U.S.-based energy equipment manufacturing company GE Vernova has announced it would invest approximately ₹1.4 billion (~$16 million) in India to expand its electrification manufacturing and engineering operations. The investment will be made through the company’s Indian electrification business, GE Vernova T&D India.

GE Vernova T&D India operates five manufacturing facilities across India.

The investment is included in GE Vernova’s $4 billion cumulative capex plan through 2028 and is a part of the company’s ‘Asia for Asia’ strategy.

The company said this strategy targets building localized manufacturing capacity to serve regional needs better while contributing to global supply chain resilience.

Additionally, the investment will be used specifically for advanced grid technologies to enable stable, reliable, and secure electricity delivery. It will focus on developing a facility in Noida and a new manufacturing line at the GE Vernova T&D India’s existing Chennai (Pallavaram) facility.

The company said the expansions aim to enhance its ability to manufacture and test next-generation equipment for modern transmission systems to support the country’s energy transition and export demand from other fast-growing economies.

The expansions will include high voltage direct current (HVDC) and flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS) to help with power grid stabilization, transmission loss reduction, and easier renewable energy connection for solar and wind power.

The Chennai facility’s new manufacturing line will produce line-commutated converter (LCC) HVDC and voltage source converter (VSC) static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) valves. LCC is mostly used for long-distance, high-capacity power transmission. VSC is used mainly for providing grid stability and connecting renewable energy sources.

The company said HVDC and FACTS are critical for transmitting renewable energy to cities, industries, and communities from its generation sources. Additionally, the LCC and VSC STATCOM valves are essential components of the HVDC and FACTS systems.

The Noida facility will include a new engineering and testing lab to support the design and validation of the LCC and VSC STATCOM systems. The company will supply control systems to the facility to ensure quality and performance in real-world grid conditions.

The Chennai line is expected to start operations by early 2027 and the Noida facility by the end of 2025.

According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry data, foreign direct investment (FDI) in India’s renewable energy sector rose 50% year-over-year in the financial year (FY) 2024. FDI in renewables stood at $3.76 billion (₹315.84 billion) compared to $2.5 billion (₹206.5 billion) in FY 2023.