Duke Energy Site Readiness Program a win for economic development, jobs in North Carolina

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 27, 2020

The Site Readiness Program has helped prepare properties that have won 23 major projects in North Carolina since the program started in 2005, resulting in more than 5,650 new jobs and nearly $6.4 billion in capital investment.

Through the program, Duke Energy identifies high-potential sites and partners with county officials and local economic development professionals to develop a strategy for getting the site fully ready to market to industrial projects.

"Our Site Readiness Program has been highly successful and a valuable tool for our partners and communities across the Carolinas," said Stu Heishman, Duke Energy's vice president of economic development and business recruitment. "Our team works with local and regional partners to develop a strategy to advance the readiness of selected sites and recruit national companies to the Carolinas. We have strong relationships with our state and local partners, and leverage the expertise of nationally recognized consultants to maximize the impact of the program."

The locations include:

• Burke County: The Hickory Airport Industrial Site offers a unique opportunity for any company that needs direct access to a commercial airport. The airport offers a runway that will soon exceed 7,000 feet and has all the amenities needed to handle commercial air travel. The site itself is more than 150 acres (with land inside the airport fence and immediately adjacent to the airport), has an abundance of infrastructure capacity already in-place and can handle multiple structures to meet most industrial needs. The site has direct access to U.S. 321 and is located within 4 miles of Interstate 40.
• Catawba County: The SE Catawba County Business Park is a 55-acre site located just off of N.C. 16 and N.C. 150 in Catawba County. The park is 30 minutes from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, making it ideal for development as a corporate headquarters location, a light manufacturing facility, a research and development center or a mixed-use residential and commercial development. Electrical, water and sewer infrastructure are available at the site with natural gas lines within 2,000 feet.
• Edgecombe County: The 76-acre Bulluck Tract South Site is located an hour east of Research Triangle Park and the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and just minutes from Interstate 95. Within an easy 2-hour drive from ports in both Norfolk, Va., and Wilmington, the site features more than half of a mile of CSX mainline rail frontage, is adjacent to the CSX Rocky Mount Terminal and is less than 10 miles from the new CSX Carolina Connector Intermodal Terminal. With abundant utilities in place, including Duke Energy Progress distribution and transmission lines on site, the site is ideal for industrial manufacturing and distribution.
  
  "The Duke Energy Site Readiness Program has been a great asset to Edgecombe County's economic development efforts. The program assembled expertise from the site selection, civil engineering, utility, economic development and landowner groups all for the purpose of advancing a common economic growth vision. We are extremely thankful for the support of Duke Energy and their commitment to proactive community engagement." – Oppie Jordan, Director, Vice President, Edgecombe County Carolinas Gateway Partnership
• Granville County: The Century 21 Site is a 194-acre tract located off Interstate 85 near Oxford. The site has excellent frontage on I-85 and offers excellent access to the interstate. It is located within a 45-minute drive of the Research Triangle Park and the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
• Lee County: The Lee Brick Site is a 321-acre tract in Sanford. The site features rail frontage on Norfolk Southern Railroad track and offers good access to U.S. 1. It is located within a 45-minute drive of the Research Triangle Park and the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Sanford is also centrally located between Raleigh, Durham and Fayetteville.
• Nash County: The 142-acre N.C. Highway 97 Industrial Site located on Interstate 95 is an ideal location for advanced manufacturing, food processing and logistics companies. The county-owned N.C. Highway 97 site is strategically positioned on the Eastern Seaboard between New York and Miami with accessibility to major markets and supply chains. Nash County's N.C. Tier 1 ranking designates the N.C. Highway 97 site as a high priority location for state incentives. The site is in a Foreign Trade Zone and provides convenient access to three sea ports, Carolina Connector-CSX intermodal rail terminal, regional airport and Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
  
  "The acceptance of our N.C. Highway 97 site into the Duke Energy Site Readiness Program helps distinguish Nash County sites as shovel ready thanks to the program's ensuring due diligence and quality. Nash County now has two Duke Energy site readiness properties for companies who are looking for their next premier business location." – Andy Hagy, Director, Nash County Department of Economic Development

Duke Energy worked with major site selection firms to evaluate the sites, including Global Location Strategies (GLS), Strategic Development Group and Site Selection Group. 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 recruitment team strategically markets each of them nationwide to companies looking to expand or relocate their operations.