In 1936, the City of Florence purchased the electrical distribution system from Alabama Power Company that served electricity customers within the Florence city limits. Then, as now, the Electricity Department purchased power from the Tennessee Valley Authority; in those days, it was distributed to 2,344 customers through 30 miles of distribution line.
Ten years later, the City purchased the electric distribution system that served Lauderdale County. The additional 220 miles of distribution line brought 2,493 more customers into the system, and the Florence Utility Department began furnishing electricity to the entire county.
How things have changed! Today, the Florence Electricity Department's 211 employees furnish power to 47,854 customers, using 44 substations and over 2,543 miles of power lines. We utilize a Global Information System that uses global positioning and a comprehensive computer programming system that allows the Department to locate problem areas and quickly dispatch help in the case of a power outage. The Department's total operating revenue is in excess of $125 million, and it purchases over 1.3 billion kilowatt hours annually from TVA.