Pandemic-era businesses thrive with growth incentives

Seventeen new and expanding businesses collectively earned $160K from 2020-2023

It’s hard to imagine opening or growing a business in 2020, when much of the world was shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But several entrepreneurs in Heartland customer communities defied the odds and flourished during a time of great uncertainty.

Helping contribute to their success was Heartland Energy’s growth incentive program, which offers rebates on electric power bills to new and expanding businesses over a three-year period. With a certain percentage rebated each year, it equates to one year’s worth of free power.

Seventeen resilient businesses across ten communities completed their incentive period in 2023, collectively earning $160,983 in electric rebates. Beyond financial gains, together they added roughly 1.25 million kilowatt hours annually to Heartland’s customer base. By comparison, that’s equivalent to powering about 105 homes.

As the first quarter of 2024 wraps up, Heartland Energy is nearing the threshold of $2 million in growth incentives awarded since the program’s inception. The results from 2023 are a testament to the program’s success and Heartland’s commitment to sustainable growth and community development.