REYNOLDS/BUTLER, GA-Flint Energies, together with Cobb EMC and Sawnee EMC, will purchase the entire power output of a 131-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) solar project to be constructed outside of Butler, Georgia. The electric membership cooperatives inked the deal with Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power.

Southern Power selected First Solar to be the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the facility. Construction of the plant is scheduled to begin in September 2015, and the project is expected to achieve commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2016. 

REYNOLDS/PERRY/WARNER ROBINS/COLUMBUS-Flint Energies undertakes constant effort in emergency preparedness throughout the year, but several events in October have sharpened the skills of the cooperative’s employees, according to Sr Vice President Jimmy Autry.

“Each year, we plan a tabletop exercise where employees come to a meeting room expecting to see a disaster that needs a response,” said Autry. “It’s part of the inside joke is to call the tabletop event “Hurricane Jimmy” since I invent the challenge for our team.”

This year, employees gathered to respond to the multiplying disaster of tropical force storm winds, flooding rains and a security breach into the Warner Robins Service Center location. As the event unfolds, a disaster team of employees that is assigned leadership on the spot evaluates the needs and calls upon resources to respond.

The names are all different, but their mission was the same.