RALEIGH, N.C., June 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy
has selected six North Carolina
properties for participation in the first half of its 2017 Site
Readiness Program to prepare them for business and industrial
development.
The Site Readiness Program has helped prepare properties that
have won 11 major projects in North
Carolina since the program started in 2005, resulting in
more than 2,400 new jobs and $3.3
billion in capital investment.
Through the program, Duke Energy identifies high-quality
industrial sites and partners with county officials and local
economic development professionals to develop a strategy for
providing water, sewer, natural gas and electricity to the
properties.
"This program shines a light on high-quality industrial sites
across the state, and enables communities, especially in rural
areas, to attract jobs and build thriving economies," said
John Geib, North Carolina economic development director
for Duke Energy. "We're committed to continuing these efforts that
help build stronger communities and ultimately, a stronger
North Carolina."
The locations include:
- The Newlin Farm Site in Haw
River is a 200-acre tract with heavy power and water
infrastructure and easy access to Interstates 40 and 85. It is a
complement to the site inventory already present in
Alamance County and
is capable of meeting the needs of a large industrial
project.
"As a local economic developer, I consider this program to be a
real value-add to our own local efforts and appreciate Duke Energy
being a proactive partner," said Mac
Williams, president of the Alamance County Chamber of Commerce. "This
program focuses on local property issues, which helps communities
prioritize limited local resources to better compete for jobs and
tax base."
- The Chatham-Siler City Advanced Manufacturing Site
in Chatham
County is a 290-acre tract situated in close
proximity to the Siler City Advanced Manufacturing site. It
has adjacency to Highway 64 and will likely serve as a supplier
park or commercial support park (hotels, convenient stores, etc.)
to any nearby larger project.
"Duke Energy has been an excellent partner in this effort. This
site assessment is the third for Chatham
County, and is a big boost to economic development efforts,"
said Kyle Touchstone, president of
Chatham Economic Development Corporation. "The input from the study
is invaluable for strategically marketing an industrial site."
- The 79-acre Craven
County-owned site in the Craven
County Industrial Park is located on U.S. Highway 70
near New Bern. This is a prime
location for industrial use.
"Having this site in the Craven County Industrial Park included
in the 2017 Duke Energy Site Readiness Program is a huge boost for
the attraction of potential industry to the site," said
Timothy Downs, director of Craven
County Economic Development. "The review and advice from
McCallum Sweeney will be invaluable
in helping us effectively market this industrial site."
- The 401 North Site is a 532-acre property located near
the Highway 401 and Interstate 295 interchange in
Cumberland
County. It is well suited for industrial use
as it has excellent infrastructure that includes rail.
"With the help of Duke Energy and this process, we are able
quantify and effectively convey the full potential of the site,"
said Robert Van Geons, president and
CEO of the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development
Corporation. "The journey from a vacant piece of land into a
project-winning economic development site is complex, and we are
grateful to be included in this program that has such a strong
track record of results."
- The Watson Farm site is a 278-acre parcel located between
Youngsville and Franklinton on Highway U.S. 1 North in
Franklin
County. The site has excellent potential for
industrial development and can be rail served.
"The Duke Energy Site Readiness Program provides an excellent
opportunity to have a professional site assessment performed by a
nationally recognized site consultant firm," said Richie Duncan, director of Franklin County
Economic Development. "The findings will enable us to identify key
attributes of the site in order to help us better compete for
industrial and manufacturing projects in the future."
- The 278-acre Roberts and Wellons site in
Johnston County is
located on the NCRR/Norfolk Southern main rail line. Minutes from
downtown Raleigh and the
Research Triangle Park, this site
has the potential to accommodate biotech manufacturing
facilities as well as warehousing, distribution, refrigeration
and other projects.
"Today's companies want to move quickly on launching new
locations, and that means being certain their technical
requirements are in place," said Chris
Johnson, director of the Johnston County Office of Economic
Development. "The Duke Energy Site Readiness Program walks us
through that process in a very valuable way, providing us access to
influential site-selection consultants while also giving them
exposure to Johnston County and
the advantages we can offer their clients."
Site consulting firm McCallum Sweeney Consulting will evaluate
the six sites. Based on consultant recommendations, Duke Energy
will collaborate with county leaders and local economic development
professionals to develop an improved strategy for marketing these
sites.
Additionally, each site is eligible to apply for a $10,000 matching grant from Duke Energy to help
prepare it to attract projects.
After each site's state of readiness has advanced, Duke Energy's
business development team strategically markets each of them
nationwide to companies looking to expand or relocate their
operations.
"We understand the important role our company plays in the
economic development landscape, and we work diligently to keep our
rates competitive," Geib said. "North
Carolina can better compete for business investment, growth
and jobs with reliable electricity and affordable energy
prices."
Duke Energy's economic development efforts are perennially
recognized by Site Selection magazine in the publication's
annual list of "Top Utilities in Economic Development." Through
these efforts, Duke Energy helped recruit $2.2 billion in capital investment in
North Carolina and more than 5,500
jobs for the state in 2016.
For more information about Duke Energy's economic development
programs, visit
considerthecarolinas.com.
About Duke Energy
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is one of the
largest energy holding companies in the
United States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure
business unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in
six states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company's Gas
Utilities and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas
to approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas,
Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business
unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across
the United States.
Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York
Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the
company is available at duke-energy.com.
The Duke Energy News Center
serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features
news releases, helpful links, photos and videos. Hosted by Duke
Energy, illumination is an online destination
for stories about people, innovations, and community and
environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and
insights into the future of energy.
Follow Duke Energy on
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LinkedIn, Instagram
and Facebook.
Contact: Meredith Archie
Office: 919.546.2109 | 24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_MeredithA
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SOURCE Duke Energy