DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — A GM joint venture is getting a $2.5 billion loan to build 3 battery plants, including 1 in Michigan.
The announcement, which will benefit the industry and workers, was made by former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, U.S. Secretary of Energy.
“This announcement alone will help to create 6,000 construction jobs, and over 5,000 new operations jobs, high-quality operation jobs when these factories are at full capacity. In Michigan, it will mean 2,000 construction jobs and 1,700 permanent operations jobs in Lansing,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.
The $2.5 billion government loan to the joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution will build battery cell manufacturing facilities in Lansing as well as plants in Ohio and Tennessee.
“It isn’t enough just to invest. We want to reward production, that’s what we want to reward. And that’s what we’ve done now,” said U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow.
WXYZ’s Dave LewAllen asked, “The State of Michigan, that has been and is a priority of the Whitmer administration as well to remain a battery center, right, in the US?”
“These investments by GM and LG support the plans that they have going forward. The plans were going forward regardless of the loan, the loan makes it easier for GM and LG to accomplish the goals and timeframe that they want to do it,” said Stephanie Brinley, Associate Director, S & P Global Mobility.
“We saw what happened to our supply chains in a pandemic when we have highly efficient supply chains that were not resilient because were over-dependent on foreign sources for critical materials, that can never happen again in this country,” said U.S. Senator Gary Peters.
We caught up with Nachele Armstrong as she was loading groceries into her plugged in, Chevy Bolt-EV.
“I was shopping. I usually charge my car here maybe twice a week, do a little shopping. It takes about an hour to fill up, “said Nachele Armstrong.
“Works out well, doesn’t it,” said LewAllen. “What led you to this decision?”
“I’m very bad at oil changes so my partner decided to get me an EV so I wouldn’t blow this one up,” said Armstrong.
