NISKAYUNA—Flanked by government officials, including David Paterson, General Electric C.E.O. Jeff Immelt announced plans to build a $100 million battery manufacturing plant in the Capital Region.
The new factory would make batteries developed using a nickel-sodium technology and could power hybrid cars, locomotives or other large equipment. A press release said that the investment was contingent on a grant from the federal stimulus package, but Immelt said “it’s going to go forward regardless” and he considered stimulus funds “an accelerator.”
The hope is that the plant, which he said will create 350 “skilled-trades” jobs, will be under construction before the year’s end and in production by 2011.
