Southern Company’s Chairman and CEO A.W. “Bill” Dahlberg didn’t get a watch when he announced his resignation from the Georgia Power Board of Directors at its quarterly meeting last week.

Instead, he got a power plant named after him.

The new plant being built in Jackson County will now be known as Plant Dahlberg. The Center, Ga., plant is scheduled to begin operation in the spring of 2000 with a minimum of five, 80-megawatt units on line. The plant could eventually have 16 units and 1,200 megawatts of generating capacity in place. Plant Dahlberg will use modern environmental and fuel technologies to be the cleanest fossil-fuel burning facility in Georgia Power’s fleet.

“Bill is truly a visionary. His leadership over the past four decades has placed Georgia Power and Southern Company among the world’s most progressive energy companies,” said David Ratcliffe, Georgia Power’s president and CEO. “We are proud to honor his legacy by naming our newest plant after Bill Dahlberg.”

Dahlberg began his career with Georgia Power in 1960 as a helper in the Atlanta Meter Department and worked his way through a series of positions to become the president and CEO in 1988. He served in that role until 1994, when he became chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company.

Editor’s note: Bill Dahlberg remains Southern Company’s Chairman and CEO.