Grain Belt Express Project Boosts Local Jobs with $70 Million Supply Deal

Equipment for America’s largest power grid infrastructure project will support local jobs, thanks to a newly announced supply agreement between Hubbell, Centralia’s largest employer, and Invenergy, the nation’s largest privately held independent power producer. The agreement will provide materials for the Grain Belt Express transmission line, which serves Missouri and represents approximately $70 million of the $2 billion domestic investment in Phase 1. This includes both direct equipment costs and associated distribution and labor expenses.

The agreement will sustain jobs across Hubbell’s facilities in Centralia, MO; Leeds, AL; and Aiken, SC. In addition to the economic benefits of this partnership, families and small businesses in Centralia will gain from being among the 39 Missouri communities contracted to receive power from the Grain Belt Express—resulting in more than $12 million in annual savings for these municipalities. Nearby communities, including Columbia, Fayette, Monroe City, Hannibal, Vandalia, and Macon, will also benefit from these cost reductions.

“Grain Belt Express is a trifecta win for our region, because it will create jobs, support Missouri-based manufacturing and attract millions in economic investment,” said Neil Vandermeulen, Hubbell, Division President for T&D Infrastructure. “This investment will enhance our manufacturing capacity across the country, strengthening the domestic supply chain needed to support our nation’s critical grid infrastructure. The success of our partnership with Invenergy demonstrates a shared commitment to retaining and creating U.S. manufacturing jobs.”

“Grain Belt Express is the highest capacity transmission line in the U.S. and the longest line the U.S. has built in over 50 years, making this domestic supply agreement among the largest of its kind in the industry. The products made by Hubbell and distributed out of Centralia will ensure a more reliable, resilient energy grid at a time of unprecedented demand,” said Shashank Sane, Invenergy Executive Vice President for Transmission.