Sen. Shelley Moore Capito visits Form Energy just ahead of passage of ADVANCE Act

WEIRTON, W.Va. (WTRF) – A total revitalization for the Weirton area is coming to fruition, providing over 100 jobs already and hundreds more projected.

Form Energy is a recreation of a very vital economic driver for energies and batteries of the future – the Weirton Steel Mill that employed tens of thousands of West Virginians.

The progress on the facility has been fast-moving, as the technology will be for years to come.

”Our goal and our vision going into this is we want a factory to be a place that people want to go work and a place that people aspire to go work where there are really good paying jobs, high tech jobs, where you can learn a trade and learn and grow in a profession that lasts for a lifetime. That’s what we’re aiming to do here for sure.”

Ted Wylie – President and Chief Operating Officer, Form Energy

Senator and Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Shelley Moore Capito was able to tour the facility that will develop and commercialize iron-air batteries.

This comes right as her ADVANCE Act recently passed in the Senate and is now headed to the president’s desk.

“What a great investment and such an uplifting feeling as you drive up and see all the construction, the money that’s gone into this, the innovation that’s occurring. It’s exciting times, I think, here in Weirton. And you know, it’s bringing new technologies and making Weirton the place of the future.”

Senator Shelley Moore Capito – (R) West Virginia

Form Energy 1 broke ground just over a year ago and will soon be in full operation on the Ohio River with direct access to rail, river and highway infrastructure to transport West Virginia-made batteries across the nation.

”It really is sort of reaching that stage of maturity where we can start to actually make the product as we intend to, using the methods and materials that we intend to deliver to customers as we go through those final dress rehearsals through the end of this year.”

Mateo Jaramillo – Chief Executive Officer, From Energy

Meeting the challenges of tomorrow will soon be reality for the city of Weirton as they continue to test, perform quality control, and hire employees for the company’s first high-volume battery manufacturing plant.

Form Energy is on track to officially begin operations by September of this year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTRF.