First battery production plant in U.S. will bring jobs to St. Gabriel

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Federal dollars will soon bring jobs to St. Gabriel.

A massive investment, $100 million in federal grant money to support the country’s lithium-ion battery production chain.

“We saw what happen during COVID. We know what it is like to wait for shipments. We know what it is like to not be able to get materials that are needed. We will be the supplier, building and making right here in America, right here in Louisiana,” said U.S. Representative, Troy Carter.

The money will go to Koura, an existing chemical plant, to build the first of its kind production facility in the United States to manufacture Lithium hexafluorophosphate, a key component in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.

“You are going to be the tip of the sphere for manufacturing and supply chain for batteries in the United States, the first in America,” explained U.S. Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm.

With a groundbreaking in 2025, the new plant is scheduled to open in 2026.

It is expected to add 80 new high paying jobs to the area.

“This is where you want to be. I’m excited about what all this this represents as we continue diversify and grow our economy,” Governor John Bel Edwards added.

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