Mitchell Dam was named by the Board of Directors of Alabama Power Company to honor James Mitchell, president from 1912 to 1920. Major modifications to the project were completed in 1985. Three new generating units with a total capacity of 150,000 kilowatts were installed in a new powerhouse on the west bank. At the same time, the three additional units installed in 1923 with a total capacity of 52,500 kilowatts were removed from service, while Unit 4, installed in 1949 with a capacity of 20,000 kilowatts, was retained in service. These improvements increased Mitchell Dam's capacity from 72,500 kilowatts to 170,000 kilowatts as part of Alabama Power Company's comprehensive plan to complete the hydraulic electric generating developments of the Coosa River.