PowerSouth Energy Cooperative is moving ahead with a major expansion of its Lowman Energy Center in Leroy, a project expected to bring more than 300 construction workers into the Washington County community once work gets underway.
The cooperative has selected Mitsubishi Power Americas Inc. to supply a second advanced gas turbine for the plant, joining the unit that has been running at the site since 2023. Burns & McDonnell will provide engineering, procurement and construction services for the project.
PowerSouth officials say demand for electricity is rising across the region as manufacturing returns to the area, more homes and businesses rely on electric power, and growth in artificial intelligence technology adds new strain to the grid. Because PowerSouth’s system typically sees its heaviest use in winter, the new turbine is expected to add enough winter generating capacity to serve roughly 694,000 homes in the region.
Beyond adding capacity, the expansion is intended to help the plant run more efficiently while meeting emissions requirements, which PowerSouth expects will lead to additional cost savings. The added power will benefit the cooperative’s distribution members across Alabama and northwest Florida.
PowerSouth CEO Damon Morgan pointed to the cooperative’s relationships with Mitsubishi Power and Burns & McDonnell as key to keeping the project on track.
“Our distribution members and the members at the end of the line need reliable power at the most affordable cost possible,” Morgan said. “As a generation and transmission cooperative, it is our mission to provide that power to homes, schools, organizations, businesses and industries across our service area. The expansion of LEC is crucial to our mission and our strong ties with industry leaders keep us well-positioned to address the challenges of the future.”