UTILITIES AND ECONOMIC-DEVELOPMENT

Wide-ranging benefits can be gained from utilities and manufacturers w orking together. In fact, a growing number of utilities have increased the competitiveness of at their industrial customers by helping local firms assess their operations and purchase more energy-efficient and technologically advanced equipment. Many manufacturers need technical and financial assistance to maintain acceptable levels of productivity . Unfortunately, the combined resources of state and federal industria l extension programs reach fewer than 2% of the small manufacturing fi rms each year Additional partners are needed to increase service deliv ery efforts. Utilities are in a good position to help bridge this gap by encouraging production-process efficiency Fortuitously, a partnersh ip with manufacturers also allows a utility to better manage its elect ricity demand and to maintain its industrial base.