LOWMAN PLANT WORKERS CELEBRATE SAFETY MILESTONE

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PHOTO CAPTION: Lowman Plant employee Tommy Briggs considers safety mandatory. “We have no other choice but to work safely,” he says. “It’s just the best thing to do.”

LEROY, ALA. – PowerSouth’s employees at Lowman Power Plant proved their awareness and dedication to safety by completing a full year without a lost time injury, which means no employee missed work due to an injury suffered on the job.

Approximately 360,000 safe hours were worked by the Lowman Plant’s 177 employees over the past year. They all were recognized Aug. 24 with a luncheon at the plant.

Achieving a year with no lost-time accidents illustrates the enormous degree of safety dedication shown daily. This attention to safety is imperative due to the nature of the work and the hazards the employees face, both in their environment and with regard to equipment.

“The safety plaque we’ve received today should have the name of every Lowman employee on it, because you each are the reason we have this award,” said David Powell, Lowman Plant Manager. “Each of you do all you can do to be safe and conscientious of one another, and that is appreciated.”

The Lowman Plant’s safety team conducts monthly safety meetings for every employee, performs routine daily walk-throughs to ensure a safe work environment, and ensures each employee is following safety guidelines and procedures.

According to Powell, the plant employees with longer service to the company also act as mentors for the younger employees. “A safety program is important for one reason, and that is to protect each person's health,” he said. “It's that simple.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for every 100 employees working in the utility industry, 3.5 were injured on the job in 2008. Workplace injuries can cause an immense strain on the economy, evidenced by a figure from the National Safety Council estimating that in the U.S. the annual cost of workplace injuries in 2006 exceeded $160 billion.

“As the Lowman Plant follows its daily routine, there is always potential for injury,” said Gary Smith, PowerSouth President and CEO. “Safety is our core value, and I want every employee to make it home the same way they made it to work. We have to look out for ourselves and for each other, and I commend you for doing that.”

The Charles R. Lowman Power Plant serves as one of PowerSouth’s primary generating sources. With its three coal-fired generating units, Plant Lowman has a generating capacity of 556 megawatts.

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About PowerSouth:

PowerSouth serves the wholesale energy needs of 16 electric cooperatives and four municipal electric systems in Alabama and northwest Florida, with more than a million consumers in 39 Alabama and 10 Florida counties. PowerSouth is dedicated to providing reliable energy at the lowest possible cost to its members.

For more information:

Mark Ingram, Corporate Communication Manager

334.427.3330

mark.ingram@powersouth.com

www.powersouth.com

PowerSouth is an EEO and AAP employer

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