Mitsubishi, PowerSouth Celebrate Start Of Commercial Operations At Lowman Energy Center

PowerSouth Energy Cooperative and Mitsubishi Power are celebrating the commencement of commercial operations at the new 693-megawatt (MW) Lowman Energy Center (LEC), located in Leroy, Alabama.

The LEC, which began construction in 2020, has replaced the now-retired 556 MW Charles R. Lowman coal-fired power plant. I Photo: PowerSouth Energy Cooperative

The LEC, which began construction in 2020, has replaced the now-retired 556 MW Charles R. Lowman coal-fired power plant.

Fully operational since late September, the new plant is designed to support the growing energy needs of PowerSouth's distribution members in Alabama and Northwest Florida using cleaner, more efficient natural gas technology.

The LEC is a state-of-the-art combined-cycle power plant that produces enough energy to supply 300,000 homes annually.

The 693-megawatt (MW) power plant features Mitsubishi's most advanced air-cooled gas turbine, the M501JAC. The M501JAC gas turbine features outstanding operability, including reduced start-up time and reliable long-term performance.

Mitsubishi Power will also provide service and maintenance for the turbine under a long-term service agreement.

"At maximum output, the LEC offers 693 megawatts of reliable, around-the-clock power that will meet the needs of our distribution members for decades," said PowerSouth President and CEO Gary Smith.

"That capability is essential to our enduring mission of reliability and affordability, which is being challenged by a rapid push toward intermittent, renewable generation. LEC is vital to our ability to keep the lights on."

Because the LEC uses excess heat to boil water for the steam turbine unit, energy that would otherwise be wasted can be captured. This means a more efficient plant and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

"Technology in this industry is advancing rapidly, but we are on the cutting edge of these advances," said Smith. "We are proud to be in a position to use the latest high-efficiency technology from Mitsubishi Power to support our members and the people they serve. I am proud of this project and what we have accomplished together."

"The Lowman Energy Center is yet another example of how cooperatives and utilities alike are recognizing the need for advanced, cleaner power generation technology to meet the needs of their members and customers," said Bill Newsom, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Power Americas.

"At Mitsubishi Power, we have the technology to support this transition, and we thank PowerSouth for choosing us for this important project."

LEC joins PowerSouth's portfolio of reliable generating facilities operating with natural gas, including the McIntosh Plant (McIntosh, Alabama), McWilliams, and Vann (both in Gantt, Alabama).

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