Charleston Leader

U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) announced over $100 million in federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to develop a state-of-the-art multi-day energy storage project in Maine using batteries manufactured in Weirton, West Virginia by Form Energy.

“This investment is great news for Weirton and signals that West Virginia will continue our proud tradition of helping power America,” Ranking Member Capito said. “I’m thrilled about the progress of Form Energy’s plant and looking forward to seeing how the resources we provided in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will once again directly benefit our local economies and communities, specifically in the Northern Panhandle, for years to come.”

“For generations, West Virginia has done the heavy lifting, doing everything asked of it to create a legacy as America’s energy and manufacturing powerhouse. With this federal investment, Form Energy and the Mountain State are continuing this tradition, providing energy security and reliability to the entire nation,” Senator Manchin said. “I am proud to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continue to strengthen America’s supply chains and create new jobs right here in West Virginia. The Mountain State is now at the forefront of innovation as we lead the charge of bringing battery manufacturing back to the United States.”

This project is part of a larger $2.3 billion investment of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding by the Department of Energy to strengthen America’s energy grid and lower costs for consumers.

A historic steel community, Weirton is located on the Ohio River with direct access to rail, river, and highway infrastructure that will enable Form Energy to transport West Virginia-made batteries across the nation. Form Energy selected Weirton as the home of Form Factory 1, its first high-volume manufacturing facility after a robust year-long nationwide site selection process that included reviewing over 500 candidate locations across 16 states. The company ultimately chose a 55-acre site in Weirton because of its existing transportation infrastructure and strong talent base.

“West Virginians have always been willing to sacrifice for the energy, steel, and work ethic needed by our great nation. With this federal investment our state’s interest in continuing our energy heritage with Form Energy is showing dividends,” West Virginia Secretary of Economic Development Mitch Carmichael said. “Form Energy’s early achievements and their decision to choose West Virginia will exhibit what we already know: that the Mountain State is the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”

In just over a year after breaking ground, Form Energy has substantially completed construction of its Weirton factory and is now trialing manufacturing lines and processes while ramping up its workforce ahead of starting high-volume production later this year.

“We are so pleased to have been selected by the Department of Energy to deploy an 85 MW/8500 MWh multi-day battery system in Maine. This is the largest energy storage project by energy capacity announced yet in the world and will be located in Lincoln, Maine. All the batteries for this pioneering multi-day energy storage system will be manufactured at Form Factory 1 in Weirton, West Virginia,” Mateo Jaramillo, co-founder and CEO of Form Energy said. “Just as we are revitalizing the historic Weirton Steel Mill site, we are committed to bringing new industry and revitalization to Lincoln community. Through Form Factory 1 in Weirton and our project deployments across country we aim invest local communities create jobs fostering sustainable development long-term prosperity."