WINCHESTER, Ky. — Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives have again been named among the top U.S. utilities in economic development by Site Selection magazine.
“This is a testament to the hard work of dozens of economic development professionals at our electric cooperatives across Kentucky who are committed to helping their communities thrive by bringing jobs and investment,” said Brad Thomas, economic development manager.
This is the third year in a row Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives have been honored with this award. See Site Selection’s article at https://siteselection.com/issues/2024/sep/2024-top-utilities-in-economic-development.cfm
Over the past year, the electric cooperatives continued to build strong partnerships with industry leaders and global organizations to enhance Kentucky’s success and are proud to help bring opportunities to areas they serve. Notable milestones include:
- Assistance in developing industrial sites, including four 1,000-plus-acre mega sites across their service territories. Development partnerships with the Site Selectors Guild’s Certified REDI sites include a 1,500-acre Rockcastle Mega site in Mount Vernon, Ky., and the Norfolk Southern Site in Shelbyville, Ky. Long-term support and extensive partnerships have also helped to develop the 1,000-acre Begley Site in Richmond, Ky., and Carrs Mega site located on the Ohio River in Lewis County, Ky.
- Lotte Aluminum Materials USA is implementing plans for a $238 million operation in Elizabethtown, Ky., to produce cathode foil, which is integral for lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles. The 327,000-s.f. facility is expected to employee 122 people. It will be the South Korea-based company’s first aluminum foil facility located in the United States and is expected to begin operation in 2025.
- Wieland North America Recycling ramped up operations at its brand-new copper recycling plant near Shelbyville, Ky. The operation will have more than 200 employees. Wieland is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy to reduce its carbon footprint and other impacts. Based in Germany, Wieland Group is the world’s leading supplier of semi-finished products made from copper and copper alloys.
- Pernod Ricard broke ground on a $250 million distillery and warehouse facility in Lebanon, Ky. The innovative carbon-neutral operation will be the home of the company’s Jefferson’s Bourbon brand. Based in France, Pernod Ricard is the world’s second-largest spirits and wine company.
Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives have garnered numerous recognitions for their economic development activities. They are past winners of the Projects With A Purpose Award from the Site Selectors Guild, as well as Excellence in Economic Development awards from the Southern Economic Development Council and the National Rural Economic Developers Association.
The German American Chambers of Commerce presented the co-ops with the Excellence in Economic Development award. The award recognizes the work of the electric cooperatives in promoting German-American business relations and supporting trade and investment between Germany and the United States.
Since re-energizing economic development efforts in 2015, the Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives have seen 381 economic development projects, including 154 new company locations with over $13 billion invested and 20,000 jobs created across the cooperatives’ rural service territories.
Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives include 17 not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperatives that serve more than 1.1 million Kentucky residents across 89 Kentucky counties.
They include:
- Big Sandy RECC, Paintsville, Ky.
- Blue Grass Energy, Nicholasville, Ky.
- Clark Energy Cooperative, Winchester, Ky.
- Cumberland Valley Electric, Gray, Ky.
- Farmers RECC, Glasgow, Ky.
- Fleming-Mason Energy, Flemingsburg, Ky.
- Grayson RECC, Grayson, Ky.
- Inter-County Energy Cooperative, Danville, Ky.
- Jackson Energy Cooperative, McKee, Ky.
- Licking Valley RECC, West Liberty, Ky.
- Nolin RECC, Elizabethtown, Ky.
- Owen Electric Cooperative, Owenton, Ky.
- Salt River Electric, Bardstown, Ky.
- Shelby Energy Cooperative, Shelbyville, Ky.
- South Kentucky RECC, Somerset Ky.
- Taylor County RECC, Campbellsville, Ky.
- East Kentucky Power Cooperative
Visit us at www.TogetherWeSaveKY.com and at www.DataIsPower.org
