Projected power outages in Flomaton because of Georgia Pacific’s new steam turbine delivery have changed.

Earlier this week, GP officials announced the turbine was to be transported from the Port of Pensacola to Brewton via flatbed trailer at the end of the week. Because of the size of the turbine, GP and a number of power officials were expecting traffic delays and short power outages in some areas of Florida and later in Flomaton.

Beth Thomas, Alabama Power spokeswoman, said Friday that a change has been made in the deliver schedule.

As a result, Flomaton will now experience power outages Sunday evening, she said.

“The equipment didn’t move as far as the moving company had planned,” Thomas said of the route to Brewton.

“Alabama Power is continuing to stay in touch with those organizing the move,” she said. “Based on where we are right now, it appears those Flomaton outages will occur Sunday night between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

“We appreciate our customers’ patience as we work to support this project.,” she said. “We’re going to work to keep outages to a minimum and will be working as quickly and safely as we can to get power restored.”

The turbine will be used to recycle the steam produced as part of GP’s manufacturing process and covert it to electricity, which will be used to power the plant.

It has been housed in Pensacola since late July and will be hauled to Brewton on a trailer measuring 18-foot wide, 18.5-foot high and 192.5-foot long, GP officials said.

GP — a major producer of building and paper products — is investing $375 million in the plant, which produces linerboard and cartonboard used in making boxes. The project involves modernizing the mill’s recovery boiler system. While the project doesn’t create new jobs, it did secure the existing 450 jobs at the mill.
Construction started in July 2014 and is expected to be complete in 2016.