Lots of rain in 2020 meant lots of clean, renewable, low-cost hydropower for Alabama Power customers. Preliminary figures show the company produced significantly more hydropower in 2020 than projected, placing 2020 as the eighth-best year on record for hydroelectric energy production. “Hydropower is one of the most cost-effective sources of energy,” said Herbie Johnson, Hydro general manager […]

A tiny freshwater fish, recently rediscovered in Alabama, will get some help to survive, thanks to a grant from the nonprofit National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). For more than 50 years, the trispot darter had not been seen in the state. That is, until 2008, when scientists discovered a small population in St. Clair County. The new grant, […]

Birmingham’s pioneering Zyp bikeshare program, which ended its successful five-year run in December 2019, has left some local folks in the city going through micromobility withdrawal. But in a matter of weeks, new players are expected to pick up where Zyp left off and take transportation-sharing in the city to a whole new level. Earlier […]

An ongoing research project is applying cutting-edge satellite technology in a quest to finally pinpoint one of Alabama’s – and North America’s – most important “lost” historic sites. On Oct. 18, 1540, an armed contingent of Spaniards led by explorer Hernando de Soto savagely attacked Native American warriors led by the famed chieftain Tascalusa. The […]

Turkey Creek in north Jefferson County is home to not only one, but three endangered species of fish, including one found nowhere else on the planet. Meanwhile, the nature preserve just north of Birmingham that bears the same name is drawing ever-larger crowds who come to enjoy the creek’s pristine waters, the preserve’s hiking and […]

Searing heat and humidity, obliterated infrastructure and clogged roads are just some of the challenges Alabama Power crews have had to overcome as they help bring some normalcy back to communities recovering from Hurricane Laura. For nearly a week, the Alabama team of more than 350 personnel have been working to rebuild the grid and restore service to people […]

More Alabama cities are discovering, or rediscovering, the allure and economic development potential of their waterfronts. In the coming months, at least two Alabama cities located along Alabama Power reservoirs expect to open new waterfront parks – not only to support community recreation but to draw new visitors, residents, businesses and revenue.

On a steamy July morning, along a quiet stretch of the Tallapoosa River north of Wedowee, a small team of biologists from Alabama Power and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) eyed the fast-moving water. The prior day’s rain had turned the river murky – not the best circumstances to search for an elusive and threatened […]

Matthew Thornton has been paddling since he was 6 years old. He did his first solo kayak float at age 8. More than 30 years later, he’s still on the water, although these days you’re more likely to find him doing some “whitewater SUPing” – that is, running rapids on a stand-up paddleboard. And his […]

The whirring of helicopter blades and streets blocked by police barricades interrupted a quiet Saturday in downtown Birmingham as one of the city’s most prominent corporate residents put its new mark on the city’s tallest building. Shipt, the online grocery-delivery service founded in Birmingham in 2014 that has since grown into a nationwide force, needed […]

It will be a different kind of Memorial Day for those who want to honor the men and women who died while defending the nation. With the COVID-19 pandemic still threatening, and the health risks of holding large gatherings continuing, many Memorial Day observances and ceremonies across the state have been canceled or postponed. The […]

The red-cockaded woodpecker is making a slow but steady comeback at a site near Lake Mitchell. On a remote hill along the shore of Lake Mitchell, a spring ritual is underway once again. It’s nesting time for the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. And this spot, dotted with longleaf pines, is one of a few privately held […]

The COVID-19 crisis has led to new constraints for driver’s license operations in Alabama, but folks who were pressing up on this year’s deadline to upgrade to a STAR ID are getting a reprieve. As of March 26, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) closed all driver license offices, although staff members are answering phones and supporting online services, according […]

As president and CEO of United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA), Drew Langloh is often at the center of conversations about meeting critical community needs. But as the coronavirus expands its reach, it’s clear this crisis will demand significant resources to tackle multiple issues – some familiar from past disasters, and some the community has rarely […]

With most people confined to their homes during the COVID-19 crisis, escaping to a beautiful park or public greenspace has been one of the few healthy respites from coronavirus cabin fever. Shelter-in-place rules that have been imposed across the state generally have an exception to allow people to walk or bike or hike in their […]

It doesn’t look like much from the road – just an unassuming tributary of a local creek that flows into a man-made pond in a pleasant, historic subdivision, south of Bessemer. But the volunteers who gathered at the site to yank out invasive plants and remove piles of brush knew they were helping to preserve […]

Becoming president of Miles College – the first female chief executive in the school’s 122-year history – wasn’t part of Bobbie Knight’s retirement plan. After 37 years with Alabama Power, where she held several leadership positions, including vice president of Public Relations and vice president of the company’s Birmingham Division, Knight wasn’t in the market for a […]

For years, bicyclists who’ve cruised through central Birmingham have looked longingly to the right as they rode east along First Avenue South past Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark toward the resurging Avondale neighborhood. Just south of the road, there’s a strip of land that has long been eyed as a potential walking and bike trail connection to […]

After five years of successful operation, Birmingham’s Zyp bike-share program is winding down as leaders gear up to provide new transportation options for the central city in the coming year. REV Birmingham, an economic development and revitalization nonprofit focused on creating vibrant commercial districts, launched Zyp in 2015 with a five-year commitment from partners and sponsors. The […]

A steady rain Friday didn’t dampen the enthusiasm as a top federal energy official learned about the capabilities and benefits of Alabama Power’s first Smart Neighborhood. Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette toured one of the homes at Reynolds Landing in Hoover, where Alabama Power partnered with Signature Homes, Southern Company, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak […]

Techstars, the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed, is partnering with Alabama Power, with additional support from the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) and the Alabama Department of Commerce, to launch the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator. The new venture is a startup accelerator focused on innovations in energy technology to be located in Birmingham. The Techstars Alabama EnergyTech […]

Betty Alexander has lived all her 82 years in Blount County. But the history of her particular community goes back to way before she arrived on this good Earth. Her husband, Oliver “O.K.” Alexander, can claim some historical connections of his own; he is a descendant of John Witherspoon, a delegate from New Jersey to […]

Alabama Power continues to make progress toward safely and permanently closing all its ash ponds. This week, the company posted reports on its website with additional details about the closure process. The meticulously designed process goes above and beyond closing the ponds in place. Safety and protecting the environment are the top priorities of the […]

Last year, electric scooters rolled in – and then quickly out – of some Alabama cities after it became clear they were not street-legal under state law. But a bill approved by the Alabama legislature, and signed by Gov. Kay Ivey, may clear the way for a scooter comeback.