Comments from Southern Company and Alabama Power on the Great American Economic Revival Energy Industry Group

Southern Company and Alabama Power appreciate the opportunity to offer recommendations to the bipartisan Great American Economic Revival Energy Industry Group for energy to restore our nation’s economy as quickly and as safely as possible in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As energy providers trusted to operate our nation’s most critical infrastructure, our companies have maintained business continuity throughout this crisis while adhering to guidelines to help slow the spread of the virus. Charged with this special responsibility, we continue to fulfill our important role of powering our American way of life. We join those on the front line caring for our communities – our hospitals, first responders and countless others – in doing our part to see us through the pandemic.  

We look forward to working with the White House, Congress and state and local officials to meaningfully respond to these unprecedented challenges with the strength, character and resolve that defines our 27,000 employees, 9 million customers and the communities where we live and serve.

We offer the following recommendations:

• The safety and health of our employees, customers and communities is paramount.
• Access to clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy is essential to our customers and communities, and energy sector employees are essential to critical infrastructure viability.
• We must ensure prosperity, growth and opportunity for rural and underserved Americans through infrastructure investment. 
• Partnerships between the public and private sectors are necessary to maintaining critical infrastructure viability, security and resilience.
• Decisions on when and how to return to normal operations will be informed by federal, state and local guidance but ultimately made by critical infrastructure owners.