Buckeye to be home to 1st Li-Ion battery factory owned by US company

PHOENIX — The first lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility fully owned by a U.S. company will be built in Maricopa County, officials announced Thursday.

KORE Power, Inc. plants to start construction of the one million square foot facility by the end of the year in Buckeye with the goal of beginning production in Q2 2023, according to a statement.

The manufacturing facility, KOREPlex, will support up to 12 gigawatt hours of battery cell production to ensure an independent supply chain for lithium-ion battery cells critical to the future of electric cars, power grids and other electrical gadgets.

KORE Power projects to employ more than 3,000 full-time people at the facility, with an estimated 3,400 workers employed during the peak of construction, which is expected to take about 18 months.

“We needed a location for our factory that had a track record of supporting energy storage, a growing clean transportation sector, and a workforce that could deliver American-made battery technology that the supply chain so desperately needs,” KORE Power CEO Lindsay Gorrill said.

“Arizona hit a home run. We’re fully committed to be a cornerstone of the state’s clean economy and we’re proud to bring advanced cell manufacturing home to the U.S.”

Maricopa County was chosen as the manufacturing facility’s home following a national site search and evaluation of the energy storage, manufacturing and electric transportation opportunities.

“KORE Power’s investment in Buckeye to produce clean, renewable energy aligns with the City Council’s sustainability goals, and our goal for significant employment opportunities for our residents,” Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn said in the release.

“This project is not just a win for Buckeye, but for the West Valley, the State of Arizona and the clean energy industry.”

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