection summarized of the selected utilities. “[T]heir power runs deeper than transmission lines, substations and transformers. It reaches into workforce development, industrial site preparation and marketing, and unique partnerships with area governments, institutions and employers.”

Specifically, Alabama Power was credited by the publication for creating 2,519 jobs during 2019 while attracting an estimated $2 billion in new capital investment.

“Our team works each day to better lives and create opportunities for the people of Alabama, and I’m incredibly proud Site Selection is honoring this commitment yet again,” Tony Smoke, senior vice president of Marketing and Economic Development for Alabama Power, stated in a release from the company.

Site Selection wrote the following about the company’s efforts:

Alabama Power began offering Asset Assessments to communities within the Alabama Power service territory in 2019, offering insights via over 15 asset assessments that have supported multiple communities during 2019 and 2020 by analyzing assets and opportunities for growth and development. The utility last year partnered with CSX Transportation, the state of Alabama and Baldwin County to provide funds for the improvement of the 3,000-acre South Alabama Mega Site in Baldwin County, Alabama. Alabama Power also partnered with the Economic Development Association of Alabama’s Rural Development Initiative to encourage cross-county cooperation in developing regional strategic plans based on asset assessments. In addition to partnering with partnered with the state and Techstars, a national tech accelerator, to create the Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator, the utility also partnered with Alabama Launchpad and CO.STARTERS to help build entrepreneurial ecosystems in five regions (so far) consisting of 17 rural counties.

The publication further wrote that just last month alone, Alabama Power played a major role in the announced $500 million expansion plans by AM/NS Calvert near Mobile.

Alabama Power advised that teamwork is key to successful economic development endeavors.

Leigh Davis, vice president of Economic and Community Development for Alabama Power, stressed the importance of partnerships with organizations such as the Alabama Department of Commerce, Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, Economic Development Association of Alabama, AIDT and local economic development groups.

“Our commitment to building long-lasting, strong partnerships allows us to work beyond traditional recruitment expansion to prepare our communities and workforce for opportunities and growth,” Davis said.

Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn