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Hyundai Says It Will Spend $2.7 Billion Expanding Part of the Georgia Complex Raided by ICE

Hyundai Motor Group confirmed it is going forward with previously announced plans to expand its Georgia plant, just weeks after an immigration raid delayed the startup of an electric vehicle battery plant at the site. As part of a broader investment strategy, Hyundai said it would spend $2.7 billion to increase production capacity at the Ellabell, Georgia site by 200,000 over the next three years, to a total of 500,000 vehicles a year.  Hyundai said that it plans to make more than 80% of vehicles sold in the United States domestically by 2030, with total domestic content increasing from 60% to 80%. Hyundai pledges to hire at least 8,500 workers by the end of 2031. Hyundai to expand Georgia plant despite ICE raid | AP News

Amazon Spends $1 Billion to Increase Pay and Lower Health Care Costs for US Workers

Amazon has a global workforce of 1.5 million workers. The Seattle-based company said the average pay is increasing to more than $23 per hour. Amazon also said it will lower the cost of its entry health care plan to $5 per week and $5 for co-pays, starting next year. In January 2024, Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, said that average wages for hourly workers would exceed $18, up from $17.50.  At Minneapolis-based Target, the starting hourly wage ranges from $15 to $24 for workers employed at stores and distribution centers. Amazon spends $1 billion to increase pay and lower health care costs for US workers | AP News

US Supreme Court to Hear Trump’s Tariffs Case on November 5 by Andrew Chung

The Supreme Court will hear arguments Nov. 5 on the legality of President Donald Trump’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The case arises after lower courts found that Trump exceeded his powers under a federal law typically reserved for emergencies. The ruling could have significant implications for US trade policy and the limits of presidential authority. US Supreme Court to hear Trump’s tariffs case on November 5 | Reuters

Wesco’s Scholarships Support More than 100 Apprentices through NECA/ELECTRI’s Project Management Program

Wesco International announced that more than 100 apprentices will graduate next month through the NECA/ELECTRI Project Management Apprenticeship, supported by the Wesco Cares scholarship program. Wesco executives will be onsite at the annual NECA Convention held in Chicago, IL, Sept.12-15, to discuss its strong partnership with ELECTRI International and the success of the scholarship program to date. The scholarship program launched in 2024 aims to address labor shortages and cultivate future industry leaders.  Wesco’s Scholarships Support More than 100 Apprentices through NECA/ELECTRI’s Project Management Program | Electrical Wholesaling

NAED Backs NEMA Tariff Incentive Proposal

Electrical equipment and grid components are the backbone of America’s energy, manufacturing, grid, and AI dominance priorities. To power growing demand for electricity, industrial capacity, and data centers, more of this infrastructure must be produced here at home. NEMA’s tariff incentive framework introduces a three-pronged approach to targeted, time-limited tariff incentives that support the Trump Administration’s industrial policy and energy objectives:

  1. Capital Investment in U.S. Manufacturing Incentive: A tariff offset equal to any capital investments made to build or expand a domestic manufacturing facility, available for up to three years after the facility is operational.
  2. Grid Infrastructure Incentive: A tariff offset for goods or raw materials used to build or operate our power infrastructure essential to global competitiveness, including but not limited to substations, on-site generation, distribution equipment, and data centers.
  3. Domestic Manufacturing Incentive: A tariff offset for manufactured goods that meet federal domestic content requirements.

NAED applauds NEMA’s innovative approach to incentivizing domestic manufacturing and grid expansion. To read NEMA’s tariff incentive proposal, click hereNAED Backs NEMA Incentive Proposal – tEDmag

Hitachi to Invest $1 Billion to Produce Power Grid Components in US by Laila Kearney

Hitachi plans to invest $1 billion to expand its U.S. power grid infrastructure manufacturing, its energy unit said on Thursday, as the country faces record electricity demand from Big Tech’s build-out of AI data centers. The U.S. holds the biggest concentration in the world of data centers, which are expected to triple their energy use to consume about 12% of the domestic power supply in less than three years. As a result, many utilities are ramping up spending on the long-stagnating electrical grid. Nearly half of Hitachi Energy’s latest investment, or $457 million, will go towards building a new facility in South Boston, Virginia, to manufacture large power transformers. The facility will be the biggest U.S. producer of the massive transformers, which can run as large as a two-story home, Hitachi said.  Hitachi to invest $1 billion to produce power grid components in US | Reuters

