Prolec GE Waukesha to Invest $140 Million to Expand Production Facility

Raleigh, NC - On May 14, 2025 Governor Josh Stein joined business leaders and local officials to announce a major expansion for Prolec-GE Waukesha, Inc., one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of power transformers. The company will add 330 new jobs as it invests $140 million to build a second manufacturing facility in Goldsboro.

“Prolec GE’s expansion in North Carolina further solidifies the state as a manufacturing powerhouse across all sectors,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Our strong economy and world-class workforce continue to give businesses the confidence to keep investing in North Carolina. We’re excited about Prolec GE’s commitment to Wayne County.”

Prolec GE Waukesha is a subsidiary of GE Prolec Transformers, Inc., a U.S. joint venture between Xignux and GE Vernova, and is headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Prolec GE Waukesha engineers, manufactures, installs, and services high-quality power transformers for investor-owned utilities, co-ops, municipalities, renewable project developers, data centers and other industrial sites. The company will build a new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant at its existing site to support the growing demand for power grid capacity in the United States. With new, sophisticated equipment, this expansion will double the Goldsboro facility’s current production volume of medium power transformers.

“It is essential for government, industry, and community leaders to collaborate early and frequently to drive growth in the manufacturing sector,” said Juan Ignacio Garza Herrera, Xignux CEO and Prolec GE Chairman. “This $140M investment reflects our long-term commitment to creating sustainable value for North America’s energy market and our pride in energizing life and society to contribute to a better world. Our collaboration with the state of North Carolina, Wayne County, and our joint venture partner, GE Vernova, will be instrumental in helping us turn this commitment into something tangible that will benefit our customers and all those that rely on the country’s power grid.” 

“It’s not a coincidence that another energy company is deepening its roots in North Carolina,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Prolec GE’s expansion is a vote of confidence in our workforce training efforts, infrastructure improvements, and recruitment tools that are attracting growing companies to every corner of the state.”

While salaries for the new positions will vary, the average annual salary is expected to be $71,912, which exceeds the Wayne County average of $46,211. These new jobs could create a potential annual payroll impact of more than $23.7 million to the local economy.

Prolec GE’s operation in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $1.05 billion. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs and capital investment, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $4,696,000, spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets.

The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 106 percent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost to the state, the state receives $2.06 in state revenue. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.

"On behalf of Wayne County, we welcome Prolec GE’s expansion. The new jobs and the investment into our county will bring economic growth and stability to Eastern NC," said Senator Buck Newton. "The people of Wayne County will continue to support this company as it grows to its full potential insuring the equipment necessary to provide reliable energy is made in America. I am looking forward to witness the benefits this project will bring."

“Announcements like these happen through collaboration,” said Representative John R. Bell, IV. “With the partnership and diligence of our state and local officials, as well as the economic developers, we’re able to inject another surge of energy into our regional economy through Prolec GE’s expansion.”

In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, Wayne Community College, North Carolina Global TransPark Economic Development Region, Wayne County, Wayne County Development Alliance, North Carolina’s Southeast, and Duke Energy.