While attending the Ohio Business Roundtable CEO Summit in Lewis Center recently, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and JobsOhio announced the creation of the new JobsOhio Energy Opportunity Initiative, a $100 million fund for economic development opportunities over a five-year period. These funds will provide assistance to qualifying companies in the form of grants and low-interest loans to help offset costs related to natural gas and nuclear power production in Ohio.
“To continue Ohio’s growth and to create jobs, we must focus on energy,” said Governor DeWine. “Ohio must have an energy policy that ensures we have the supply we need for current and future demand, which will help keep costs reasonable.”
Funds from the Energy Opportunity Initiative will focus on:
- Engineering, right-of-way, and construction costs for new and existing natural gas infrastructure
- Site preparation for SMR generation
- Advanced training for Ohio’s workforce and the creation of a “nuclear energy center of excellence” around employment
- Incentives for attracting supply-chain companies for SMR manufacturing and production
JobsOhio will work with its seven regional network partners to identify projects and companies that could benefit from the Energy Opportunity Initiative. This initiative will be leveraged for attraction and expansion projects throughout the state…