On September 10, the Edi-son Electric Institute (EEI) awarded Southern Company with the 92nd Edison Award. Presented annually and select-ed by a panel of former energy industry executives, the Edison Award is the electric power in-dustry’s most prestigious honor.

Southern Company was se-lected for its energy storage system initiatives, including the development, commissioning, and operation of the Energy Storage Research Center (ESRC). The Birmingham, Ala., facility serves as an industry-wide destination for battery en-ergy storage technology testing, evaluation, and large-scale demonstration. Additionally, the ESRC forms the anchor for several other Southern Compa-ny energy storage R&D initia-tives that achieved key mile-stones in 2019, such as the Georgia Power and Alabama Power Smart Neighborhoods.

“EEI member companies con-tinue to integrate clean energy technologies, such as energy storage, that will help pave the way for the future of our indus-try,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “Southern Company’s leadership and technical expertise for the testing, devel-opment, and deployment of a diverse portfolio of energy stor-age solutions not only improves the resiliency and reliability of the energy grid, but also creates tremendous value for custom-ers. Congratulations to the Southern Company team for their outstanding work and for winning this well-deserved award.”

“As we prepare Southern Company to succeed in the transition to a net-zero carbon future, our many energy storage R&D initiatives – including the Energy Storage Research Cen-ter, Georgia Power and Ala-bama Power Smart Neighbor-hoods, and other pilot demon-strations – are advancing ener-gy storage as an effective, technically viable energy solu-tion,” said Southern Company Chairman, President, and CEO Tom Fanning.