ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., has again been named one of the nation’s top utilities by Business Facilities, a leading economic development and site selection magazine.
Since 2017, the publication has selected its annual list of the country’s leading utilities based on their work in advancing the industry, engaging the community, and helping bring economic development to their coverage areas. ElectriCities has been on the list every year.
Announcing ElectriCities as a top utility for 2024, Business Facilities highlighted ElectriCities’ Industrial Electrification & Efficiency Grant Program, “a powerful new tool available to support existing business and industry within North Carolina’s public power communities,” Business Facilities editors wrote.
The competitive grant program enables commercial and industrial electric customers to make energy efficiency improvements within their facilities. ElectriCities piloted the program in 2023 and is considering expanding it in 2024.
Business Facilities also highlighted two recent ElectriCities-driven economic development successes in North Carolina public power communities:
1) Redevelopment of an abandoned and previously contaminated former furniture manufacturing site in the public power community of Drexel, North Carolina.
“ElectriCities assembled a group of partners, including federal, state, and local level agencies and grantors, to acquire the property, clean up the environmental contamination, and raise more than $6 million to add the infrastructure required for a modern, rail-served industrial site,” wrote Business Facilities editors.
2) Siemens Mobility breaking ground on its $220 million advanced manufacturing and rail services facility at one of ElectriCities’ shovel-ready Smart Sites in the public power community of Lexington, North Carolina.
“ElectriCities also helped Siemens meet its environmental and sustainability goals by working with the company to develop a strategy to support facility operations with renewable energy,” wrote the editors.
“The projects Business Facilities cited exemplify the diverse opportunities in public power communities across North Carolina, where one size does not fit all,” said Carl Rees, Manager of Economic and Community Development at ElectriCities. “ElectriCities works with each community to attract businesses and grow their economies according to each community’s unique strengths.”
Learn more about how ElectriCities supports economic development in North Carolina public power communities at www.ElectriCities.com/EconDev.