Source: Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation
A recent analysis of economic productivity in Pottawatomie County has demonstrated the economy has room for substantial growth.
While the overall economic burden facing most households in the county remains low, the county’s gross domestic product from utility production slipped from 40 percent in 2011 to 23 percent 2019.
Actual GDP in Pottawatomie County decreased over that eight year period from $1.58 billion to roughly $1.36 billion. That decline is largely driven by decreases in output from the Jeffrey Energy Center.
Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Jack Allston explains.
Allston says Evergy will close one unit at Jeffrey by 2030 and all units there by 2039. That, he says, will cause the value of goods and services to decrease substantially for several years unless more is done to invest in physical locations and workforce development to offset some of those declines.
Allston says the announcements by Evergy didn’t come as a surprise, but is a major disappointment because of its significance to the economic value to Pottawatomie County.
Allston says because of this, more pressure is being put on economic development, to locate businesses that would be interested, whether they be involved in the animal health sector, manufacturing or other regional industries. The Jeffrey plant currently employs about 140 people.
The analysis, conducted by K-State economist Dr. Eric Higgins also found Pottawatomie County’s burdened households, with housing payments making up more than 30 percent of household income, was just under 23 percent.
One such avenue for potential economic development that county official have begun exploring is in solar farms. But even that, Allston contends has some challenges.
Pottawatomie County has put a temporary halt on developing solar farm regulations, but will likely continue discussions later this year.
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