CENTRAL GENERATION CELEBRATES SAFETY MILESTONE

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PHOTO CAPTION: PowerSouth President and CEO Gary Smith (left) and Central Generation O&M Technical Coordinator Marc Kyzar commended plant employees for putting safety first.

ANDALUSIA, ALA.– PowerSouth’s employees at Central Generation proved their awareness and dedication to safety by completing a full year without a lost-time injury, meaning no plant employee missed work due to an injury suffered on the job.

Approximately 132,000 safe hours were worked by the plant’s 59 full-time employees over the past year. Their hard work was recognized March 23 with a luncheon at the plant.

Achieving a year with no lost-time accidents illustrates the enormous degree of safety dedication practiced at the plant. Attention to safety is imperative for plant employees due to the nature of their work and the hazards they face each day.

“This accomplishment is a direct reflection of how employees take safety seriously here at the power plant,” said Marc Kyzar, Central Generation Operation and Maintenance Technical Coordinator. “I commend all of you for taking the time to discuss safety before you tackle any job so you won’t get hurt or hurt any of your coworkers.”

Central Generation’s safety team implements a comprehensive plan to achieve high safety standards, including monthly safety meetings for every employee, routine daily walk-throughs to ensure a safe work environment, and effective employee safety guidelines and procedures.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to participate in safety luncheons here at PowerSouth for the last 12 years,” said Gary Smith, PowerSouth President and CEO. “Without exception, the most important thing I can tell you is that your safety is the most important thing to me. It’s not about what I’m doing to promote safety; it’s all about what you are doing day in and day out, conducting your job in a safe manner — for you and your fellow coworkers.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for every 100 employees working in the utility industry, 3.3 were injured on the job in 2009. Workplace injuries can cause an immense strain on the economy, evidenced by a figure from the National Safety Council estimating that the annual cost of workplace injuries in 2009 exceeded $47 million.

“I commend you on your safety record and challenge you to always put safety first,” Smith said. “You are our most valuable asset. Without you, we would not be able to do our primary job of providing reliable power to our members.”

Central Generation is composed of the Vann and McWilliams combined cycle plants. Together, they serve as one of PowerSouth’s primary generating resources, with a combined capacity of 698 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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