topgroove
12-20-2009, 07:07 PM
ANDERSON COUNTY — Duke Energy has reduced its number of contractors due to the economic slowdown, meaning job cuts at those contractors.
Andy Thompson, a spokesman for Duke, said the company is not seeing the expected retail growth, especially in housing developments, and also is delaying some projects.
But he said the reductions would not affect the company’s readiness in case of winter storms or other electric outage problems.
Contractor cutbacks represent "resources for new projects," he said. "We would still be fully able to respond to outages as we have in the past."
Thompson could not say how many contracting jobs are affected, but said they affect contractors who work in the Upstate, including Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties. Contractors who work in the area include Pike Electric, Sumter Utility and Williams Electric Co., he said.
An official with Sumter Utility acknowledged there had been layoffs and reduced work hours, but declined to comment further. A Pike Electric spokeswoman did not return a telephone call.
Thompson said building permits for new construction have declined and "we don’t have the immediate need to build out the infrastructure."
"With contractors, it allows us to ramp up and ramp down based on our need," he said. "If we see a slowdown what we typically do is revise those contracts."
According to the Anderson County building permit listings online, there were 3,205 permits issued between January and November of 2007, compared to 2,721 from January through November this year, nearly 500 fewer than the previous year.
Andy Thompson, a spokesman for Duke, said the company is not seeing the expected retail growth, especially in housing developments, and also is delaying some projects.
But he said the reductions would not affect the company’s readiness in case of winter storms or other electric outage problems.
Contractor cutbacks represent "resources for new projects," he said. "We would still be fully able to respond to outages as we have in the past."
Thompson could not say how many contracting jobs are affected, but said they affect contractors who work in the Upstate, including Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties. Contractors who work in the area include Pike Electric, Sumter Utility and Williams Electric Co., he said.
An official with Sumter Utility acknowledged there had been layoffs and reduced work hours, but declined to comment further. A Pike Electric spokeswoman did not return a telephone call.
Thompson said building permits for new construction have declined and "we don’t have the immediate need to build out the infrastructure."
"With contractors, it allows us to ramp up and ramp down based on our need," he said. "If we see a slowdown what we typically do is revise those contracts."
According to the Anderson County building permit listings online, there were 3,205 permits issued between January and November of 2007, compared to 2,721 from January through November this year, nearly 500 fewer than the previous year.