Major upgrades to be completed next year at Jeannette's Ebara Elliot Energy, company says

Ebara Elliot Energy is undergoing major electrical upgrades at its U.S. headquarters in Jeannette.

Once work is completed next year, Ebara Elliott Energy will be able to test compressors and electrical equipment up to 100 megawatts, placing its testing capacity among the largest in the world, said company spokeswoman Meagan Price. As a comparison, an average household dishwasher uses 1,800 watts of energy per cycle. A megawatt is equal to one million watts.

“With the industry moving toward more electrification of large primary drivers, this upgrade positions Ebara Elliott Energy to be the leader in large horsepower compressor testing capability, being a one-stop shop for manufacturing, testing and service for turbomachinery that few global companies can provide,” Ron Josefcyzk, vice president of global manufacturing, said in a statement.

Company officials began studying with FirstEnergy the possibility of creating its own substation in late 2022, according to information released by Elliott. Months of assessments, planning and engineering work followed. Construction started in August. Work is visible behind a parking lot on Jeannette’s North Fourth Street.

The new substation is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025.

At the company’s request, West Penn Power is extending a 138,000-volt transmission line from its nearby substation to the new facility in Jeannette, said spokesman Todd Meyers.

“That’s not uncommon for a big manufacturing plant,” he said.

West Penn’s substation is about a half-mile away from the Jeannette site. The transmission line will be run on 13 steel poles. Construction, which will be paid for by Elliott, could start early next year, he said.

A 100MVA power transformer, which regulates the flow of electricity between two circuits, and a series of capacitor banks, which store power, will be installed, according to information provided by Elliott. The upgrades are a good opportunity to meet the evolving needs of customers, said Mark Babyak, vice president of new apparatus sales.

“Expanding our testing capabilities in Jeannette will enable us to help customers transition to greener solutions for a sustainable future,” he said in a statement.

About 980 people worked at the Jeannette facility as of 2022.