Trump administration helps announce Hitachi Energy plans for $528M transformer factory in Copiah County
By Katherine Lin | Originally published by Mississippi Today
Hitachi Energy is investing $528 million to build a new transformer factory in Copiah County, with plans to create 654 jobs.
Gov. Tate Reeves announced the development on Tuesday morning from the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial in Houston, alongside President Donald Trump administration leaders.
Federal leaders emphasized that the Zurich-based company’s investment is a part of Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda and goal to bring back American manufacturing.
“This is bigger than just one factory announcement,” said U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, chairman of the National Energy Dominance Council. “This is about America’s determination to build the infrastructure to win the intelligence race, to power the next generation of American manufacturing and to bring prosperity and affordability to American citizens.”
Reeves said: “This administration is doing the work to bring back jobs to America because in Mississippi just like in America this what we do. We make stuff. We build stuff.”
The plant would be Hitachi Energy’s largest investment in America and is part of the company’s total $1.5-billion investment across the U.S. to increase production of transformers and other grid infrastructure to meet energy demand. The company is a subsidiary of multi-billion dollar Japanese firm Hitachi, Ltd.
Trump has said that he wants the U.S. to be the leader in energy production and exports.
According to the company, the transformers produced in Mississippi will bring additional capacity to help growing demand for electricity. Consulting company Mckinsey has estimated that the U.S. demand for power will increase by 3.5% annually through 2040.
“America needs more affordable, reliable and secure electricity generation, and this new investment by Hitachi will help make that happen,” said Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “The Trump Administration welcomes today’s announcement of a Hitachi transformer manufacturing facility that will provide jobs to local Mississippi communities while also helping improve electricity reliability and affordability for millions of Americans.”
Hitachi Energy has been in Mississippi for 70 years, but this investment would double the size of its existing operation. The company will build the new factory on a 45-acre site at the Copiah County Industrial Park in Gallman. Construction is expected to begin later this year with production to start in 2029.
Reeves called it a historic day for the U.S., Japan and Mississippi, emphasizing Mississippi’s existing relationship with other Japanese companies such as Toyota and Nissan.
“Hitachi could’ve picked any state in the country. They chose Copiah County. They chose Mississippi,” Reeves wrote on social media.
This article was originally published by Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Source: Original Article
