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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

Alabama Power has purchased the Central Alabama Generating Station in Autauga County to continue to meet long-term needs of customers.

The facility is located in Billingsley and was purchased from Tenaska Alabama II Partners L.P.

“We’re excited to add Central Alabama to our diverse generating fleet, and we welcome the plant’s employees to the Alabama Power team,” said Jim Heilbron, Alabama Power senior vice president and senior production officer. “Central Alabama will play an important role in meeting the future needs of our customers for resilient, reliable, affordable energy.”

The facility is a “885-megawatt, natural gas combined-cycle generating facility can produce enough power to serve more than 220,000 homes,” according to an Alabama Power press release.

It has been in operation since 2003.

The purchase is being called historic because, “it is the first time in Alabama Power’s 114-year history that the company has purchased a natural gas generating facility from a third party,” according to information from Alabama Power.

“This plant fits right in with our important mission of providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy for our customers, when they need it,” Heilbron said.

Alabama Power stated the purchase also adds to the diversity of power generating resources for the company.

There will be a time of transition for the facility as existing contracts are fulfilled. A press release for Alabama Power stated that revenue from these contracts will benefit customers, but the plant would not begin to generate power directly for AP customers until 2023.

As a part of the transition, 19 Tenaska employees will become Alabama Power employees and continue working at the plant.