NextStar Energy Celebrates First Year Anniversary

NextStar Energy, a joint venture between Stellantis and LG Energy Solution, is celebrating its first anniversary. Over the past year, the company has made significant progress in the clean energy sector, working towards becoming Canada’s first large-scale electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing facility.

NextStar Energy aims to achieve an annual production capacity of 49.5 gigawatt hours (GWh) and create over 2,500 new jobs in Canada. The milestone will be a major step in the country’s EV battery manufacturing capabilities.

Construction of the 4.23-million-square-foot plant in Windsor is progressing steadily. The Module building and its equipment installation are nearly complete, while the Cell building’s exterior is 90% finished, and work on the interior and equipment installation has started.

Safety remains a top priority, with a daily crew of nearly 2,000 construction workers. The plant recently reached 4.3 million man-hours without a lost time injury (LTIR).

The company is also focused on building a skilled and diverse workforce. So far, over 325 of the planned 2,500 jobs have been filled, and hiring continues. Available positions are listed on the NextStar Energy careers page.

In February, NextStar Energy successfully produced its first battery module sample. Full-scale production of battery modules is set to begin early this fall, with cell manufacturing slated to start in 2025.

NextStar Energy’s CEO, Danies Lee, attributes the project’s progress to strong support from government stakeholders, extensive planning, and a dedicated workforce. “The progress we’ve made this year is a testament to the collective effort, dedication, and expertise of everyone involved,” Lee said. “We are well-positioned for a successful and timely project completion.”