--- title: Economic incentive fund fuels energy company’s expansion description:

(The Center Square) – One-quarter of $1 million from North Carolina, with matching funds from local governments, is helping a utility infrastructure company add jobs and invest more than $24.8 million into

canonical_url: https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/north-carolina-news/economic-incentive-fund-fuels-energy-companys-expansion language: en-US date: 2026-10-24T01:00:02Z notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/north-carolina-news/economic-incentive-fund-fuels-energy-companys-expansion. markdown-tokens: 711 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/north-carolina-news/economic-incentive-fund-fuels-energy-companys-expansion. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. (The Center Square) – One-quarter of $1 million from North Carolina, with matching funds from local governments, is helping a utility infrastructure company add jobs and invest more than $24.8 million into its Catawba County headquarters and manufacturing facility. Utili-Serve has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. The One North Carolina Fund is taxpayer money as appropriated by the General Assembly. The sitting governor, in this case first-term Democrat Josh Stein, has discretion for its use to recruit, expand or retain businesses. No money is paid up front; rather, specific job creation and capital investment benchmarks must be met. Economists question the effectiveness of financial incentives to businesses to expand or come to a new state. Context is encouraged when wages are introduced because a few corporate leaders at a site can skew the average higher while the median wage would not have the same ratio. Utili-Serve, a Conover staple since 2008, plans to add 105 jobs and a 25,000-square-foot facility. North Carolina officials said the jobs pay an average annual salary of $62,400, exceeding the county average of $56,937. “As grid demand grows, Utili-Serve remains committed to supporting our energy partners, investing locally, expanding our capabilities, and creating new opportunities for our employees and community,” said company President Ben Dietrich. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley said the expansion enhances the state’s reputation for technical excellent in the energy sector. Utili-Serve plans to manage projects and use the facility as an East Coast regional hub for manufacturing and logistics. In early November, development incentives are expected on the agenda for the Conover City Council and the commissioners for Catawba County. Content Original Link: [https://www.thecentersquare.com/north\_carolina/article\_be1847d5-e5a0-428c-8e5c-ad2b396bfb30.html?a](https://www.thecentersquare.com/north_carolina/article_be1847d5-e5a0-428c-8e5c-ad2b396bfb30.html?a)