Entergy Corporation has been named one of the nation’s Top 10 utilities in economic development by Site Selection magazine for its 2012 efforts to help attract more than $26 billion in projects that could create up to 10,000 jobs in its service region.
It is the sixth straight year Entergy’s utilities have been named to the magazine’s list, which appears in the September 2013 edition and online at www.siteselection.com.
“Our partnerships with economic development agencies across the mid-South continue to produce tremendous economic benefits for our customers by attracting new businesses, retaining existing companies and helping them grow,” said Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO. “It also shows Entergy is continuing to make progress on one of our key strategic imperatives – growing our utility business. Economic development obviously is a major driver in achieving that objective.”
The magazine also praised Entergy for its Site Selection Center website, which saw a 20 percent increase in visitors in 2012.
In addition, the publication credits Entergy’s work to qualify new sites for development, including the 2,000-acre Panther Creek Commerce Center in Madison, Miss., not far from Nissan’s plant near Canton.
In Arkansas, Site Selection praises Entergy Teamwork Arkansas for upgrading of web resources as well as adding to community resources in Cross County, Batesville and Marion.
In Louisiana, the magazine credits Entergy working with Louisiana Economic Development in identifying eight sites certified as ready for industrial development as well as four Certified Ready Development Communities.
Site Selection chose the top utilities using the following criteria:
Analysis of corporate end-user project activity in 2012 in that company’s territory and submitted materials from utilities; website tools and data; innovative programs and incentives for business, including energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, and the utility’s own job-creating infrastructure and facility investment trends.
Entergy Mississippi, Inc., which celebrates its 90th birthday this year, provides electricity to more than 437,000 customers in 45 counties. It is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation.
