Hitachi Energy has announced an ambitious upgrade and modernisation of its power transformer factory in Varennes, and other facilities in Montreal, to address a fast-growing customer demand for sustainable energy in North America. More than $100 million ($140 million CAD) in projects around Montreal will include funding from the government of Quebec through Investissement Quebec.
This investment is in line with Hitachi Energy’s recent announcement to ramp up its global transformer manufacturing capacity to support long-term plans and electrification efforts.
The Varennes facility is Hitachi Energy’s premier manufacturing location for large power transformers in North America, supporting national and regional power grids and utility-scale renewable energy projects.
The additional 12 000 sq m facility will support the certification of power transformers manufactured in Varennes, and a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) engineering and design centre, and is expected to be completed before the end of 2027. This initiative aligns with Quebec's broader strategy to meet its ambitious energy goals, including the need for more than 150 TWh of additional energy – around twice what Quebec consumes today – to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
The Varennes factory designs and engineers a wide range of transformers, for large power step-up, auto-transformers for very high voltage, shunt reactors, and transformers for static compensators and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems. The location’s manufacturing capacity ranges from 100 to 1200 MVA and operating voltage reach as high as 800 kV.
Image: Hitachi Energy's Varennes Montreal factory
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