Alabama Power’s Plant Miller, the largest generating plant in Alabama Power’s system, has completed a remarkable year of performance and innovation that is being recognized by the utility industry.

In the past year, employees brought to a successful conclusion a multi-year, nearly $1 billion initiative to install state-of-the-art environmental controls at the plant – an effort that was honored as the Best Coal-Fired Project of 2011 by Power Engineering magazine. The project is featured in this month’s issue of the publication.

Plant Miller also was recently honored with the Best Performing Plant award by the Electric Utility Cost Group (EUCG), a national organization dedicated to improving the cost and performance of electric generating plants. EUCG recognized Plant Miller as one of the top electric generating plants in the nation, and for the best performance and cost management by a large electric generating facility over a five-year period.

Plant Miller was also recognized this month by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) as part of its Best Innovation 2011 awards. Miller was cited as the successful test site for a new emissions-reduction system that garnered MHI’s Special Award for Best New Technology.

“Again and again, Plant Miller and our employees demonstrate that they are among the best in the business,” said Ted McCullough, senior vice president and senior production officer for Alabama Power.

Perry Boren, plant manager at Miller, said employees take pride in delivering exceptional service for the benefit of Alabama Power customers. “Providing outstanding reliability at the lowest cost is our goal, along with meeting our commitments for protecting the environment and the safety of employees,” Boren said.    

Emission reductions are among Plant Miller’s many achievements. Since 1996, the plant has cut its emissions of nitrogen oxides by 76 percent and sulfur dioxide by 95 percent, thanks to the successful installation and operation of new scrubbers and selective catalytic reduction technology on all four of the plant’s generating units.

The scrubber project is a prime example of superior service. The $900 million project was completed in early 2011 – within budget and months faster than the original schedule. Scrubber performance has also exceeded expectations.  

The largest electric generating plant in the state, Plant Miller is located in Jefferson County, northwest of Birmingham, and provides enough power to serve the needs of about 800,000 homes. The plant employs about 330 people, many of whom are involved in community volunteerism through the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO). In 2011 alone, APSO members at Plant Miller contributed more than 3,600 volunteer hours and donated more than $65,000 in cash and in-kind contributions to community projects.

Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), provides affordable, reliable power to more than 1.4 million customers across the state. To learn more, visit www.alabamapower.com.