Georgia Power Named a Top U.S. Utility for Economic Development

Staff Report From Georgia CEO

Tuesday, October 1st, 2019

For the 21st consecutive year, Georgia Power has been named a "Top U.S. Utility for Economic Development" by Site Selection magazine. Only 20 utilities were chosen for this honor out of more than 3,300 across the country.

Georgia Power partnered with state and community organizations last year to assist 133 companies, resulting in more than 18,500 jobs created or retained and $4.7 billion in capital investment. In the last six years alone, the company assisted more than 600 companies that created or retained nearly 100,000 jobs and invested $22 billion in Georgia. To learn more about our community and economic development initiatives, visit SelectGeorgia.com.

"Economies are at their strongest when state leaders, local leaders and the business community are working together," said Anne Kaiser, Georgia Power's vice president of community and economic development. "Georgia Power is proud to help our state remain one of the strongest economies in the nation by supporting communities and businesses as they grow, helping to create opportunities for Georgians. We provide the energy infrastructure necessary to do business here, and we also contribute to the dynamic ecosystem and the teamwork that is community and economic development in Georgia."

Georgia Power partners with organizations such as the Georgia Department of Economic Development to promote Georgia as a leading state for business. Georgia Power offers free community and economic development consultation and services to prospective companies navigating the site selection process – all while serving as a liaison between state and local organizations. Georgia Power is dedicated not only to facilitating a company's expansion in Georgia or its move to the state but also assisting local communities with expansion, retention and recruitment of jobs and investment. The company's community and economic development team is also invested in creating a renewable talent pipeline through its education and workforce development initiatives.

In the award citation, Site Selection noted the addition of "Project Management 201" to community and economic development education offerings from Georgia Power. This new course expands on lessons taught in "Project Management 101," which is offered by the company to economic development officials across the state. Georgia Power also contributes community and economic development leadership through offerings from the Georgia Academy for Economic Development.

The Site Selection rankings were based on analysis of corporate-end user projects activity in 2018 in utilities' territories (from Conway Projects Database and submitted materials). In addition to examining facility investment project totals and calculating those projects' jobs and capital investment numbers on a cumulative and per-capita basis, Site Selection also looked at 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.