This is a guest opinion column

We’re done with the days of Alabama being overlooked in discussions of national economic vitality.

It’s taken decades of regional cooperation, ingenuity and soft diplomacy, but a new era has emerged across the state as more and more industries are planting their flag in Alabama’s rich red soil.

We’re all aware of the stereotypes about our state. There’s nothing we haven’t heard. But now Alabama has carved out a role on the national stage when it comes to job growth, people relocating here, and major economic development projects.

One of the most crucial facets of this growth falls under the purview of the Alabama Public Service Commission, a lean, quasi-executive body with quiet authority. Its three elected commissioners are tasked with the monthly tightrope act of striking the right balance of financial viability for massive utilities and the affordability for everyday citizens. It’s a tough job.

I’d like to publicly commend Governor Kay Ivey’s recent appointment of Cynthia Lee Almond to serve as president of the APSC following the departure of Twinkle Cavanaugh, who took a role in the Trump Administration overseeing Rural Development in Alabama for the USDA.

I believe this is the most important appointment that our current governor has made during her time in Montgomery. Having competent and experienced leadership serving in these positions is the only way we can continue to move the needle in the right direction when it comes to recruiting industries and job growth. The monthly decisions made by the APSC ultimately shape the very future of Alabama’s economic and domestic landscape whether people are aware of that or not.

Commissioner Almond has a respectable track record as both a member of the Alabama House of Representatives and as a practicing attorney. It’s critical for Alabama’s continued success that the APSC be comprised of public servants who are focused on protecting the interests of our residents while also helping to secure major development projects – not individuals focused on ideological culture wars, or without a background in finance or economic development.

For heavy industries, energy costs can be a top-tier expenditure, sometimes second only to labor. A small difference in kilowatt-hour rates can translate to millions of dollars in savings or additional costs annually.

Data centers, which are popping up all over the country in recent years, are massive energy consumers. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that data centers consumed roughly 4.4 percent of the total U.S. electricity in 2023, and this number is projected to grow. With the proliferation of AI, some estimates have that number being as high as 12 percent by 2030. For these facilities, access to cheap and reliable power is non-negotiable when looking for new locations.

In Birmingham, we’ve positioned ourselves as a technology and research hub in the Southeast, both of which require massive amounts of power to operate. Same goes for our hospital systems, which are globally recognized and provide more jobs than any other employer in the state.

The information industry has also showed impressive growth here, with its GDP having grown 180 percent in the last decade. In 2024, economic development efforts secured $7 billion in new capital investment across 224 projects, generating more than 8,500 new career opportunities for Alabamians. All of this growth is inextricably tied to the decisions made by the APSC leadership.

And while this body is often operating outside the political spotlight, the APSC wields a huge amount of influence over the fundamental services that underpin modern life — electricity, natural gas, and water. These are not just commodities. They are the lifelines for every single resident and business in Alabama.

Without quality leadership and buy-in from every member of the APSC, the promise of Alabama’s future—its burgeoning industries, its thriving communities, and the well-being of our families—will continue to lag behind other states. Without mincing words, we cannot afford to build on a foundation that’s too weak to bear the weight of our lofty ambitions for Alabama’s future as a leader in economic development and quality of life for our residents.

Hunter Williams represents District 2 on the Birmingham City Council.