What ever happened to a proposed $50M lithium-ion battery factory in Philipsburg?

In late May 2023, a proposal to build a $50 million lithium-ion battery factory in the Philipsburg area drew excitement for its potential to bring 100-150 high-paying manufacturing jobs to the area.

A year later, it appears plans for the factory have stalled.

The project was dependent on landing a $25 million federal grant that would be matched by EC Power, a research and development firm headquartered in State College, and Flux Power, a company in California. Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership Executive Director Stan LaFuria recently said the companies were unsuccessful in securing the grant.

“It was announced that the grant was not approved so our thinking has been that there is no project,” LaFuria wrote in an email.

EC Power and its CEO Eric Rountree did not respond to requests for comment.

The factory would’ve been the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, and Rountree told the Centre County Commissioners last May that it had the potential to help revitalize Philipsburg and retain working talent in the area, given the factory’s close proximity to Penn State.

County Commissioner Steve Dershem agreed and applauded Rountree’s efforts at last May’s meeting.

“I think it’d be fantastic to keep all that manpower and all that education within a few miles of a major research facility,” he said.

The commissioners also approved a letter of support last year for the grant proposal.

Because EC Power was not awarded the federal grant, County Commissioner Mark Higgins said Tuesday the project was “likely over.”

EC Power already has a fabrication plant in the Philipsburg area.