On Friday, Feb. 24, PowerSouth dedicated the cooperative’s newest building in honor of longtime General Counsel Ted Jackson.

Jackson has served as general counsel since 1978 and has been integral in the cooperative’s success through the years, said Stan Wilson, Chairman of the PowerSouth Board of Trustees.

“We’ve learned a lot from you,” Wilson said during the dedication ceremony. “It’s a pleasure to have you with us and to be able to call you a friend. We’re also grateful for all your support over the years of PowerSouth and the other cooperatives you’ve been involved with as well.”

PowerSouth President and CEO Gary Smith said it was appropriate to name the new building after Jackson since his work helped provide a strong foundation from which the cooperative could grow and prosper.

“He is part of this organization’s foundation, so it’s fitting to name a building in his honor,

Smith said. “Ted is both our history and our historian. He’s done so many things that lead us to the future.”

Smith recognized Jackson’s “calm deliberation” and “dignified presence” and said that everyone who knew Jackson was “blessed to have him in their lives.”

Jackson said he was grateful for and humbled by the honor.

“It is a real blessing to me to be honored in this way — it never occurred to me that anybody would ever name a building for me,” Jackson said. “I just have an extreme affinity and love for PowerSouth and its members. Rural electrification is in my blood.”

“Thank you for this tremendous honor you’ve given me,” Jackson said. “I look forward to the days to come with PowerSouth and its members.”

At the core of the 44,000-square-foot Ted Jackson Building is a two-story concrete structure that houses PowerSouth’s state-of-the-art Energy Control Center, data center and network operations center. More than 50 employees work inside the building.

The building provides a secure space for employees to plan, operate and maintain generation and transmission systems, while offering an opportunity for future growth. g

March 2017 | Volume 30 • Number 3 | www.powersouth.com/powerlines | info@powersouth.com

PowerSouth honors Ted Jackson with building dedication

Powerlines

PowerSouth President and CEO Gary Smith (left) honors Ted Jackson at the dedication of a building in his honor on Feb. 24.

2

PowerSouth is teaming up with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama to collect aluminum pop tabs. Ronald McDonald House collects tabs throughout the year to raise money to serve families whose children are hospitalized.

Did you know?

� 1 pound of aluminum sells for around 60 cents.

� 1,280 pop tabs make 1 pound.

� 96 pounds can house a family at the Ronald McDonald House for one night.

� You can find pop tabs on soda, soup, vegetable, tuna and pet food cans.

� Ronald McDonald House raises $17,000 a year from recycling pop tabs.

PowerSouth employees can help by saving their tabs from the office and home. Employees may place tabs in the break room collection boxes rooms or send them via interoffice mail to Christi Scruggs. g

Students learn about electric careers at Wiregrass Works

PowerSouth, Covington EC, Pea River EC, South Alabama EC and Wiregrass EC joined area businesses last month as part of Wiregrass Works, an interactive experience to educate students about career opportunities available in their community.

More than 6,000 eighth-grade students attended the event held at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds in Dothan, Ala., Feb. 21 to 23. Students came from 15 counties across Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

“Wiregrass Works focuses on eighth graders because it is a critical year for students as they decide the coursework they want to pursue in high school and beyond,” said Jennifer Kelley, PowerSouth Human Resoures Coordinator. “The decisions they make in their freshman year of high school can shape the career paths available to them in the future.”

To energize them about the electric industry, PowerSouth employees taught students where electricity comes from and what it takes to provide reliable, affordable service.

“The event gives students a little taste of the opportunities that exist within their region, so it’s very important that we’re there,” said Kim Bowers, PowerSouth Human Resources Assistant. “We want to make sure they know about PowerSouth and the opportunities we have here because we’re local.”

PowerSouth’s demonstrations included a table model demonostrating how the McIntosh Power Plant generates electricity, a video about the Central Generation Power Plant, an interactive racing table model showcasing generation at the Lowman Power Plant, a large breaker to show students how electricity works, and a tent featuring the Energy Control Center. g

PowerSouth and distribution member employees helped teach students about electricity at Wiregrass Works.

Jones to represent Andalusia Utilities on PowerSouth Board of Trustees

Ricky Jones was elected to the PowerSouth Board of Trustees on Feb. 24, representing the Utilities Board of the City of Andalusia, Ala.

A graduate of Troy University, Jones is Vice President of Andalusia Distributing Company. He has served on the Andalusia Water and Utilities Boards since 1984, where he currently serves as Secretary and Past Chairman. He has served on the Covington County Economic Development Commission Board since 1993.

He and his wife, Nancy, are members of First United Methodist Church of Andalusia. g

3

Employees, their families and the things they love are the focus of a new safety campaign designed to reinforce PowerSouth safety culture.

