For one region in a small state, North Eastern South Carolina is packed with energy. Served by investor-owned Progress Energy as well as state-owned Santee Cooper via Horry Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Cooperative, Pee Dee Electric Cooperative, Marlboro Electric Cooperative, Santee Electric Cooperative, the North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA) Region boasts some of the lowest energy rates in the U.S., and its utilities work with local, regional and state officials to attract new businesses and help existing ones expand.

Beyond energy, the region’s rich telecommunications infrastructure also makes the area attractive for a range of industries, from food manufacturers to call centers. AT&T, Farmers Telephone Cooperative, Horry Telephone Cooperative, Sandhills Electric Cooperative, Time Warner Cable and Verizon offer fast, reliable broadband networks, with available SONET (synchronous optical networking), T-1 lines and self-healing networks.

The NESA Region also has an abundance of water, with aquifers that provide millions of gallons per day in excess capacity. Sites like National Choice Bakery (LEV) in Chesterfield County sit on aquifers and use them for an unlimited supply of clean water.

Incentives, Cooperation Brings Investment

Regional electricity rates are lower than the U.S. average, and many sites are dual served with uninterrupted power solutions (UPS) and backup power generation.

Close cooperation among key stakeholders sets the region apart and makes relocation or expansion easy for companies. The South Carolina Power Team, an economic development alliance of Santee Cooper and its 20 cooperatives, helps set the tone.

“These businesses are in some sense competitive, but they also see that attracting jobs, payrolls and companies to our state should be done aggressively and for the good of all,” says Ralph Thomas, CEO of the SC Power Team.

Diverse Providers, One Goal

As a regulated utility, Progress Energy builds in flexibility for new or expanding businesses as part of the rate approval process. Rate options include small, medium and large general service and time of use schedules, and the company’s experts work with commercial and industrial clients to determine a cost-effective fit, says Stuart Ames, manager of economic development at Progress Energy.

“In this climate, companies are very concerned about risk, and this is one area where they know what their costs will be,” he says. “We can offer peace of mind on this one item.”

Incentives Sweeten Deals

Progress Energy also leverages state programs and relationships with private co-ops and public officials to help close deals.

For example, Progress is providing standby power service to the Florence Industrial Center, where Otis Elevator is investing $25 million. Reliable, redundant power at Florence County's new $150 million Johnson Controls facility helped secure its battery recycling project. Both companies will save money through the utility's Economic Development Rider, which discounts demand rates for five years.

South Carolina's license fee credit program has been a factor in regional projects in which the utility is a partner. The program allows a credit against a utility's state business license fees when it invests funds to support job-creating economic development projects. Even in a tepid economy, energy incentives and pent-up demand for new projects are persuading prospective companies to look at the NESA Region, where cooperation is still king.

"You don't get anywhere fighting each other," Ames says. "The bottom line is about providing jobs."