How GE Vernova is Shortening Grid Lead Times

GE Vernova is making a US$200m bet on transformer capacity in Vietnam – and it is really a play on supply chain resilience.

By adding a new Hai Phong facility to its global network, alongside recent investments in Prolec GE and grid plants in the US and UK, the company is reshaping how utilities and infrastructure owners source critical HVDC transformers across Asia and beyond.

The Hai Phong investment forms part of GE Vernova’s planned US$11bn in capex and R&D from 2025 through 2028, including US$1bn earmarked for Prolec GE between 2026 and 2028.

It follows GE Vernova’s US$5.3bn acquisition of Prolec GE to increase transformer production in the North American market, more than US$300m committed to grid facilities in the United States and the expansion of its Stafford, UK site to strengthen HVDC and grid manufacturing capabilities in Europe.

Building HVDC capacity for a demanding grid

The Hai Phong plant will produce large power transformers primarily for High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) projects, adding capacity alongside GE Vernova’s existing HVDC transformer sites in Stafford, UK and India. These systems enable efficient long-distance power transmission and help grids manage growing electricity demand safely and reliably.

“Electrification is accelerating globally, and reliable power infrastructure is increasingly essential to support economic growth and energy security,” says Philippe Piron, CEO of GE Vernova’s Electrification segment.

“This investment expands our manufacturing capacity in a region experiencing strong demand growth while reinforcing a diversified supply chain that supports customers across Asia and other regions as needed. It also reflects our long-term commitment to supporting Vietnam’s industrial development.”

Vietnam at the heart of a regional supply strategy

The Hai Phong facility will be developed in stages, with full operations targeted for 2028, subject to regulatory approvals. Once online, it will add to GE Vernova’s global transformer capacity with a primary focus on meeting accelerating demand across Asia.

Rising electricity consumption in fast-industrialising, urbanising markets is driving a rapid build-out and upgrade of power infrastructure. Positioning new manufacturing capacity in Vietnam is intended to shorten lead times, bolster supply chain resilience and underpin more reliable project delivery.

Jobs, skills and a long-term footprint

The project is expected to create around 450 jobs by 2030, many of which will be filled locally. GE Vernova also plans to introduce training and knowledge-sharing programmes to develop local skills and integrate the Hai Phong site into its wider Electrification manufacturing network.

GE Vernova already supplies equipment that supports up to 30% of Vietnam’s power needs and has an established footprint in the country.

It currently employs more than 1,100 people across nine sites, including the Phu My repair facility and the Dung Quat HRSG plant, both key nodes in its global repair and manufacturing network.