PowerSouth will kick off the Safe365 program at luncheons in February and March, while recognizing employees for completing a calendar year with no lost-time accidents.

Manring says PowerSouth works hard to educate employees about safe practices. Now, the cooperative plans to make the emphasis personal.

The multimedia campaign will use the tagline, “This is why I work safe,” featuring employees and their families. The campaign is meant to remind employees of the importance of daily safety practices and discourage them from taking even a small risk or shortcut.

“A safety culture is something that starts at the top and runs all the way through to every single person who works here,” Manring says. “During safety meetings and luncheons, our President and CEO Gary Smith always reminds employees that, ‘The most important thing you’ll do today is go home the same way you came to work.’”

But that culture needs to flow down to supervisors and frontline workers, Manring says.

In addition to the Safe365 visuals, the campaign will also extend into PowerSouth’s regular safety meetings and briefings, Manring says.

PowerSouth has monthly and quarterly safety meetings at all locations as well as pre-job safety briefings. Job-specific safety briefings allow supervisors and team leaders to review a checklist of the hazards associated with each job.

Also, any person who visits a work site is briefed by the team leader before entering, Manring says.

“This is something the plant and field crews really stepped up in the last few years,” he says. “They’ve done job safety briefings for a long time, but they have taken the briefings to a higher level by documenting them and having each employee involved sign that they understand the information covered.” g

SAFE365EVERY JOB

EVERY DAY

Russ JonesLowman Maintenance Technician

and his son, Chase

This is I work safe.

PowerSouth kicks off Safe365 safety campaignSafe365 gives employees reasons for staying safe

A safety culture is something that starts at the top and runs all the way through to every single person who works here.

— Buddy Manring

4

I cut my teeth in the mining industry early in my career as a research engineer with the United States Bureau of Mines, and I have seen the strength and determination of the people who labor to bring us the raw materials that make so much of our life possible.

Alabama was modernized because of coal, taking us from an agricultural society into one driven by industry and technology. The energy industry in this state relied on coal to power our world, but that is rapidly changing. Still, as the market, government regulations and concerns over greenhouse gasses continue to stress the coal industry, it is important to remember that coal remains a vital part of Alabama’s energy portfolio.

Coal has been mined in Alabama for more than 150 years, and the state ranks 14th in total coal production in the United States, according to an economic impact study commissioned by the Energy Institute of Alabama.

Historically, coal has fueled the largest share of electric power generation in the state. About a third of the coal mined in Alabama stays in the U.S., and about half of that is delivered to electric power plants in the state, according to the report.

The Alabama Power Company reported in 2015 that coal made up about half of its fuel mix, and about 15 percent of that comes from coal mines in the state. Alabama Power still operates 10 coal-fired generating units.

Those numbers are down, of course, as low prices for natural gas and regulations have seen Alabama Power transition. In the late 1990s, nearly 80 percent of electricity generated by the company came from coal, and there were 23 coal-fired units. Natural gas has provided a larger share of electricity in the state, exceeding coal-fired generation in 2012, 2014 and 2015.

Employment in the coal industry is down, too, but the Alabama Coal Association reports 4,000 people directly employed in the industry. This significant workforce in our state is buoyed by exports.

According to the U.S. Energy Department, in 2014, two-thirds of the coal produced in Alabama was exported. Mobile is the nation’s third-largest seaport for exporting United States coal, most of which is bound for Europe, South America and Central America. In 2015, Mobile also was second only to Tampa, Florida, in coal imports, according to an EIA report.

It does not take much reading of the tea leaves to understand challenges remain for coal as an energy source in the country. Besides market forces, there is concern over emissions, and that is something academia and industry are trying to resolve. In fact, researchers here at The University of Alabama College of Engineering are working with different solvents to more effectively scrub emissions from coal-fired power plants, and we have worked with the Southern Company and others to lead the way on carbon-capture technologies.

Our researchers, along with many across the state at other universities and private research labs, are working to improve a host of other energy technologies to help diversify energy production here and around the world. Even with engineers and scientists moving forward, hurdles to more widespread reliance on renewable energy remain. Coal reserves are vast, and the industry is an important economic driver. Policymakers and cultural influencers must remember that coal is an engrained part of our energy mix. g

Charles L. Karr is Dean of The University of Alabama College of Engineering and a Senior Policy Advisor for the nonprofit Energy Institute of Alabama. Visit energyinstituteal.org/impact to see the complete economic impact study commissioned by the EIA.

