Improving Business in the Wilmington Region
Utility and Infrastructure
Utilities
Electric Service
Duke Energy Progress
Duke Energy Progress is the primary electric service provider for the Greater Wilmington area serving New Hanover County and southern-eastern areas of Pender County.
- Duke Energy Progress prides itself on working with new and existing industries to promote energy efficiency and power quality assurance. Flexible rate reduction options are available including:
- An economic development rider
- Time-of-use rates
- Transformation discounts
- Incremental power service rates
- A real-time pricing option
Other programs are also in place for the purpose of helping plants optimize new or expanded manufacturing processes and to design enhancements to reduce downtime within the plant.
Four County Electric Membership Corporation
Four County EMC serves the northern and western areas of Pender County.
- Four County EMC has a diverse economic development program to assist with new business locations or expansions of existing business. They also provide technical assistance in community development projects such as the establishment of medical centers, fire and rescue departments, water and wastewater systems, and distance learning/medical link programs.
Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas serves the entire Greater Wilmington area.
- Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy service company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to one million residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The company offers energy and site analysis and can help businesses find the most competitive processes and facilities to benefit their operations.
Solid Waste Management
New Hanover County and Pender County provide solid waste management facilities and programs to serve business and industry. As well, there are numerous established private solid waste collection, management and recycling companies doing business in the Greater Wilmington area that can provide all types of solid waste management services to business and industry tailored to meet any business’s needs.
New Hanover County
Pender County Utilities
Telecommunications
North Carolina, and in particular the Greater Wilmington area, is building the world’s most advanced telecommunications network. It is a powerful economic development tool, connecting community colleges, universities, health care facilities and schools across the state. A listing of area internet, cellular telephone, and cable TV providers follows.
AT&T
Basic Talk
Century Link
Communication Specialists
DIRECTV
Dish Network
Earthlink
Viasat
HughesNet
Spectrum
T-Mobile/ Sprint Wireless
US Cellular
Verizon Wireless
Xfinity
Water and Wastewater
The Lower Cape Fear River serves as the major raw regional public water supply for the Greater Wilmington area, including for New Hanover and Pender counties. This water supply is managed by the Lower Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, a public entity whose board members are appointed by the local governments served by the Authority. New Hanover and Pender counties purchase raw water from the Authority, treat it in accordance with State and Federal drinking water standards, and redistributes the product to their respective utility customers. This regional approach to managing public water supply and resources assures abundant and quality water resources that will promote and facilitate economic expansion in the area’s future.
Lower Cape Fear Public Utility Authority
New Hanover County
In New Hanover County, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority is the primary water and wastewater treatment and public drinking water service provider. The Authority was created in 2008 as a result of a merger of New Hanover County and City of Wilmington public utility operations. Members of the Authority are appointed by the New Hanover Board of Commissioners and City of Wilmington City Council.
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority
Pender County
In Pender County, water and wastewater services in the unincorporated areas of the county are provided by Pender County Utilities through water and wastewater districts created by the County. The Pender County Board of Commissioners serve as the governing body for each of the districts. The major industrial development corridors including US 421 and US 117 are served by Pender County Utilities. Utilities within the incorporated areas of the county are provided by the municipalities.
