CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman Power Board will mark 75 years of public service Oct. 16, commemorating the day the Utilities Board of the City of Cullman assumed control of the city’s Electric Department in 1951.
The utility has grown from 2,947 customers at its start to 9,254 homes and businesses today, expanding its network alongside Cullman while retaining its locally governed mission: keeping electricity reliable, responding when outages occur and serving the community that owns its public trust.
CPB launched a multiweek anniversary celebration Aug. 31, using weekly themes and giveaways to highlight customers, employees and local businesses.
“For 75 years, we’ve had the privilege of powering the City of Cullman, and we think that’s worth celebrating,” the utility said in announcing the campaign.
The milestone reflects the growth of a locally governed utility that began with fewer than 3,000 customers and now serves more than 9,000 homes and businesses.
A public utility takes shape
The Utilities Board of the City of Cullman was incorporated as a public corporation during the Alabama Legislature’s 1951 regular session. It initially operated Cullman’s Water Works Systems before adding the Electric Department and its 2,947 customers on Oct. 16, 1951.
That structure remains in place. CPB owns and operates the local electric distribution system and purchases power from the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Cullman City Council appoints the five-member Utilities Board, which also oversees the Cullman Water Treatment Plant and Duck River Reservoir.
Current board members are Kim Hall, Paul Schaffer, Jason Willoughby, Dr. Wayne Fuller and Dr. Steve Murphree.
CPB now reports 9,254 customers, 259 miles of line and 99.9% service reliability. The system has expanded with Cullman’s neighborhoods and businesses, but its basic responsibilities remain the same: maintaining lines, responding to outages, serving customers and planning improvements.
The people behind the power
CPB devoted the second week of its anniversary campaign to the “Faces Behind the Power.”
“For 75 years, it’s been our employees who have shown up every day to serve Cullman,” the utility said.
That work extends beyond routine operations. Storms and equipment failures can require around-the-clock restoration, while mutual-aid agreements send crews to help other communities recover.
In September 2020, eight CPB employees traveled to Fairhope after Hurricane Sally damaged south Alabama. They brought three bucket trucks, a digger derrick and a pickup truck to help Fairhope Public Utilities restore service through a reciprocal agreement administered by Electric Cities of Alabama.
CPB has also faced regional challenges. On Christmas Eve 2022, TVA asked local power companies, including CPB, to conduct temporary rolling blackouts during extreme cold. The event showed how local service depends on conditions across the wider Tennessee Valley system.
Service beyond the meter
CPB’s community role has included customer events and assistance programs.
For years, Powerfest served as a customer-appreciation gathering with food, fellowship and door prizes. The event grew from Public Power Day and Public Power Week observances.
“We’re a public power community and we certainly value and appreciate the opportunity to serve our customers,” then-General Manager and CEO Mike Manning told The Tribune at Powerfest in 2019.
Operation Share allows customers to contribute at least $1 per month to an emergency energy fund administered by the Community Action Partnership of North Alabama for residents with limited incomes who are elderly, disabled or sick.
Operation Round Up, created with Cullman Electric Cooperative, lets customers round up their bills to support grants for local educators. Since its creation in 1993, the program has awarded more than $6 million for classroom resources and student learning.
CPB also connects customers with TVA EnergyRight programs for energy savings, home upgrades, incentives and electric-vehicle information.
A change in leadership
Manning shaped much of CPB’s modern history. He joined the utility in 1979, became general manager in 1996 and retired in 2021 after 42 years with the Power Board.
He was succeeded by Allison Bright, an engineer with previous Alabama Power experience who became CEO in October 2021.
“She has some really good experience with Alabama Power, and I think she’ll be a great benefit for Cullman,” Manning told The Tribune during the transition.
In 2022, the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association recognized Bright among 10 female general managers through its Women in Power initiative.
Building the next system
CPB’s future depends on continuous infrastructure work, including tree trimming, pole replacement, equipment upgrades and system monitoring.
Bright told The Tribune in November 2025 that proactive tree trimming is one of CPB’s most effective defenses against storm-related outages. She also cited pole replacements, guy-wire modifications and equipment-rating improvements as ways to strengthen the system.
The utility has deployed supervisory control and data acquisition technology, or SCADA, at its substations to give operators better information and help crews respond more quickly and safely.
“As we continue expanding this system, it allows us to monitor and respond to outages more quickly and safely during winter storms,” Bright said.
CPB is also exploring expanded customer alerts, including mobile and text notifications. Its current digital tools include an online customer portal, bill payment options, a mobile application and a real-time outage map.
In late 2025, Davey Resource Group crews began inspecting and verifying equipment across the system as part of work related to pole attachments and long-range planning. Better field data and monitoring are intended to support faster decisions, safer work and clearer customer information.
During a January 2026 winter-weather threat, Bright said CPB used its website, outage map, social media and local media partners to communicate with customers.
“Following CPB on social media, checking our official website and relying on trusted local news outlets are the best ways to stay informed,” she said.
The next 25 years
CPB’s anniversary campaign has highlighted customers, employees and local businesses, reflecting the broader role of public power in Cullman.
On Oct. 16, the utility will mark 75 years with 6,307 more customers than the city Electric Department had when the Utilities Board took control in 1951. Its lines reach farther, its monitoring tools are more advanced and customers expect information faster.
The basic promise remains unchanged.
When Cullman opens a school, starts a production line, serves a meal or settles in at home, the system is expected to be ready. CPB spent its first 75 years building that expectation. Its next chapter will depend on how well it continues to meet it.
