New $86 Million Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Factory Breaks Ground in Pittsburgh Region to Expand Energy Manufacturing Sector

­Today, the Shapiro Administration and Department of Community and Economic Development held a groundbreaking for the new Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. (MEPPI) facility in the Pittsburgh region. MEPPI’s $86 million expansion will create at least 200 new jobs and retain 806 employees while expanding Pennsylvania’s critical energy manufacturing sector.   

Announced by Governor Josh Shapiro in October 2024, the Commonwealth invested over $6.7 million to support the company’s growth in southwestern Pennsylvania. The new advanced switchgear facility and expanded power electronics facilities and testing lab will allow MEPPI to transition from the production of gas-insulated circuit breakers to vacuum breakers. The switchgear and power electronics solutions that MEPPI provides are essential for meeting the growing demand for electricity.      

“We are working to make Pennsylvania the best state in the nation for businesses to grow and thrive,” said Governor Shapiro. “We’re getting stuff done here in the Commonwealth and will continue making bold, strategic investments to boost our economy and create good jobs for Pennsylvanians. MEPPI clearly recognizes that we’re open for business ― choosing the Commonwealth over Ohio for this new, state-of-the-art facility so that we can continue to lead on energy and manufacturing.”  

MEPPI received a funding proposal from DCED for a $4 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant and a $2.75 million Pennsylvania First grant.   

“We’re not just breaking ground on a new facility; we are advancing Mitsubishi Electric’s investment in North America by engineering, and delivering, the infrastructure of the future,” said Tricia Breeger, President and CEO, MEPPI.  “With this investment, MEPPI will be positioned to better serve our customers, provide new opportunities for employment, and contribute to our local community. The Advanced Switchgear Facility will be a place where ideas flourish, talent thrives, and innovation takes shape.  

“This groundbreaking signifies the importance of supporting the growth of our existing companies in this region,” said Stefani Pashman, CEO, Allegheny Conference on Community Development. “We appreciate that companies have a choice in their location decisions, and we’re honored the Pittsburgh region has earned MEPPI’s trust and confidence. The products to be made here, combined with the power electronics testing lab, are integral to our region’s energy strategy in solving grid reliability challenges, expanding energy generation and advancing industrial decarbonization.”  

This news comes on the heels of several major investments in the region due to a long commitment to support public-private energy partnerships. In October 2024, Mainspring Energy received $87 million from the Department of Energy (DOE) to fund a 300,000-square-foot clean-tech manufacturing facility in Pittsburgh, bringing more than 600 skilled jobs to the region. Westinghouse, a long-time leader in the city’s energy sector, is currently developing its carbon-free, safe and scalable energy technology (the eVinci microreactor) in its 87,420-square-foot facility. In April 2024, JM Steel and Nextracker expanded its manufacturing lines to produce the necessary steel torque tubes for Nextracker’s large-scale solar power arrays.