Author: scott

Fred D. Clark, Jr., President & CEO, Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA), has been re-elected to the American Public Power Association (APPA) Board of Directors. His re-election took place during the Association’s annual Business Meeting at the APPA National Conference in New Orleans, LA, on June 19.

Association board members are chosen to represent 10 regions across the country. Clark will represent Region 7. Region 7, which is the East South Central area of the U.S., includes Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Clark is one of 30 elected members of the APPA board. He will serve a new three-year term.

APPA, based in Washington, D.C., is the voice for not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide.

AMEA, a joint action agency formed in 1981, is the wholesale power provider for 11 public power utilities in Alabama, which serve approximately 350,000 customers in the cities of Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley, LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga and Tuskegee.

Without them, we’d be sitting in the dark, freezing cold or unbearably hot. We wouldn’t be able to charge our cell phones, make our morning coffee, use our computers or watch our favorite sporting event on TV. When we’re safe in our homes amidst a big storm, they’re braving the weather to do their work. And when there’s an electrical emergency, they are the first responders who risk their own lives to serve our communities. They are the lineworkers who power America.

Alabama Lineman Appreciation Day is celebrated annually to recognize these unsung heroes on the first Monday of June, as designated by the Alabama Legislature in 2014. This year’s obser- vance is Monday, June 4.

The Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA) salutes the sacrifices and hard work of the dedicated linemen who continue to keep the lights on in its 11 Member communities.

“The job of a lineman is absolutely essential, both to Alabama’s economy and our way of life,” said Fred Clark, AMEA President & CEO. “It’s a job that can be quite unpredictable and — as a result — requires a unique combination of strength, coordination and problem solving in order to be successful in carrying out the job of providing safe, reliable electricity.”

AMEA, a joint action agency formed in 1981, is the wholesale power provider for 11 public power utilities in Alabama, including the cities of Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley, LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga and Tuskegee.

Fairhope Public Utilities, the City of Lanett Electric Department and the Utilities Board of Tuskegee have received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in 2017. The recognition comes from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not- for-profit, community-owned electric utilities. Each Member city/utility was presented a Certificate of Excellence in Reliability at the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA) Power Supply Conference President’s Awards Dinner on April 19 in Point Clear.

APPA helps members track outage and restoration data through its subscription-based eReliability Tracker service and then compares the data to national statistics tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for all types of electric utilities.

AMEA, the wholesale power provider for Fairhope, Lanett and Tuskegee, as well as eight (8) other public power utilities in Alabama, began providing each Member utility free access to this software application several years ago.

“This recognition helps demonstrate public power’s commitment to reliable electric service,” said Michael Hyland, Senior Vice President of Engineering Services, APPA.

Public power has a strong track record of reliability, said Hyland. Nationwide, the average public power customer has their lights out for less than half the time, compared to other types of utilities.

AMEA’s Member cities include Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley (Riviera Utilities), LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga, and Tuskegee.

W. Stanley Gregory, a partner in the Montgomery office of the Southeast regional law firm of Bradley Arant, was the recipient of the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA) 2018 President’s Award on Thursday, April 19 during the AMEA President’s Awards Dinner in Point Clear, AL. The event was held in conjunction with the 2018 AMEA Power Supply Conference, April 19 and 20.

The award honors individuals who played a key role in the formation of AMEA and is presented in recognition of their continued leadership and dedication to the organization.

“Due to Stan’s leadership and commitment to public power, AMEA has become a valued partner in Alabama’s electric utility community,” said Fred Clark, AMEA President & CEO.

Gregory was instrumental in the establishment of AMEA in 1981. He serves as AMEA’s chief legal counsel. Gregory’s practice emphasizes state and local finance, legislation, taxation, probate, economic development and small business organization. Prior to 2001, he was a principal and managing partner of Thorington & Gregory in Montgomery.

Past recipients of the AMEA President’s Award include the late Robert D. Thorington, Clifford A. Lanier, Jr., Robert W. Claussen, H. Sewell St. John, Jr., Robert H. Young, Jr., Steven Stein, Bilee Cauley, Joe Rex Sport, Tuskegee Mayor Johnny Ford, James P. Nix and Don Clements.

AMEA, a joint action agency located in Montgomery, is the wholesale power provider for 11 public power util- ities in Alabama, which serve some 350,000 customers in the cities of Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley, LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga, and Tuskegee.

Forty-four (44) high school seniors will enroll in a four-year college/university, community college, and/or vocational school in Alabama this year with help from the Alabama Municipal ElectricAuthority (AMEA) and its 11 Members through the 2018AMEAScholarship Program.

Each of the 44 scholarship recipients will receive a $2,500 scholarship for a total of $110,000 awarded in this year’s program. AMEA received 169 scholarship applications in the 2018 program.

Since 1992,AMEAand its Members have provided over $2 million in scholarships to the graduating high school seniors who receive their electric service from AMEA Members, including Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Riviera Utilities (Foley), Sylacauga and Tuskegee.

TobeeligiblefortheAMEAscholarships,astudent’sfamilymustreceiveelectricservicefroman AMEAMember city electric utility and the student must attend anAlabama college/university or vocational school.

