Mar. 27--Alabama Power apparently didn't get its own memo.

The company often sends out cost-saving tips to its customers and has a Web site packed with them.

Yet, drive by any of its local buildings after dark and many of the lights blare and dozens of TVs flash. The power, it seems, never gets switched off -- begging the question: Does the company practice what it preaches?

Spokeswoman Gina Warren said it's all about heightened security and marketing its products. Alabama Power has its own marketing division that offers everything from refrigerators to flat-screen TVs.

"We have found that overnight lighting in our showrooms is an effective deterrent to break-ins and theft," she said through an e-mail.

Regarding the TVs: "Leaving our television display and showroom lights on at night has been a most effective way to make our customers aware of our products -- especially in relation to other more costly forms of advertising."

Alabama Power offers products typically found at electronics or appliance stores. Deals often crawl across a message board outside the 10th Street building in Anniston, such as a 47-inch HDTV will cost $54 a month extra on power bills.

Warren said her company's marketing division is financially self-sufficient.

"The organization covers the costs to sell and market our retail products and services, including the use of the space," she said. "These costs are not funded or subsidized by our electric-service customers."

Yet, the power meter that continues spinning after hours requires more and more pieces of coal burnt -- and more of an impact on the environment.

The Alabama Environment Council thinks the power company should cut off its lights, especially when its employees head home.

"I'm a believer that humans are having an impact on the climate, and power consumption is one of the biggest impacts, an immediate impact to air quality." said Michael Churchman, executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group.

AEC is focused on clean air, efficient and renewable energy and improved waste reduction. A large component of the climate change is carbon dioxide, he said. The biggest emitters are coal-fired power plants, which contribute about 60 percent, he said.

Studies show, he said, that even the power source should be cut off because of vampire loads, which use some electricity when products are switched off.

Churchman said he gets perturbed when he drives by downtown buildings in Birmingham at night -- including Alabama Power's -- and sees most of the lights burning.

"There's not somebody in every one of their offices," he said.

He later added: "Our energy consumption is at times beyond necessary," he said. "All of us remember our parents telling us to turn out the lights when we left the room ... that's just good business practice."

About Michael A. Bell Michael Bell covers education and health for The Star. He is a graduate of University of North Carolina, Wilmington.

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