SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (AP) — General Electric Co. has chosen Schenectady for a $100 million plant to produce high-tech sodium battery cells designed to power locomotives and heavy equipment.
GE announced in May that it planned to boost its battery business with a new plant in upstate New York. The company said Wednesday it will be built on its existing Schenectady campus.
The plant will employ 350 workers when it reaches full production in 2011.
The sodium batteries — salt and nickel housed in state-of-the-art cells — will be used in GE's hybrid locomotive and also will be suitable for heavy service vehicles or backup storage.
Fairfield, Conn.-based GE sought stimulus money for the plant. The company didn't respond to a Times Union of Albany report that the federal funds went elsewhere.