“We take our role as a good corporate citizen seriously,” said Fred D. Clark, Jr.,AMEAPresident & CEO. “That’s why we, along with our Members, support education initiatives, like theAMEA Scholarship Program, that contribute to making our state economically competitive. We congratulate this year’s scholarship winners.”

This year’s AMEA Academic Scholarship recipients are:

• Jacob Michael Booker, Benjamin Russell High School, Alexander City
• Jackson Rhys Knight, Benjamin Russell High School, Alexander City
• Ashaunti Faith Price, Benjamin Russell High School, Alexander City
• Sara Beth Wendling, Benjamin Russell High School, Alexander City
• Charles Dean Hoekenga, Dothan High School, Dothan
• Lilla Angelina Stjernstrom, Houston Academy, Dothan
• Virginia Caroline Davis, Fairhope High School, Fairhope
• Colin Stephen Millar, Fairhope High School, Fairhope
• Katherine McCoy Nobles, Fairhope High School, Fairhope
• Miriam Worthington Willis, Fairhope High School, Fairhope
• Christopher Thomas DeRocher, Alabama School of Mathematics & Science, Riviera Utilities
• Jessica Leigh Gosa, Foley High School, Riviera Utilities
• William Brinson Sheffield, Chambers Academy, LaFayette
• Holli Elizabeth Traffanstedt, Chambers Academy, LaFayette
• Camryn Denise Goss, Lanett High School, Lanett
• Peter Aaron Kambeitz, Opelika High School, Lanett
• Karilyn Kelly Sims, Springwood School, Lanett
• Harrison Hurst Spivey, Springwood School, Lanett
• Joshua Christian Hermeling, Luverne High School, Luverne
• Brianna Danielle Jones, Luverne High School, Luverne
• Yeojin Joo, Luverne High School, Luverne
• Mary Kendall Motes, Pike Liberal Arts School, Luverne
• Austin Blake Crowley, Opelika High School, Opelika
• Brighton Lynn Gregory, Opelika High School, Opelika
• Aesha Ajay Patel, Opelika High School, Opelika
• Sara Hollis SmithT, Opelika High School, Opelika
• Angelica Rose Luna, Piedmont High School, Piedmont
• Rachel Christine Lusk, Piedmont High School, Piedmont
• Brady Nell Johnson, Sylacauga High School, Sylacauga Utilities Board
• Natalie Grace Kirkland, Sylacauga High School, Sylacauga Utilities Board
• Frances Elizabeth Proctor, Sylacauga High School, Sylacauga Utilities Board
• Haley Nicole Smith, Sylacauga High School, Sylacauga Utilities Board
• Tykaijah Diamond Dowdell, Booker T Washington High School, Utilities Board of Tuskegee
• Kevin Cisco Jamal Hughes, Booker T Washington High School, Utilities Board of Tuskegee
• Crystal Cierra Love, Booker T Washington High School, Utilities Board of Tuskegee
• Jonathan Jacob Strange, Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School, Utilities Board of Tuskegee

 

This year’s AMEA Vocational School Scholarship recipients include:

• Bailey O’Neal Davis, Northview High School, Dothan
• Grace Elizabeth Holliman, Northside Methodist Academy, Dothan
• Kaya Ashanti Clanton, Foley High School, Riviera Utilities
• Lorna Michelle Seay, Fairhope High School, Riviera Utilities
• Jasmine Sharday Pitts, LaFayette High School, LaFayette
• Ronald Mack Waldrop, Chambers Academy, LaFayette
• Braylon Malik Cole, Piedmont High School, Piedmont
• Ansley Michelle Stephens, Piedmont High School, Piedmont

AMEA, a joint action agency formed in 1981, is the wholesale power provider for 11 public power utilities in Alabama, which serve approximately 350,000 customers in the cities of Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley, LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga and Tuskegee

The Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA), in partnership with the City of Dothan, dedicated
a new 50-KW solar research project in the City of Dothan on Thursday, Nov. 30. The
AMEA-City of Dothan Solar Research Project is located on Westgate Parkway. The project was
completed in October.

“We are proud of the new solar research project in Dothan as part of our effort to enhance renewable
energy in our portfolio,” said Fred Clark, AMEA President & CEO. “We want to thank the
City of Dothan for its leadership and partnership in this endeavor.”

In conjunction with the solar research initiative, AMEA has been exploring and researching best
practices in community solar parks in partnership with AMEA’s Member cities, including the City
of Dothan. The AMEA Board of Directors approved a $1 million investment to construct one solar
research project in each Member city for a total of 11 projects, Clark added.

On hand for the special event were City of Dothan elected officials, Wiregrass area legislators,
Dothan Utilities’ employees, as well as members of the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce.

AMEA, located in Montgomery, is the wholesale power provider for 11 public power utilities in
Alabama, which serve some 350,000 customers in Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley
(Riviera Utilities), LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga, and Tuskegee.

The Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA), in partnership with the City of Luverne, dedicated
a new 50-KW solar research project in the City of Luverne on Tuesday, Nov. 28. The
AMEA-City of Luverne Solar Research Project is located at the corner of U.S. Highway 331 and
Industrial Parkway in Luverne. The project was completed in October.

“We are proud of the new solar research project in Luverne as part of our effort to enhance renewable
energy in our portfolio,” said Fred Clark, AMEA President & CEO. “We want to thank the
City of Luverne for its leadership and partnership in this endeavor.”

In conjunction with the solar research initiative, AMEA has been exploring and researching best
practices in community solar parks in partnership with AMEA’s Member cities, including the City
of Luverne. The AMEA Board of Directors approved a $1 million investment to construct one
solar research project in each Member city for a total of 11 projects, Clark added.

On hand for the special event were City of Luverne elected officials, members of the Luverne
Electric Board, as well as members of the Crenshaw County Chamber of Commerce and the
Crenshaw County Economic and Industrial Development Authority.

AMEA, located in Montgomery, is the wholesale power provider for 11 public power utilities in
Alabama, which serve some 350,000 customers in Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley
(Riviera Utilities), LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga, and Tuskegee.

Leonardo-DRS is a worldwide manufacturer of trainer jet aircraft and has selected and signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the state of Alabama and the Macon County Economic Development Authority to locate a production site at historic Moton Field in Tuskegee, should the manufacturer win the contract to build its 21st century T-100 trainer jet for the Air Force. The T-100 is currently being used by the United States’ allies, including Israel, Poland, Italy, United Arab Emirates and Singapore.

The total capital investment of the project would be approximately $250-$300 million.

“The AMEA Board of Directors is excited to support the City of Tuskegee and Macon County in its quest to win the T-100 project,” said Don McClellan, Chairman, AMEA Board of Directors. “The selection of Tuskegee as home to this project will bring great celebration to the accomplish­ments of the Tuskegee Airmen. We overwhelming support this project and wish the City of Tuskegee and Macon County much success in this endeavor.”

“The T-100 project could be a huge economic success story for our communities and the entire state,” said Fred Clark, AMEA President & CEO. “AMEA is committed to improving the quality of life as well as growing sustainable, economically-stable communities through job creation. Not only would the T-100 project create new jobs, but the suppliers who locate and build in the region would bring additional new jobs as well. This project could also bring a renewed economic vitality to the 1-85 corridor in east Alabama.”

AMEA, located in Montgomery, is the wholesale power provider for 11 public power utilities in Alabama, which serve some 350,000 customers in Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley (Riviera Utilities), LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga, and Tuskegee.

Will you be graduating from high school in the spring of 2018? Do you receive your electricity from a public power utility in Alabama? Then if your answer to these questions is “yes,” you could be eligible to receive a scholarship from the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA) and its 11 Member cities/utilities.

AMEA and its Members will make available 44, $2,500 scholarships ( 4 scholarships per Member city) in 2018.
Since 1992, AMEA has awarded over $2 million in scholarship monies to graduating high school seniors who receive their electric service from AMEA Members, including Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley (Riviera Utilities), LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga and Tuskegee.

To be eligible for an AMEA scholarship, a student’s parent and/or legal guardian must receive electric service from an AMEA Member utility, and the student must attend a four-year college/university, community college, and/or vocational/trade school within the state of Alabama.

Applications are currently available from school counselors in these Member cities, or you can go online to the AMEA web site, www.amea.com, Scholarship Program. Application deadline is Monday, Feb. 12, 2018.

For more information on the program, contact your school counselor or Pamela Poole, AMEA Scholarship Program Coordinator, (334) 387-3504, (800) 239-2632, Ext. 110, or pam@amea.com.

AMEA, located in Montgomery, is the wholesale power provider for 11 public power utilities in Alabama, which serve some 350,000 customers in Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley (Riviera Utilities), LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga, and Tuskegee.

Without them, we’d be sitting in the dark, freezing cold or unbearably hot. We wouldn’t be able to charge our cell phones, make our morning coffee, use our computers or watch our favorite sporting event on TV. When we’re safe in our homes amidst a big storm, they’re braving the weather to do their work. And when there’s an electrical emergency, they are the first responders who risk their own lives to serve our communities. They are the lineworkers who power America.

Alabama Lineman Appreciation Day is celebrated annually to recognize these unsung heroes on the first Monday of June, as designated by the Alabama Legislature in 2014. This year’s observance is Monday, June 5.

The job of a lineman is absolutely essential, both to Alabama’s economy and our way of life. It’s a job that can be quite unpredictable and — as a result — requires a unique combination of strength, coordination and problem solving in order to be successful in carrying out the job of providing safe, reliable electricity.

The Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA) salutes the sacrifices and hard work of the dedicated linemen who continue to keep the lights on in its 11 Member communities. AMEA, a joint action agency formed in 1981, is the wholesale power provider for 11 public power utilities in Alabama, including the cities of Alexander City, Dothan, Fairhope, Foley, LaFayette, Lanett, Luverne, Opelika, Piedmont, Sylacauga and Tuskegee.