Massive new car factory for Pryor

[patric]

I hate that Republicans are making me support Bud Light now. I mean, the enemy of my enemy is my friend and so on but - geez - this is almost a bridge too far. 

A-B financed the fight against eliminating 3.2 beer in Oklahoma as well as medical marijuana. Thank God it was only organized crime that financed the fight against legalization, but I digress..

OKLAHOMA CITY — The state has inked a contract for Panasonic to open a massive electric vehicle battery plant at the MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor.
But a dispute over who will pay for roughly $245 million in site work at the industrial park means the agreement isn't a done deal yet.
After the Oklahoma House saw a copy of the agreement on Wednesday, Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said the deal does not meet the qualifications for Panasonic to be eligible for $698 million in economic development incentives.

https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/oklahoma-signs-deal-for-panasonic-battery-plant-in-pryor-but-theres-a-catch/article_1ab4f740-dae3-11ed-974f-6b31d097d0f6.html

[Red Arrow]

After the Oklahoma House saw a copy of the agreement on Wednesday, Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said the deal does not meet the qualifications for Panasonic to be eligible for $698 million in economic development incentives.

Since it is not near Atoka.

[LandArchPoke]

Since it is not near Atoka.

My guess is it's because there is a contingency of the 'infrastructure' cost - the $250 million ish #

The requirement to get the LEAD Act $ is a binding, no contingency agreement - which technically it doesn't appear that Panasonic has signed one.

Doesn't mean they can't easily work this out. He's posturing to get the tax cuts passed - he's been pushing for the elimination of state income tax for a while. Stitt is in agreement there, the Senate does not appear to be interested in doing any resident income tax reduction.

Let's see how dramatic Republicans can be with each other     and I don't get why they are having this discussion/debate now and didn't hammer this out a longtime ago. This is the frustrating part of Oklahoma is they don't seem to ever take any type of economic development deal seriously.

But... even if the money goes back in the general revenue fund they can just reallocate it back to Panasonic anyways.

[Laramie]

Want to see more details with performance triggers before committing to Panasonic.  Looks inviting on the surface.  This would benefit Tulsa metro.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Since it is not near Atoka.

Someone will buy some 'services' from his consulting firm and things will be ok then.

[patric]

I don't get why they are having this discussion/debate now and didn't hammer this out a longtime ago. This is the frustrating part of Oklahoma is they don't seem to ever take any type of economic development deal seriously.

But Im sure Panasonic just cant wait to jump right in...

 

[dioscorides]

Company Planning To Build Lithium Refinery In Oklahoma
A new company is planning to build a lithium refinery in Oklahoma.
https://www.newson6.com/story/655fc60db7abe706bd817bc5/company-planning-to-build-lithium-refinery-in-oklahoma

A Connecticut energy startup company plans to build a lithium refinery just outside Tulsa, on an unspecified 66-acre site with access to the Kerr-McClellan Navigation System. The Mid-America Industrial Park fits their description of the property and has been actively recruiting industries related to electric vehicle production.

Stardust Power LLC announced plans in May to build a lithium refinery capable of processing 55,100 tons of battery-grade lithium annually. Their product would be destined for the electric vehicle market.

The Stardust Oklahoma plant announcement was included in an investor fact sheet about a planned combination between Stardust and Global Power Acquisition leading to listing on the Nasdaq exchange, expected in early 2024. The company says the State of Oklahoma and municipal incentives would support the project, in addition to federal grants and loans.

The company report says Stardust plans to build in Oklahoma to take advantage of nearby access to raw materials in Arkansas and Texas, and battery and vehicle manufacturers in several states. EV manufacturer Canoo has a battery module assembly plant at Mid-America, and a vehicle assembly plant in Oklahoma City that is ramping up operations.

The company expects to recruit and retrain old and gas workers to help build the workforce they need and utilize oil and gas wastewater as one source for production.

The company states the plant will utilize some renewable energy for production, which is available at Mid-America, and produce zero liquid discharge.

