July 22, 2024

Manchin Applauds Reopening Of Weirton’s Cleveland-Cliffs Site As Distribution Transformers Facility

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) applauded Cleveland-Cliffs’ announcement to redevelop its Weirton, West Virginia facility into a manufacturing site for distribution transformers. The new facility will use existing building assets and infrastructure, reinvigorating a strong workforce of United Steelworkers who have faced substantial layoffs over recent years. The total investment is estimated at $150 million and will create approximately 600 jobs.

“Today’s announcement is incredible news for Cleveland-Cliffs, the United Steelworkers, the people of Weirton, and all of West Virginia,” said Senator Manchin. “Distribution transformers are absolutely critical components of our nation’s power grid and this project is a great opportunity to position our state as a global leader in their production while reemploying hardworking West Virginians who lost their jobs earlier this year. I’m grateful to everyone who worked tirelessly to find a solution for this site and I am excited to see West Virginia continue to play an essential role in our energy and manufacturing industries.”

“I am elated at Cleveland Cliffs’ announcement to put our United Steelworkers back to work in Weirton today. With partners at Cleveland Cliffs, the State of West Virginia, local representatives and Senator Manchin, who never stopped fighting for our members, today we have reason to celebrate. I look forward to developing one of the most efficient factories in the country, with United Steelworkers helping to grow this opportunity even beyond the jobs announced today, right here in Weirton, West Virginia,” said Mark Glyptis, United Steelworkers Local 2911 President.

“The acute shortage of transformers in the United States is hampering economic development and threatening energy security nationwide. This investment by Cleveland-Cliffs to produce distribution transformers in Weirton will address the shortage. Time and again, I have heard from transformer manufacturers about an apparent lack of skilled workers necessary to expand production. By sharp contrast, in Weirton, we have 600 highly skilled Steelworkers of USW Local 2911 ready to deploy in support of the development and operation of this new transformer manufacturing hub. Senator Manchin has long maintained a special relationship with the workforce in Weirton and the Senator has been an indispensable partner to Cleveland-Cliffs in our effort to make this new investment a reality,” said Lourenco Goncalves, Chairman, President, and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.

Distribution transformers manage the flow of electricity along the power grid by changing high-voltage electricity from distribution lines into low-voltage electricity before it reaches consumers. The United States is currently experiencing an unprecedented supply chain shortage of these transformers, threatening energy accessibility, reliability and affordability for households nationwide. This project will position West Virginia to be a long-term leader in transformer manufacturing.

In January of 2024, Senator Manchin introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent a Department of Energy rule that would have done harm to America’s distribution transformer manufacturers and supply. This legislation resulted in the Department of Energy issuing a final rule that ensures grain oriented electrical steel can continue to compete in the market, which contributed to Cleveland Cliffs’ monumental announcement today.

A timeline of Senator Manchin’s efforts to protect Cleveland-Cliffs, United Steelworkers and the domestic steel industry is available here.