Duke Energy Florida Receives Governor’s Business Ambassador Award

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., February 14, 2017 /3BL Media/ — Gov. Rick Scott has presented Duke Energy Florida with the state’s Business Ambassador Award for its contributions to the state’s economic vitality.

The presentation was made recently at the Governor’s Job Summit in Orlando, Fla.

“I was proud to recognize Duke Energy with the Governor’s Business Ambassador Award during the 2017 Jobs Summit,” said Gov. Scott. “I look forward to seeing their continued success across Florida.”

The award is presented to Florida companies and individuals for their efforts in creating jobs and opportunities for families across the state.

In 2015, Duke Energy Florida helped recruit more than $285 million in capital investment and more than 1,870 jobs to Florida.

“We’re committed to help attract and cultivate high-level, high-wage jobs in the areas we serve,” said Harry Sideris, Duke Energy Florida state president. “Our focus is to provide clean and reliable energy service with top-notch customer service to help companies continue to grow in our state.”

Through its award-winning Site Readiness Program, the company identifies high-quality industrial sites in its service areas then collaborates with county leaders and local economic development professionals to develop a strategy for providing water, sewer, natural gas and electricity to the parcels.

Since 2001, Duke Energy Florida’s economic development team has helped attract more than 256 companies, bringing more than 38,700 jobs and more than $3.3 billion in capital investment to the state.

Two of the top factors in attracting new businesses are having the right talent or labor force and a site or building that meets a company's needs. Workforce development agencies and educational partners are meeting the talent needs while Duke Energy Florida is addressing the need for ready industrial sites in Florida. This results in new jobs, new capital investment and a diversified industry base in the state.

Sideris also served as a panelist on the Governor’s Disaster Response Panel at the summit. He discussed the company’s comprehensive storm preparation and response plans, which resulted in the restoration of nearly 300,000 customers in less than 72 hours after Hurricane Matthew last fall.

Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida owns and operates a diverse generation mix, including renewables, providing about 9,000 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.7 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.

With its Florida regional headquarters located in St. Petersburg, Fla., Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the United States. It supplies and delivers electricity to approximately 7.4 million customers in the Southeast and Midwest, representing a population of approximately 24 million people. The company also distributes natural gas to more than 1.5 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its commercial business operates a growing renewable energy portfolio and transmission infrastructure across the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is an S&P 100 Stock Index company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. 

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Contact: Peveeta Persaud

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

Twitter: @DE_PeveetaP