Southern California Edison – A Powerful Ally for Business Growth
By Barry R. Sedlik, Manager, Economic & Business Development
In the deregulated utility industry, Southern California Edison (SCE) is a powerful partner in the world of economic and business development. Even before companies had the choice over rates and electricity providers, SCE was nationally recognized for its efforts to help business grow and prosper.
At Southern California Edison, we know when business and communities thrive, the region and the state’s economy benefits. That’s why we’ve concentrated our efforts on attracting, expanding and retaining new and existing companies to Southern California.
SCE has earned regional, state and national acclaim for the help it gave firms like Reliable Container, the display and box manufacturer that chose Downey over Mexico; Panasonic Disc Services Corp., the Torrance DVD maker; Cardinal TG, the Moreno Valley glass manufacturer, and General Clinical Plastics Corp., which opted to stay in Southern California adding hundreds of full-time jobs. For these firms and others, which considered out-of-state locations, SCE works with regional and state officials to assemble a “California Red Team”. Along with civic and political leaders, economic development agencies and business associations, SCE also works with the California Trade and Commerce Agency and other state legislators to develop programs and incentives to keep business in the state.
Since 1992, SCE’s economic and business development professionals have helped save more than 127,000 jobs and have assisted 570 companies within the utility’s 50,000-square-mile service territory.
When it comes to negotiating with companies considering out-of-state offers, SCE brings several useful tools to the table. Our three Economic Development Rates (EDRs), included in SCE’s package of flexible pricing options approved by the California Public Utilities Commission has been critical to our success. These rates offer qualified companies in SCE’s service territory five years of electricity rate discounts. Eligible customers are those with 200 kW to 4,000 kW of load at the time they apply for the rate, who are:
? seriously considering locating that load outside of California, or
? expanding by 50 kW or 10 percent (whichever is greater) and considering out-of-state expansion, or
? moving their load into California.
SCE has concentrated its efforts on growing businesses in several critical sectors, including importing-exporting, the fashion and apparel industry, the high technology industry, the food processing and manufacturing industry and motion picture production. SCE supports the food processing and manufacturing industry through its continued support of the Food Industry Business Roundtable (FIBR), an association which SCE helped to establish.
Today, FIBR sponsors regular seminars and workshops on food processing regulations and other matters of importance to the food industry.
SCE is proud of its successes and reputation as a key player and partner in the economic and business development community. We want to build on these successes by providing additional products and services to help keep our customers productive and competitive in today’s global economy.
