ATLANTA, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power is joining with other electric utilities and customers across the state to say "thank you" to Georgia linemen on this first-ever National Lineman Appreciation Day.  The term linemen is used to identify men and women who work with thousands of volts of electricity atop power poles and lines to deliver customers safe, affordable, reliable power.

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On April 10, the U.S. Senate approved Resolution 95, introduced by Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson, designating April 18, 2013 as the first-ever National Lineman Appreciation Day.

Georgia Power employs more than 1,100 line personnel across the state of Georgia. For decades, these men and women have played a key role in keeping electricity flowing throughout the state and have helped build Georgia Power's industry leading record of value, service and reliability. 

"We are proud of the hard work and dedication of our linemen and recognize their commitment to safety and to our customers," said Paul Bowers, president and CEO of Georgia Power. "It's inspiring to know that the work of these men and women is noticed even in the halls of the Senate and we are delighted to mark this day with our line crews across the state."  

In addition to serving the company's 2.4 million customers in Georgia, Georgia Power linemen are often called away from their families to help restore power to neighboring states when major storms or disasters occur. In 2012 alone, Georgia Power linemen travelled thousands of miles and spent weeks in the field helping restore power to customers in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Ohio following severe weather. Georgia Power linemen even travelled as far north as New York and Maryland to assist with the response and repair efforts following Hurricane Sandy.

Georgia Power received multiple awards from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) for outstanding emergency response including the 2012 Emergency Recovery Award for efforts to restore power to its customers following fierce summer storms in Georgia. In addition, the company received the 2012 Emergency Assistance Award from EEI for helping other electric utilities in multiple states restore power to their customers.

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation's largest generators of electricity. The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility with rates below the national average. Georgia Power serves 2.4 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties.

www.georgiapower.com

SOURCE Georgia Power