Santee Cooper recently approved a $3.25 million loan for an industrial building at the Hunter Industrial Park and a $385,000 grant to help provide critical infrastructure at the Clinton 26 Commerce Park. Both industrial parks are located in Laurens County.

The Laurens County Development Corp., in partnership with Laurens Commission of Public Works (LCPW), has been awarded the $3.25 million loan from the Santee Cooper Revolving Loan Program.

The state-owned utility’s loan will assist in the construction of a 75,000 square-foot industrial building at the Hunter Industrial Park, located at the intersection of Interstate 385 and U.S. Highway 221 in Laurens, S.C. The park is owned by LCPW, a municipally owned utility that provides the park power, natural gas, and water service. A primary source of LCPW’s electricity is the Piedmont Municipal Power Agency, which receives a portion of its power needs from Santee Cooper.

“Promoting economic development is an integral part of Santee Cooper’s mission,” said Pamela Williams, Santee Cooper senior vice president of corporate services. “Our economic development programs have helped South Carolina attract major manufacturers to the state, growing the job market for our residents and boosting the economy. We believe we can help Laurens County continue to build on that record.”

LCPW has previously invested $2.5 million into this park through land purchase, construction of roadways, and water and waste-water improvements.

The City of Clinton received the $385,500 Municipal Site Readiness Grant from Santee Cooper, which will go toward road improvements at the Clinton 26 Commerce Park. The grant represents 50 percent of the project’s cost, with matching funds coming from the Clinton Development Corp. and the Laurens County Development Corp.

The grant will allow the park’s roadway to be extended 975 feet, which will open up an additional 90 acres of property for industrial development.