State grants back new Brazilian energy plant in Eden

Brazilian energy company TSEA Energy recently broke ground on its first US-based manufacturing facility in Eden, North Carolina. The 162,000 sq ft facility will manufacture voltage regulators, and the company has already begun hiring for it.

“North Carolina stood out during our site selection process for a combination of strategic factors, including workforce availability, access to training and workforce development resources, logistics, industrial infrastructure, and proximity to key customers and markets,” Rafael Porteiro, CMO of TSEA Energy, told the Carolina Journal. “The state also offered a strong environment for manufacturing growth, which was important for a long-term investment of this nature.”

On March 24, Gov. Josh Stein announced that the facility would be coming to Rockingham County. The company promised to create 160 jobs and invest $25 million in the county. 

The hiring process is already underway, and positions are expected to be filled in May, according to Porteiro. The human resources team is conducting interviews with candidates across multiple departments, including engineering, industrial operations, and project management. As the facility moves through preparation, ramp-up, and the start of production, the hiring process will continue in phases. 

While wages will vary by role, the projected average annual salary for the new positions is $66,554. This is $20,400 more than the average salary of $46,154 in Rockingham County. 

“With the support of a consulting firm, we evaluated several states, visited potential locations, presented our project, and ultimately decided that Rockingham County was the right place for TSEA Energy’s first US manufacturing facility,” said Porteiro. “We see this as an opportunity not only to expand our operations, but also to become part of the local community and build long-term relationships in the region.”

Based on the project’s job creation commitments, these positions are expected to generate more than $7 million in annual payroll for the region, with the potential for an even greater total impact once full employment is reached, according to Porteiro. 

“Manufacturing locally expands our ability to serve customers more efficiently, strengthens our presence in the U.S., and positions us to meet the growing demand from utilities in the years ahead,” Beto Reynaldo, CEO of TSEA Energy, said in a press release.

The NC Department of Commerce awarded a $300,000 performance-based grant from taxpayers through the One North Carolina Fund (OneNC) to the company to assist with relocating to North Carolina. To receive the OneNC grant payment, TSEA Energy must create 106 jobs and invest $17 million.

Currently, the company is focusing on preparing the site, installing equipment, and building the core team to train staff and scale up operations.

In addition to receiving funding from OneNC, the project also received a $500,000 grant from taxpayers through the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority as part of the $1.6 million in local government grants recently approved, according to the NC Department of Commerce.

 The facility will manufacture voltage regulators rated up to 1,100 A and 36.2 kV, and will be equipped with modern communication protocols, integrated cybersecurity features, and advanced electronic controls.  

“Voltage regulators are in increasing need in North Carolina and elsewhere to help protect power grids from poor power quality, including spikes, sags, or other disruptions that are increasingly an issue owing to the interconnection of intermittent solar resources, as well as from rooftop solar, batteries, and charging electric vehicles,” Jon Sanders, Director of the Center for Food Power and Life at the John Locke Foundation told the Carolina Journal.

The Eden facility will produce voltage regulators with ratings up to 1,100 A and 36.2 kV, featuring advanced electronic controls, modern communication protocols, and built-in cybersecurity capabilities. Production will ramp up in phases beginning in Q4 2026, with an anticipated annual capacity of at least 4,500 units.

TSEA Energy will adapt the layout and install new machinery and equipment in the leased facility, according to Porteiro. Production is expected to begin in the 4th quarter of 2026, with the first units scheduled for delivery in early 2027. 

The plant will mainly serve investor-owned utilities, electric cooperatives, and municipal power providers throughout the United States. TSEA Energy currently manufactures these products in Brazil and already supplies about 40 US utilities across 35 states.

“This facility will produce step voltage regulators exclusively for the US market, reinforcing TSEA Energy’s long-term commitment to American utilities and to the communities that depend on reliable power,” said Porteiro. 

According to Porteiro, TSEA Energy’s main goal is to serve the US market with greater availability, agility, and proximity to customers. 

“The United States is a key market for the company, and expanding our manufacturing footprint allows us to strengthen our presence and support utilities more directly,” said Porteiro.

By implementing domestic production, the company expects to double its global manufacturing capacity for voltage regulators, reinforcing its role in the international supply chain for power equipment. The US-based facility will also allow the company to shift a portion of US demand, currently served from Brazil, to the US, freeing capacity in Brazil’s manufacturing to support domestic (Brazilian) demand and other regions, particularly Latin America. 

“State grants back new Brazilian energy plant in Eden” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.