Charles L. Karr, Ph.D.Dean of The University of Alabama

College of Engineering

Coal still an important part of Alabama’s energy portfolio

EMPLOYEE NEWS

5

PowerSouth sends eight students to

Eight students from Andalusia, Opp, Elba and Pike County high schools have been selected to represent PowerSouth at the 2017 Youth Tour this March.

One winner and one runner-up from each school will join hundreds of other students from across Alabama in the state capital, where they will learn about government, lawmaking and the importance of the rural electrification program.

The winner from each school will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., this June to take part in the National Rural Electric

Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) Youth Tour. Each year, the NRECA brings together 1,500 students from all over the country to visit museums, memorials and monuments in the nation’s capital and gives them the chance to meet with their representatives in Congress.

The eight winners and runners-up were selected based on written essays, tests and an interview competition, which took place at PowerSouth’s headquarters in Andalusia. PowerSouth has been proud to participate in the Youth Tour program for more than 30 years and congratulates this year’s winners. g

Andalusia High School: (Left to right) Will Clark, winner; Alden Wells, runner-up; Callen Woodard; Clorissa Morgan; and Lonzell Bryant.

Elba High School: (Left to right) Kayla Seay, winner, and Destenee Cole, runner-up.

Opp High School: (Left to right) Cody Davis, winner; Clancy Stanfield, runner-up; Meagan Ward; Rebecca Josey; and Marla Lindsey.

Pike County High School: (Left to right) Chelsey Adamson, winner; Malea Bland, runner-up; JaKayla Vail; Endia Brown; and Madison Whitehead.

1, 7 YO U T H T O U RYO U T H T O U R

Daylight Saving Time begins March 12

Brighter afternoons and evenings are on the way!

It’s the time of year when most of the nation will set their clocks forward by one hour for Daylight Saving Time to add a little light to the end of the day.

But it wasn’t always this way. Daylight savings, as it’s usually known, was first used in Ontario, Canada, in 1908. Soon, its popularity spread to other provinces and even other countries in an effort to help save fuel used in artificial lighting during the world wars.

The U.S. first enacted the practice into law in 1918, but it was repealed only seven months later. President Franklin D. Roosevelt re-instituted year-round daylight savings into law in 1942 to help the war effort.

6

EMPLOYEE NEWS

Scottie McBrideLowman

25 years, March 30

John JohnsonLowman

25 years, March 30

Randy ElmoreLowman

25 years, March 30

Ted CentnerT&D Eng. & Const.18 years, March 29

Chad JenkinsTelecom Services

20 years, March 31

Katie JohnsonTransmission O&M17 years, March 6

Ken ClarkeEnergy Services

17 years, March 6

Josh HilburnEngineering

17 years, March 30

Billy RogersT&D Technical Services

26 years, March 11

Fred PringleLowman

25 years, March 30

Ken ThompsonTransmission O&M26 years, March 26

Joey RameyLowman

25 years, March 30

Debbie BracewellHR Services

26 years, March 11

Skip SpurlinMember Services 27 years, March 19

Keith StephensEnvironmental Services

25 years, March 9

Marisa SmithLowman

16 years, March 19

Cheryl WeeksFinancial Planning16 years, March 19

Chad WarrickLowman

15 years, March 4

Jessie McConicoLowman

15 years, March 4

Ed KarrLowman

15 years, March 4

Diane EdgarSafety Services

15 years, March 11

Nick SteadhamLowman

15 years, March 4

Russ DowlingLowman

15 years, March 5

Cheryl CottonCommunications

15 years, March 25

Calvin DavenportLowman

10 years, March 26

Daniel DeesLowman

10 years, March 26

Wilzy SimsLowman

10 years, March 26

Connie LawrenceCentral Generation15 years, March 25

Brian JonesLowman

10 years, March 26

Joe DayLowman

10 years, March 27

Cal MullinsLowman

10 years, March 27

George RhodesLowman

37 years, March 28

Pam BondTelecom Services

36 years, March 31

Len JonesT&D Eng. & Const.32 years, March 25

Lee DavisMcIntosh

29 years, March 14

Trish GatlinFinancial Services31 years, March 24

John LoperLowman

10 years, March 27

Shane BoothLowman

10 years, March 27

Wayne TurnerLowman

10 years, March 27

Jason AndersonMcIntosh

9 years, March 3

Wesley ArnoldMcIntosh

9 years, March 3

Golden ColemanLowman

9 years, March 17

Michael MurphyTransmission O&M

7 years, March 8

Tunde CarawayComputer Info. Serv.

