NASHVILLE -- Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber and Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens on May 7 joined officials from Nu-Energie, LLC to celebrate the company's grand opening in Surgoinsville.

The new plant is the first bio-diesel manufacturing facility in Northeast Tennessee. It will create 15 new jobs representing a $4 million capital investment.

"I'm very pleased to welcome Nu-Energie to the Northeast Tennessee business community," Gov. Phil Bredesen said.

"The jobs this new business venture is creating are at the forefront of technological innovation, and they represent the kind of opportunity that makes Tennessee a great place to do business and to live."

The project is supported by a FastTrack Infrastructure Development Grant from ECD to install railroad spurs in the Phipps Bend Industrial Park, where the plant is located.

"ECD works hard to offer businesses like Nu-Energie the resources they need to locate in Tennessee," Kisber said.

"Energy is the new frontier of job creation, and companies like this one will help make Tennessee the leader of this emerging industry."

Givens said, "The Department of Agriculture is happy to support the investment that Nu-Energie is making in this facility, which will take an important farm commodity and add value to it.

"Biofuel projects like this not only go a long way to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but they also help provide important local market options for farmers and are a boost to our rural economy."

Nu-Energie is already developing a partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and it has secured Eastman Chemical as its first customer.

"The state and the local community have been indispensable partners in this effort, and the solid workforce here in Surgoinsville makes this region an ideal location for Nu-Energie," company President Brian Hullette said.

"We are looking forward to tremendous success for our company and for Tennessee in the bio-diesel industry."