Prysmian has completed a 51,000-sq-ft expansion of its Williamsport, Pennsylvania, facility, adding 27 permanent jobs as part of a broad supply and manufacturing agreement with Invenergy, a leading independent power producer.

A press release said that the expansion, representing a $22.5 million investment, will directly support Invenergy’s Grain Belt Express transmission line—currently the largest private-sector-led transmission project in the U.S.—using domestically sourced steel and aluminum for advanced power conductors. The Grain Belt Express will span from Kansas to Indiana, delivering renewable energy to millions and reinforcing grid reliability.

With the expansion, Prysmian doubles its U.S. manufacturing capacity for key advanced transmission conductors, including those that utilize its E3X® technology. The company’s Williamsport site is now positioned as a critical hub in both Prysmian’s and Invenergy’s investments in U.S. energy infrastructure, jobs and supply chains. The plant supports over 270 jobs locally and more than 430 across Pennsylvania.

“We are proud to have a part in this transformative project supplying our most innovative technology for overhead power transmission in the market, E3X®,” said Andrea Pirondini, Prysmian North America President and CEO. “Our expanded Williamsport facility enhances our manufacturing capacity and is another step to strengthening the grid and granting energy independence throughout the United States.”

Service Wire Company recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new facility at its location in Culloden, West Virginia, that will enable the company to significantly increase its manufacturing capacity.

A press release did not go into details about the size of the project, but in it company President Louis Weisberg said the project is a result of the “dedication and Appalachian Grit” of the company’s workforce. “It would not be possible without the dedication of our hard-working people. We are investing in the future and deepening our American roots.”

Service Wire, founded in West Virginia in 1968, manufactures more than 1,800 products for industrial, commercial, utility, renewable energy, pump, irrigation, and transit markets. The Culloden headquarters is one of three nationwide locations, each with manufacturing, distribution and sales operations. The company’s Houston, Texas, facility opened in 1980 and was later upgraded, while the Phoenix, Arizona, facility—acquired in 1999—doubled distribution capacity for the Southwest.

 “Our company is growing rapidly,” said Mark Gatewood, vice president of sales and marketing. “This expansion will enable us to continue supporting our customers with the highest quality copper wire and cable and industry-leading service.”

Upon completion, the expansion is expected to create approximately 60 new jobs for the local workforce, supporting a range of roles within manufacturing and operations.  Per the company’s website, Service Wire’s products, which are manufactured entirely in the United States, have been installed in all 50 states and more than 30 countries. Notable projects include the Freedom Tower in New York, the Bayonne Bridge in New Jersey, Chicago’s Wrigley Field, wind and solar farms, and light rail systems.

Google has announced a collaborative effort with CTC Global to help accelerate grid upgrades across the United States by funding deployment of advanced transmission conductors.

A press release said that the joint move seeks to expand power capacity in regions where Google’s growth in data centers is heightening electricity requirements, aiming to improve reliability and support renewable integration. CTC Global’s ACCC conductors have been used in more than 1,350 projects spanning 65 countries to upgrade transmission lines in strategic U.S. markets.

“Expanding transmission capacity presents a significant opportunity for the power system today,” said Amanda Peterson Corio, Google’s global head of data center energy. She noted that by accelerating reconductoring, the project could “dramatically cut the time and cost of adding and moving electricity to reliably power American homes and businesses.”

South Korea’s LS Cable & System (LS C&S) announced that it has completed construction of its fifth submarine cable plant in Donghae-si, Gangwon-do, expanding its HVDC (high-voltage direct current) submarine cable production capacity by more than four times.

A press release said that with the expansion, LS Cable & System has the largest HVDC cable production facility in Asia and has greatly enhanced its competitiveness in large-scale global projects. “Combined with the recent decision by affiliate LS Marine Solution to build a dedicated HVDC cable laying vessel, the completion of this facility is expected to be an opportunity for LS Cable & System to fully establish its turnkey performance capabilities, which encompass everything from production to construction.”

The addition of a vertical continuous vulcanization (VCV) line to the fifth submarine cable plant has significantly improved production competitiveness and supply stability for submarine cables. The HVDC cable market is growing, “but due to the high level of technical difficulty and the need for large-scale infrastructure, other than LS Cable & System, there are only a few manufacturers in Europe and Japan that can supply these cables.” For long-distance HVDC construction, a dedicated cable laying vessel of 10,000 tons or more is essential, so only companies with both production and construction capabilities can meet global demand, it said.

Of note, LS C&S’s affiliate, LS Marine Solution, recently announced the construction of a dedicated HVDC cable laying vessel with a displacement of more than 10,000 tons. This vessel will allow the company not only to manufacture long-length cable in-house but also to transport and install it worldwide, a critical advantage in the global HVDC market.

JDR Cable Systems (JDR), part of the TFKable Group, has secured a service contract from Indian multinational Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to test umbilical cables for offshore operations in the Middle East.

A press release said that the contract, which starts in the second quarter of this year, covers testing of 14 umbilical cables across multiple platforms under two major scopes of work. The project will involve critical pre-deployment and integration testing, as well as monitoring during lay operations.

JDR will provide offshore equipment, experienced technicians, and technical support, with the work managed from its U.K. service center in Newcastle. Multiple staff rotations offshore are planned to support the testing and installation phases.

“This contract reflects the strength of our service offering and the ability of our team to deliver technically complex work in the Middle East,” said Alan Combe, EMEA service sales manager for JDR. “It’s a region full of opportunity and an important part of our long-term focus.”

JDR Chief Sales Officer Carl Pilmer added that the company sees continued opportunity in the Middle East. “As we consolidate our presence, this project is a good example of how we’re supporting customers with reliable and high-quality service delivery.