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From Alabama Power

WASHINGTON – Alabama Power has been honored by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) with an Emergency Response Award for helping restore service to Texans affected by Hurricane Nicholas.

Presented to EEI member companies, the Emergency Response Awards recognize recovery and assistance efforts of electric companies following service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other natural events. Winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the awards were presented during EEI’s virtual winter Board of Directors meeting.

“This year brought several significant storms and other extreme weather-related events that impacted many customers and communities across the nation,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “Alabama Power and its employees worked around the clock following Hurricane Nicholas to ensure that power was restored as safely and quickly as possible. I applaud Alabama Power and its employees for their unwavering dedication to the customers and to the communities they so proudly serve, and I am honored to present them with this well-deserved award.”

Nicholas made landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast on Sept. 14, 2021, as a Category 1 hurricane and affected approximately 705,000 CenterPoint Energy customers. Alabama Power sent more than 250 employees and 150 contractors to aid CenterPoint Energy in its recovery efforts. Working 27,000 hours, Alabama Power crews and contractors helped replace and repair 12 poles, 30 transformers and 131 spans of conductor.

“It is an honor to be recognized by our peers for the work we do to serve our customers and help others across the country,” said Alabama Power President and CEO Mark Crosswhite. “We understand firsthand how challenging restoration efforts can be, and we are pleased to offer aid when and where we can.

“The work our employees accomplish on a daily basis is remarkable, but even more so when responding to storms and natural disasters,” Crosswhite continued. “This award recognizes their hard work and dedication during challenging times.”

Alabama Power has earned the Emergency Response Award 29 times since the award’s inception in 1998.

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. EEI members provide electricity for more than 220 million Americans and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.