Alabama Power is beginning the process of relicensing nine hydroelectric dams on the Coosa and Warrior rivers. As part of that process, the company is holding a series of issues identification workshops so that the public can share its interests and opinions about the Coosa and Warrior river hydroelectric projects.

The workshops are free and open to the public. A list of workshop dates, times and locations is included with this release.

The federal licenses for Alabama Power's Warrior and Coosa river dams expire in 2007. The Warrior River dams are Smith and Bankhead. The Coosa River dams are Weiss, Neely Henry, Logan Martin, Lay, Mitchell, Bouldin and Jordan. To continue operating the dams, Alabama Power must file applications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for all the developments by June 30, 2005.

These nine dams produce 1,164 megawatts of electricity and represent about 73 percent of Alabama Power's hydroelectric generation capacity. Alabama Power has 14 hydroelectric dams that can make enough electricity to power 600,000 homes. Hydroelectric power is a natural, renewable and non-polluting source of energy.

The relicensing effort is a public process designed to address operational, economic, environmental and recreational issues associated with issuing new licenses for the projects. Discussion topics at the workshops will include fisheries and other aquatic resources, water resources, land use, project operations, recreation and other topics of public interest.

                     Alabama Power Hydro Relicensing
                     Issues Identification Workshops

  Smith and Bankhead developments
  *  Evening workshop: Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
  *  Daytime workshop: Nov. 2, 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
  *  Location: Community Health Systems Activities Center, Jasper, Ala.

  Weiss, Neely Henry and Logan Martin developments
  *  Evening workshop: Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
  *  Daytime workshop: Dec. 6, 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
  *  Location: Center for Cultural Arts, Gadsden, Ala.

  Lay, Mitchell, Bouldin and Jordan developments
  *  Daytime workshop: Dec. 7, 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
  *  Evening workshop: Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
  *  Location: Governor's House Hotel, Montgomery, Ala.

For more information and registration, call Nancy Braswell at (205) 257-2211 or go online to http://www.southernco.com/site/hydro/lakeinfo.asp .

Alabama Power provides affordable, reliable electric service to 1.3 million customers in the southern two-thirds of Alabama. Alabama Power is a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company , the largest producer of electricity in the United States.

SOURCE: Alabama Power