LEDucation 2026 Call for Speakers

Deadline for Submissions is September 15, 2025. LEDucation is now accepting speaker proposals for its 2026 Conference, taking place April 14–15 at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Virtual sessions will be held the week prior to the in-person event. LEDucation provides insightful presentations, panel discussions, practical case studies, and addresses topics exploring emerging issues. The Conference will highlight the latest technologies, regulatory updates, essential issues, and lighting trends. Sessions are AIA CES–approved with many carrying AIA HSW approval as well. This Educational Conference draws expert lighting and architectural professionals along with those who are new to the industry—many seeking CEUs. Be sure your submission includes actionable takeaways and practical guidance that participants can immediately apply in their work. Call for Speakers – LEDucation

Case Study: Improving Cafeteria Attendance by Daniel Holdridge

A Saratoga Springs High School Cafeteria renovation boosts lunchtime participation by 15%. When many people think about how a school cafeteria supports the health of its students, the first things that typically come to mind are the menu offerings and the level of accessibility students have to nutritious meal and snack options. Rarely do the cafeteria’s ceilings and walls find their way into the conversation. However, as this project feature demonstrates, choosing the right ceiling and wall solutions—ones that support everything from improved acoustics and lighting to a more welcoming and spirited atmosphere—very much plays a role in the well-being of students. Case Study: Improving Cafeteria Attendance

  • Ceiling cloud configurations add dimension, define large-group seating areas, and allow natural lighting from skylights to enter the space.
  • Natural wood ceiling and wall panels coordinate seamlessly to provide a warm, welcoming visual and help define seating areas.

     

Cheyenne to Host Massive AI Data Center Using More Electricity than All Wyoming Homes Combined

An artificial intelligence data center that would use more electricity than every home in Wyoming combined before expanding to as much as five times that size will be built soon near Cheyenne, according to the city’s mayor. With cool weather — good for keeping computer temperatures down — and an abundance of inexpensive electricity from a top energy-producing state, Wyoming’s capital has become a hub of computing power. The city has been home to Microsoft data centers since 2012. An $800 million data center announced last year by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms is nearing completion. The latest data center, a joint effort between regional energy infrastructure company Tallgrass and AI data center developer Crusoe, would begin at 1.8 gigawatts of electricity and be scalable to 10 gigawatts. A gigawatt can power as many as 1 million homes. But that’s more homes than Wyoming has people. The least populated state, Wyoming, has about 590,000 people. But this proposed data center is so big, it would have its own dedicated energy from gas generation and renewable sources.  Cheyenne to host massive AI data center using more electricity than all Wyoming homes combined | AP News

The Digital Backbone of Tomorrow’s Grid

The global energy grid faces aging infrastructure, rising renewable integration, and decentralization challenges. AI emerges as a vital tool to optimize capacity, predict failures, and enhance resilience, ensuring a reliable power supply amid growing demand and environmental risks. AI is becoming a crucial tool for utilities to modernize the energy grid, addressing challenges such as aging infrastructure, renewable integration and decentralization. AI enables predictive maintenance, reducing outages by up to 30%, and enhances grid capacity through dynamic line rating. Utilities such as PG&E and Tata Power are already using AI to manage peak demand and improve reliability. The Digital Backbone of Tomorrow’s Grid | T&D World

National Football League – American football began as a hybrid of soccer and rugby on post-Civil War college campuses. Football was wildly popular but disorganized in the early 1900s. In an effort to standardize and organize, the National Football League was formed in 1920 in Canton, Ohio.  The NFL is the premier professional organization for American football, with 32 teams in two conferences and almost 1,700 active players. In 2023, the NFL generated nearly $20B in revenue. With its teams valued at $190B combined, it is the most valuable sports league in the world. The popularity of the NFL has made it a global sport. In 2002 the NFL began featuring fantasy games on its site.  The NFL is the most valuable sports league in the world.  NFL teams are worth a total of $163B. Each team holds an average value of over $5.1B, almost as much as the NBA and MLB combined. The Dallas Cowboys, valued at $9B, are the most valuable sports franchise on Earth. (NY Yankees are at 8.2B….just saying).