Below is Stardust Power LLC's release:

    "Stardust Power's strategy is to become a leading producer of battery grade lithium products in the U.S. The Company believes that designing a large central refinery optimized for multiple inputs of brine lithium feedstock provides an opportunity to scale production rather than the dependence on single assets. The proposed new battery-grade lithium refining facility in Greater Tulsa, Oklahoma, is expected to produce 50,000 metric tonnes per year of American battery-grade lithium, supporting the expansion of domestic manufacturing and helping to secure U.S. energy independence by reducing EV supply chain dependence on foreign sources of material. This is anticipated to reduce the reliance on lithium imports from China which could be threatened by increasing Chinese export controls, among other factors.

    "The Oklahoma refinery site is shovel ready. The site has access to existing power (including from renewable sources), water supply, wastewater treatment, and natural gas service, as well as connections to major railways for material delivery and offtake. Once operational, the refinery is anticipated to draw employees from the surrounding area through workforce training programs and job placement partnerships.

    "Stardust Power aims to solve one of the largest challenges of the energy transition – reliable access to the critical minerals that will make the transition a reality," said Roshan Pujari, CEO of Stardust Power. "Refined lithium is the key component in the lithium-ion batteries which make the proliferation of EVs, and decarbonization of transportation, possible. Domestic production of battery-grade lithium is also a crucial factor to American national security and leadership in the energy transition, which Stardust Power is working to address.""

[Laramie]

.

Painful news on the Oklahoma Panasonic EV Battery Plant: Panasonic drops plan for EV battery factory in Oklahoma:

Difficult to stomach this link: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Automobiles/Panasonic-drops-plan-for-EV-battery-factory-in-Oklahoma


Painful gut punch to Oklahoma and the Tulsa Metro area which seemed to be on the verge on phenomenal growth into the next decade.

Pulling for Tulsa to rebound and get better development for its metro area.   Look at it this way, may have been a blessing in disguise--much like when OKC lost out to Indianapolis for the United Airlines Maintenance facility--MAPS Capital Improvements idea was created.  OKC has been on the move ever since.
.

[DowntownDan]

I don't think local government is the problem. The Governor and his lackey are publicly attacking the public schools, and the Governor also announced a ban on anything related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Pretty sure Panasonic is a large corporation that takes DEI pretty seriously. I know the Governor's policy wouldn't apply directly to a private company, but it says everything about what our state is about. There are also plenty of private companies being attacked for their DEI programs as it relates to hiring, and making that even a possiblity here will dissuade big businesses. I wish they'd start saying it out loud so that the state legislature and our electorate will get the message. If this had been the atmosphere in the early 2000's when I moved back to Oklahoma, there is zero chance I'd move here either, same if I were a decision maker for a big company. I honestly consider getting the heck out every other day, but I do love my part of Tulsa and the people I associate with, and that keeps me here so far.

[SXSW]

I would guess this is mostly based on lower demand for EV's and batteries and not anything Oklahoma did or didn't do.  We would've won the plant that went to Kansas if not for the TIF which still isn't what Panasonic asked for infrastructure upgrades.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

I would guess this is mostly based on lower demand for EV's and batteries and not anything Oklahoma did or didn't do.  We would've won the plant that went to Kansas if not for the TIF which still isn't what Panasonic asked for infrastructure upgrades.

There seem to be a number of factors affecting the EV market slow down. Here is a pretty good article from the BBC posted in November 2023 that discusses several of the issues.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231108-three-big-reasons-americans-havent-rapidly-adopted-evs

[heironymouspasparagus]

There seem to be a number of factors affecting the EV market slow down. Here is a pretty good article from the BBC posted in November 2023 that discusses several of the issues.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231108-three-big-reasons-americans-havent-rapidly-adopted-evs

Would like to have an electric.  Talked to a guy a couple weeks ago that got a 2022 Rivian and after about 5 months, he still likes it.  With qualifications, like charging - must plan carefully.  Still too expensive for me though - not gonna pay $75,000 for a used one.  Or a new one...