National Grid Provides Support for Wolfspeed Facility Construction

National Grid leaders were recently at the Marcy Nanocenter to present semi-conductor manufacturer Wolfspeed with a $750,000 grant.

The grant will be used to support electric infrastructure costs to get the factory online.

Wolfspeed opened its $1.2 billion chip fab plant in Marcy on April 25.

“National Grid is proud to support the development of Wolfspeed’s facility in Marcy,” said Alberto Bianchetti, regional director for customer and community management for National Grid. “Our support of the vision for a semiconductor facility in the Mohawk Valley is a reality today because Wolfspeed believed in the value of locating its plant here.”

Wolfspeed will produce semiconductors from silicon carbide for use in the automotive, mobile communications and industrial markets, and is expected to create more than 600 new jobs.

The company also is working with local colleges to develop curriculum to meet its future workforce needs.

In addition to developing technologies to make electronic devices more energy efficient, Wolfspeed’s facilities have taken a green energy pledge.

The LEED-certified plant will derive half of its electricity from carbon-free or low-carbon sources, recycle 60,000 gallons of water per day, and host 14 electric vehicle chargers for employee use.

To energize the facility, Wolfspeed needed to create underground infrastructure to connect with a nearby substation.

National Grid’s Electric Capital Investment Incentive provided funding to design and construct this portion of the project.

Since 2003, National Grid’s 18 economic development programs have provided more than $125 million in assistance, helping to create or retain more than 60,000 jobs and supporting almost $10 billion in private and public investment across upstate New York.