Peregrine Energy Corp. of Greenville, S.C., announced plans earlier today to build a 50-megawatt co-generation biomass power plant in Darlington County. The new facility, which is a joint venture of Peregrine Energy, Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc. and Sonoco Products Company, will be located at Sonoco’s manufacturing complex in Hartsville.
The $135 million investment in the project by Peregrine Energy represents one of the largest investments in the history of Darlington County. The new cogeneration facility will create approximately 30 direct jobs and replace existing coal-fired boilers used by Sonoco. Progress Energy Carolinas will purchase all of the electrical output from Peregrine, while Sonoco will purchase the low-pressure steam for use at its manufacturing complex. Up to an additional 110 indirect support jobs also are expected, primarily in the forestry and transportation sectors.
“What I am most excited about are the economic benefits this project will bring, primarily through the additional 100-plus indirect forestry and transportation jobs,” said Wesley Blackwell, chairman of Darlington County Council. “This project creates great opportunities for existing small businesses and entrepreneurial start-ups in Darlington County.”
City of Hartsville Mayor Michael Holt said the City also is excited about the opportunities for employment this project will bring. “We express our gratitude to Sonoco and Progress Energy for being such strong corporate friends to this community," he said.
Jim Ramsey, chairman of Darlington County Economic Development Partnership, said Peregrine Energy, Progress Energy Carolinas and Sonoco should all be congratulated. “This project has truly been a group effort,” he said. “This announcement will provide long-term stability to Sonoco’s manufacturing operations in Hartsville, as well as support Progress Energy’s renewable energy commitment.”For more information, contact Robert Long at (843) 398-4600
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
2008 NESA Annual Report Released
FLORENCE – The North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA), an economic development organization encompassing South Carolina’s northeast region, contacted more than 3,000 companies and site selection consultants in 2008 and made eleven business development missions in its efforts to spark economic activity in the region, according to its annual report released Wednesday.
The report gives a thorough and detailed overview of the organization’s economic development efforts in 2008, and lays out strategic goals for 2009. It highlights the direct contact the group made with potential companies or developers to locate businesses in the region and discusses business development missions to several states across the U.S. as well as to Canada.
According to the report, in 2009 NESA will work to “continue to pursue an aggressive face-to-face industrial recruitment strategy,” by planning business development missions, continuing its wide ranging successful regional marketing strategy and hosting a number of investor and consultant events.
Over the long-term, the regional economic development organization seeks to outpace the State of South Carolina in job creation, increases in per capita income and increases in per capita investment. Further, NESA hopes to reduce the regional unemployment rate.
“It is not just lead generation that makes NESA such an outstanding organization; it is the diversity of the key initiatives that we pursue,” NESA Chairman Senator J. Yancey McGill wrote in the report.
“Even though the global economic crisis threw us a curveball, in 2008 we made progress on many fronts and helped to introduce several new economic development opportunities in each of our nine counties,” said NESA Executive Director Jeff McKay. “In 2009 we are going to push forward on projects like the I-73 ‘Interchange of Hope’ and keep working up close with potential employers from across the country and around the world. In our opinion, this is the time to ramp up our marketing efforts rather than sit back and wait for things to happen.”
Please follow this link to access the full report: http://www.scbusinesscorner.com/images/PDF/annual_report_32009.pdf
The report gives a thorough and detailed overview of the organization’s economic development efforts in 2008, and lays out strategic goals for 2009. It highlights the direct contact the group made with potential companies or developers to locate businesses in the region and discusses business development missions to several states across the U.S. as well as to Canada.
According to the report, in 2009 NESA will work to “continue to pursue an aggressive face-to-face industrial recruitment strategy,” by planning business development missions, continuing its wide ranging successful regional marketing strategy and hosting a number of investor and consultant events.
Over the long-term, the regional economic development organization seeks to outpace the State of South Carolina in job creation, increases in per capita income and increases in per capita investment. Further, NESA hopes to reduce the regional unemployment rate.
“It is not just lead generation that makes NESA such an outstanding organization; it is the diversity of the key initiatives that we pursue,” NESA Chairman Senator J. Yancey McGill wrote in the report.
“Even though the global economic crisis threw us a curveball, in 2008 we made progress on many fronts and helped to introduce several new economic development opportunities in each of our nine counties,” said NESA Executive Director Jeff McKay. “In 2009 we are going to push forward on projects like the I-73 ‘Interchange of Hope’ and keep working up close with potential employers from across the country and around the world. In our opinion, this is the time to ramp up our marketing efforts rather than sit back and wait for things to happen.”
Please follow this link to access the full report: http://www.scbusinesscorner.com/images/PDF/annual_report_32009.pdf
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