(Credit: Canva Pro)KORE Power is building a large battery cell manufacturing facility in the United States, which will increase the domestic production of advanced batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
The plant, which will be called KOREPlex, is an advanced battery manufacturing facility and KORE Power has received a conditional commitment from the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office for $850 million under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program to help build the facility in Buckeye, Arizona. Upon completion, the KOREPlex facility will have an annual production capacity of 6-gigawatt hours of battery cells, catering to the growing demand in the e-mobility and energy storage sectors. KORE also has the flexibility to further increase domestic production capacity based on market demand for lithium-ion batteries.
At nearly 1.3 million square feet, the facility will house multiple production lines dedicated to manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage applications. The facility will produce battery cells using two chemistries: nickel manganese cobalt and lithium-ion iron phosphate. KORE's goal is to leverage domestic manufacturing to enable clean energy investments and promote the growth of the clean energy industry across the supply chain, creating opportunities for American workers.
KORE energy offerings serve various sectors, including utility, commercial, industrial, and e-mobility. The company has recently secured offtake agreements for energy storage projects in Arkansas and Illinois.
The company is committed to collaborating with local colleges and universities in Arizona to establish training initiatives and programs that will equip the KOREPlex workforce with the necessary skills to support the production of U.S.-made batteries for EVs and stationary energy storage systems. The construction of the KOREPlex facility, which commenced in late 2022, is expected to generate nearly 700 jobs. Once the faculty is operational, it is anticipated that another 1,250 direct jobs will be added.
KORE Power expects to start delivering products from the facility by the end of 2024 or early 2025.
