PLAINFIELD, IND. - Once again, Duke Energy has delivered on its promise to boost local and regional economic development efforts in five Hoosier communities as part of the company's Site Readiness Program.
For the 2015 Site Readiness Program, four promising sites were selected for their potential to bring large businesses and industries to their respective areas:
- A 140-acre parcel inside the Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville in Clark County
- A 700-plus-acre parcel in Howard County located near the new U.S. 31 bypass around Kokomo
- A 100,000-square-foot section of available space at the Industrial Jordan manufacturing Building in Rush County located at 1250 Commerce Drive in Rushville
- A 300-acre parcel at the Vermillion Rise Mega Park in Vermillion County located near Hillsdale along State Road 63.
Each location was evaluated by nationally recognized site consulting firms, which identified each site's viability for development and recommendations for improvement. Results were presented to local government and economic development organizations, after which Duke Energy presented a $10,000 check to the respective economic development groups to help implement the consultants' recommendations.
Also, as part of the 2014 Site Readiness Program, Duke Energy awarded a $10,000 matching grant to the Johnson County Development Corporation and the town of Whiteland to help implement consultant recommendations for a 150-acre parcel located near Exit 95 off of Interstate 65.
"We are proud to join with our economic development partners throughout our Indiana service territory to help bring economic growth and vitality to these areas," said Melody Birmingham-Byrd, Duke Energy state president—Indiana.
The Site Readiness Program is a key element of Duke Energy's economic development model. It identifies, evaluates and improves industrial sites in the companys service territory to help communities served by the utility compete for new companies and jobs.
In 2015, Duke Energy's overall economic development program was once again named by Site Selection magazine as one of the nation's Top 10 Utility Economic Development Programs.
For more information about Duke Energy Indiana's economic development programs, visit www.locationindiana.com.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy Indiana's operations provide about 7,500 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 810,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it the state's largest electric supplier.
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at: www.duke-energy.com.