Greenwood County site gets Duke Energy boost

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The Emerald Industrial Site in Greenwood County is one of four selected by Duke Energy for its 2019 Site Readiness Program to enhance the readiness of the land for business and industrial development. 

The Emerald Industrial Site is a 177-acre property in Greenwood County within 25 miles of both I-26 and I-385, with direct immediate access to four-lane highways.

Through the Site Readiness 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. The program has helped prepare properties that have won 15 major projects in South Carolina since the program started in 2005, resulting in more than 2,600 new jobs and nearly $1 billion in capital investment, according to a news release.

The other sites selected include:

• Chester County: The Steele Property is a 724-acre property in Chester County located on a four-lane divided highway with easy access to two exits on I-77.
• Florence County: The Dargan Site is located in a business area of Florence, and already has infrastructure in place.
• Lancaster County: The Airport Industrial Site rates well for size, infrastructure, access and topography. The property is well-suited for aerospace companies that would need access to an airport with a 6,000-foot runway.

Duke Energy worked with site selection firms to evaluate the sites, including Global Location Strategies, Strategic Development Group, Site Selection Group and Quest Site Solutions. 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, the release said. Additionally, each site is eligible to apply for a $10,000 matching grant from Duke Energy to help prepare it to attract projects.