Duke Energy selects four Indiana properties for potential industrial and business development

PLAINFIELD, Ind., May 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy has selected four Indiana properties for its 2014 Site Readiness Program that prepares land for potential industrial development. They are:

• A 150-acre site in Whiteland (Johnson Co.), near Exit 95 off of Interstate 65
• A 130-acre site in Crawfordsville (Montgomery Co.), at the intersection of County Road 200 South and Nucor Road
• A 185-acre site in Shelbyville (Shelby Co.), at the intersection of State Road 44 and Interstate 74
• A 90-acre site in Bloomington (Monroe Co.), at the intersection of State Road 37 and Fullerton Pike

The Site Readiness Program is a key component of Duke Energy's economic development model. It identifies, evaluates and improves industrial sites in the company's service territory to help communities served by the utility compete for new companies and jobs.

"As the economy improves, there is increased competition among states and regions to attract new companies and jobs," said Marvin Blade, Duke Energy Indiana's vice president of economic development and community relations. "Now in its second year, our Site Readiness Program has a proven track record in helping bring economic development to the areas we serve."

Once again this year, McCallum Sweeney Consulting, a nationally known consulting firm, will conduct studies on these four sites. Duke Energy will collaborate with county leaders and local economic development professionals to develop a strategy for providing water, sewer, natural gas and electricity to the sites.

The parties may also recommend road improvements, easements and rights-of-way that will be required to develop the sites, as well as steps necessary to mitigate any potential environmental impacts. Banning Engineering, based in Plainfield, Ind., will produce final drawings and conceptual site plans.

Duke Energy will present its findings – including a detailed report and conceptual drawings – to county officials when the studies are completed.

After each site's state of readiness has advanced, Duke Energy's business development team will strategically market them nationwide to companies looking to expand or relocate their operations.

Ideal properties for Duke Energy's Site Readiness Program are 60 acres or larger, served by the utility, which can be a single site for a large facility or a potential industrial park (multi-tenant site).

Duke Energy's overall economic development program has been consistently 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 800,000 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. 

Contact: Lew Middleton
Office: 317.838.1505 | 24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy