Scaled-up production of the next-generation advanced conductors will help the U.S. keep pace with the AI data center boom by enabling fast, affordable grid expansion. The start of operations at the Hardeeville facility will be celebrated at a grand opening event today.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- TS Conductor (TS) today announced the grand opening and start of operations at its newest manufacturing plant in Hardeeville, South Carolina. American-owned and proudly made in the USA, TS is a pioneer of patented and award-winning Aluminum Encapsulated Carbon Core (AECC) next-generation advanced conductors.
The South Carolina AECC plant is poised to strengthen U.S. domestic supply chains as utilities work toward building a stronger, higher-capacity, more-efficient power grid — all with the speed that American industry needs and the affordability that American ratepayers deserve. The milestone will be celebrated today at a grand opening event at the Jasper County facility.
The new facility — located at a master-planned industrial park just miles from the Port of Savannah — is TS's second U.S. manufacturing plant. The company's headquarters and first manufacturing facility is in Huntington Beach, California. The initial phase of TS's South Carolina expansion will increase the company's AECC production capacity by up to 10x compared to its first manufacturing plant. At full buildout, capacity is expected to increase up to 20x.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster shared, "Today marks an important milestone for TS Conductor and for South Carolina. The opening of this facility in Hardeeville reflects the strength of our workforce and our commitment to supporting American energy security. This investment will create new opportunities for the people of Jasper County and further strengthen our state's economy."
AECC is a next-generation advanced conductor capable of doubling or tripling the grid's transmission capacity compared to traditional ACSR conductors. AECC is highly durable and fully compatible with standard equipment and practices utilized for traditional conductors for safe and easy installation — a critical improvement that earlier generations of advanced conductors struggled to overcome. By choosing AECC conductors, utilities can improve reliability, avoid structural rebuilds, and significantly reduce CapEx across both new and reconductoring projects. The latter option — reconductoring with modern advanced conductors such as AECC — is the fastest way for grid operators to add desperately needed transmission capacity affordably.
Federal support for advanced conductor deployment
For phase one of the three-phase expansion in Hardeeville, TS is receiving continued support of $28 million from the U.S. Department of Energy's Manufacturing Deployment Office (MDO), within the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI). The MDO was previously known as the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC). TS also earned recognition from the White House earlier this year as a notable manufacturing investment success.
The manufacturing expansion is well aligned with federal priorities: two months ago, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $1.9 billion SPARK (Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring) initiative, which provides significant federal cost share for near-term, high-impact grid capacity upgrades. SPARK aims to rapidly increase transmission capacity within existing rights-of-way — a goal best achieved by replacing legacy conductors with next-generation AECC conductors. TS technology is also fully compliant with SPARK's Build America, Buy America requirement.
"We are encouraged by the DOE's SPARK program, which reinforces the administration's commitment to grid modernization and U.S. energy dominance. With that future in mind, I believe the opening of our Hardeeville facility marks a pivotal moment for the American energy landscape," said TS CEO Jason Huang, PhD. "We believe AECC is central to the future of our nation's power architecture, and we are immensely proud to produce this world-leading technology right here in the United States."
Shortly after the announcement of the SPARK program, the White House issued a Presidential Determination under the Defense Production Act formally identifying the U.S. electric grid as a critical vulnerability to national security. Advanced conductors — including their domestic manufacture and deployment — have been designated as a critical piece of the solution for U.S. national defense. As a U.S.-owned and -operated manufacturer, TS Conductor directly supports these federal grid-security priorities by delivering transmission capacity expansion solutions aligned with national defense and resilience objectives.
"Expanding domestic production of high-performance conductors is a vital step toward ensuring our industry has the tools necessary to modernize the grid within existing rights-of-way. Strengthening the U.S. supply chain — as TS is doing today — allows utilities to accelerate capacity upgrades and meet our nation's evolving energy needs with greater speed and affordability," said Tom Kuhn, former president and CEO of Edison Electric Institute.
An investment in South Carolina's industrial and economic future
TS is investing $42 million in the first phase of the Hardeeville location, with a total investment of $134 million planned across all three phases of the project. Phase one will occupy 300,000+ square feet; future phases could encompass an additional 1 million square feet. The industrial park is located less than 10 miles from the nation's third-largest port of entry and fastest-growing container terminal — the Georgia Ports Authority's Garden City Terminal in Savannah — in a strategic move for the company and its rapidly growing pipeline of domestic and international customers.
At full capacity, the Hardeeville facility is expected to create ~462 direct advanced manufacturing jobs with above-average wages. Already, 288 jobs have been created, with hiring continuing. TS is working in partnership with South Carolina's workforce development system, SC Works, and two connected programs — readySC and the SC Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) — to invest in vocational training across the region.
Hardeeville Mayor Harry Williams shared, "The City of Hardeeville and Jasper County are excited to welcome TS Conductor into our community. This facility will create far more than just an important technology for power transmission; it will be a center of hope for our young people who want to achieve an economically secure life for their families with career choices that didn't exist for prior generations. TS Conductor has already shown its eagerness to intertwine the company into the fabric of our community, and we welcome them with open arms."
TS Conductor investors and customers
Utilities worldwide have deployed TS technology, including Arizona Public Service, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Montana-Dakota Utilities Company, Salt River Project, Tennessee Valley Authority, and others in the U.S. and beyond.
TS's industry-leading investors include Blue Earth Capital; Breakthrough Energy Ventures; Edison International; Energy & Environment Investment, Inc.; Gates Frontier; National Grid Partners, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources; Quanta Services; and Wellington Management.
"TS Conductor's expansion is a significant step forward as we work to improve energy security while meeting the surging power demands of the AI and data center era — all without raising costs for everyday ratepayers. By delivering more power through existing corridors, technology like this helps ensure our grid remains a robust, cost-effective engine for security, innovation, and the broader energy transition," said Carmichael Roberts at Breakthrough Energy Ventures.
Job seekers can learn more about career opportunities at TS Conductor and apply for open positions here. Organizations submitting for funding through the SPARK program can learn more and contact the TS team for support here.
About TS Conductor
TS Conductor is modernizing the power grid with next-generation advanced conductors that enable utilities to double or triple transmission capacity while cutting costs for customers. Patented Aluminum Encapsulated Carbon Core (AECC) technology is the only advanced conductor fully compatible with standard installation practices and equipment. With thousands of miles installed since 2016 and extensive third-party testing, TS Conductor's technology has earned the support of industry-leading investors and utility customers. The company has been recognized with awards from the U.S. Department of Energy, Public Utilities Fortnightly, S&P Global Platts, and BloombergNEF. Learn more at www.tsconductor.com.
Watch TS CEO Jason Huang's recent TED Talk here.
Media Contact
Nikki Arnone, Inflection Point Agency for TS Conductor, 1 (719) 357-8344, [email protected], https://tsconductor.com/
SOURCE TS Conductor
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