7 years, March 9

J.R. HarrellMcIntosh

6 years, March 28

Mark HarrellLowman

6 years, March 28

Matt DiamondChief Operations6 years, March 29

Joey ReevesT&D Technical Services

1 year, March 14

Kevin BrelandLowman

1 year, March 28

Dustin DunaganLowman

1 year, March 28

Kim HopkinsFinance & Accounting

5 years, March 16

Heath BishopTransmission O&M3 years, March 10

Patrick McCalmanLegal Affairs

3 years, March 31

Service anniversaries

EMPLOYEE NEWS

7

Board meetingThe March board meeting is Friday, March 24. Headquarters employees are reminded that they should wear business professional attire on board meeting days. g

Welcome Madison Buckelew, Work Study in Computer Information Services, effective Jan. 17

Whitni Young, Network Support & Security Analyst in Telecom Services, effective Jan. 23

Landon Hughes, Co-op Engineer at Central Generation, effective Jan. 11

Adam Kilcrease, Work Study in Legal Affairs, effective Feb. 1

Goodbye and good luck Best wishes to Lorraine Craft, who retired Jan. 27 after 25 years of service at Lowman. Her most recent position was Plant Services Coordinator.

PromotionsCongratulations to Lanie Sells, Travis Thomas, Wes Scott, Chris Harwell and Michael Smith, who were each promoted to Engineer II from Engineer III in Engineer in Training, effective Jan. 16.

Congratulations to Kim Nawlin, who was promoted to Buyer II from Buyer III in Legal Affairs, effective Jan. 30.

Comings and goings Happy Birthday!March 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin McDaniel

Beverly WilsonMarch 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken ThompsonMarch 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tunde Caraway

Damon MorganMichael Richardson

Ryan SandersMarch 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larecia FowlerMarch 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Richard Butts

Norman HowardMarch 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stephanie WilliamsMarch 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Etheredge

Sam PhillipsMarch 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kyle HayesMarch 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike GoldmanMarch 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Payne

Bryan JonesCory Ryland

March 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jerome ArmstrongDavid Murphy

March 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve BallardByron Beverly

Colton SimsMarch 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Doug Campbell

Russell HarperMarch 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .T.J. Defee

Steven HinoteJill Jones

March 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joe ArmstrongGreg BennettBrandon HallKenny Shiver

March 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Josh BlackburnFloyd Wood

March 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kim HopkinsKenny Jones

March 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Michael BallardJeff Bundrick

Deidra MoniganBo Welcher

Anthony WhitmanMarch 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stacy Carpenter

Ricky CookMarch 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kenny LeeMarch 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve Grissett

Wilzy SimsMarch 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robby Hunt

Angela NelsonLanie Sells

March 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brent BrackeCharles Moore

March 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheryl WeeksMarch 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chad Chandler

Gary SmithMarch 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jamie Todd

John Twitty

Viewing your information just got easy

Headquarters employees can view their own human resources- and payroll-related information via Employee Self Service on Oracle’s E-Business Suite Applications. Personal items that can be viewed include basic details such as name, marital status, birth date, employee number, mailing address and emergency contact information, as well as current benefit elections. You may also view your payroll information such as current and past pay slips and W-2s.

1. Log in to Portal. Or, if you’re using an employee kiosk, click on the Employee Self-Service icon, which will take you to the Oracle login page.

2. Click on the “Applications” tab at the top of the page.

3. Click the “E-Business Suite Applications” link.

4. Using your Oracle login, log in to the application.

5. Your Oracle Applications Home Page Main Menu should now display the new “PSEC Employee Self Service” Responsibility.

6. Click “PSEC Employee Self Service” to reveal two subfolders: HR & Benefits Information and Payroll Information. g

EASY

P.O. Box 550Andalusia, AL 36420

Congratulations to Brian Sanderson, Instrument Repairman at Lowman, who captured this beautiful sunset over the Lowman switchyard on Jan. 8.

Submit your photos now for the April contest. If sending an electronic file, please send the highest quality possible.

The winner selected on March 20 will receive a 75th anniversary tumbler and be featured in the April issue of Powerlines.

Send your entries to Christi Scruggs at christi.scruggs@powersouth.com or via interoffice mail. g

February photo contest winner Brian SandersonPowerlines is published monthly for the employees and members of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.

Vice President, Member Services & CommunicationsLeigh Grantham

Communications ManagerBaynard Ward

Media & Communications Coordinator, Powerlines EditorChristi Scruggs

PhotographyJohn Dean | Chris Flood

Communications DepartmentPowerSouth Energy Cooperative2027 East Three Notch Street (36421)P.O. Box 550 (36420) | Andalusia, ALinfo@powersouth.com www.powersouth.com

www.powersouth.com/powerlines

Send comments or story suggestions to christi.scruggs@powersouth.com.

To request a printed version of this issue:Lisa Haney | (334) 427-3712lisa.haney@powersouth.com

Equal Opportunity Employer/Vets/Disabled