Hitachi Energy plans to build a $528 million transformer factory in Gallman, with construction expected to begin late this year and production targeted for 2029. The Mississippi Development Authority says the project will create 654 jobs, making the hiring timeline, site work and workforce preparation the next practical tests of the announcement.
The project centers on a 45-acre site in the Copiah County Industrial Park, about 6.5 miles from Hitachi Energy’s existing Crystal Springs operation. According to the company’s September 15 announcement, the new plant will be more than twice the size of the current facility and will more than double local transformer-production capacity. Hitachi describes the investment as its largest single U.S. manufacturing commitment to date.
State and company job figures differ slightly. Mississippi’s development announcement uses 654 new jobs, while Hitachi says the project will create more than 700. The company did not reconcile the two counts in its release, so 654 is the more conservative state commitment for tracking the project. Hitachi’s current Crystal Springs factory employs 475 people, according to the state.
The Mississippi Development Authority is supporting the expansion through the state’s MFLEX tax-incentive program and assistance for site development and infrastructure; Copiah County is also participating. The state announcement does not assign a public dollar value to that assistance. That means the corporate investment and job commitment are clear, but the eventual public cost will depend on how the incentive and infrastructure support are documented and used.
The factory will produce small power transformers, equipment that changes voltage so electricity can move through the grid and reach homes and businesses. Reuters reported that the Gallman plant is the largest individual piece of Hitachi Energy’s broader U.S. manufacturing expansion. The company says the Mississippi project is intended to strengthen domestic supply as electricity demand rises.
The existing Crystal Springs plant is not slated to close when manufacturing moves. WLBT reported after the announcement that transformer production will continue there during construction, then transition to Gallman in 2029; the older building is expected to remain in use for warehousing, training and other operations. That distinction matters locally because the project is a relocation and expansion of production, not a clean-sheet arrival by a company new to the county.
For residents, the clearest milestones are now visible: site work later in 2026, recruitment and training before production, and startup in 2029. State workforce agency AccelerateMS says it will coordinate with the company and education partners on preparation for the new roles. Until job postings and training schedules are released, applicants should treat the 654-job figure as a multi-year commitment tied to the plant’s completion rather than immediate openings. The three-year runway also gives local governments time to plan for added traffic, utilities and housing demand around Gallman.
