Alabama Power’s Jay Johnson honored as Lineman of the Year

When conditions are ripe for a power outage in Alabama, odds are that linemen like Jay Johnson will be putting in some hard work.

For the Alabama Power lineman, the call to restore power isn’t just part of the job — it’s a mission. On Wednesday, that commitment was recognized when Johnson was named Lineman of the Year by the Energy Institute of Alabama (EIA) during its Lineman Appreciation Day celebration in Montgomery.

Held at Dixie Electric Cooperative, the annual event brought together lineworkers from across the state to honor those who keep Alabama’s homes, schools and businesses connected — often in the toughest conditions imaginable.

Johnson, who works out of Alabama Power’s Prattville operations area, has built a reputation for answering the call — literally. In 2025, he responded to more than 300 after-hours callouts, over a hundred more than any other lineman in the company, all while completing more than 1,600 work orders.

“Just seeing when you get the people’s lights on, especially at nighttime, you know,” Johnson said of the job. “Most of them are so appreciative … and it makes you feel good, makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something when you’re out there helping people and just seeing people cheering you on when you get their power on and thanking you. You feel like a hero, for a moment anyway.”

EIA President and CEO Clay Scofield said Johnson and his fellow linemen are heroes and worthy of more than a day of appreciation.

“People take it for granted that they just go flip the switch on and the light comes on, or that their AC or heat is working, or that they turn on their stove and make a meal. People take that for granted. They really do,” Scofield said. “And there’s a tremendous amount of work and effort every single minute of the day that goes into keeping that electricity flowing to our homes, businesses and churches. I think it’s incumbent upon the public to have an appreciation and understanding of what it takes to get electricity out there, because if we didn’t have people like this, we wouldn’t have the comforts that we enjoy. So, I hope that the public will thank a lineman when they see them.”

State Sen. April Weaver, whose grandfather was also a lineman, shared her appreciation for the profession and the sacrifice it requires. She was instrumental in passing legislation recognizing Lineman Appreciation Day in Alabama and in the creation of a state car tag for linewokers that raises money for those injured on the job and for their families.

“This is absolutely one of my favorite days of the year, because we get to come here and celebrate our linemen who mean so much to our communities,” she said. “And these men and women go above and beyond. They sacrifice so much time away from their families, time away from the things that they love, all to take care of us. So today, we’re giving back, and they are so deserving of our appreciation.”

National Lineman Appreciation Day is observed each year on April 18 to honor those who maintain and protect the nation’s electric grid. For Alabama Power, it’s a moment to recognize employees like Johnson who embody the company’s mission of reliability and service.

“I’m proud of our linemen who, like Jay, show up every day to take care of our customers,” said Scott Moore, senior vice president of Power Delivery for Alabama Power. “No matter the hour or the conditions, they work hard to keep our communities connected, and that dedication makes a real difference.”

Weaver noted that linemen are an extension of the companies they work for, and all work with a shared goal of producing energy that matters to those receiving it.

“It’s important that we continue to support our linemen and our power companies, because they play such a vital role in not only economic development, but everything we do as a state, and certainly our linemen go above and beyond every day, and we’re just thankful for them and all the work that they do,” Weaver said.

Johnson said he was a bit stunned to get outside recognition for the hard work he is willing to do at Alabama Power.

“There I was, like, ‘Did they just really call my name?’ I was, was not expecting it,” he said. “I do appreciate it, though.”