Texas 765 kV Project Secured as $60 Million U.S. Manufacturing Plant Prepares for July 2026 Opening

A major expansion of America’s transmission network is taking shape. Plans through 2032 encompass more than 4,000 miles of additional 765 kV lines, between 50 and 70 new substations, and investment estimated at $55–60 billion. For Trench Group President & CEO Bahadir Basdere, delivering this expansion while upgrading existing infrastructure ranks among the most important industrial tasks of the era—and one the company is committed to supporting.

Under the banner Trench 765 – Engineered as One, the company combines a comprehensive equipment offering with decades of operating experience and coordinated project delivery. That strategy is gaining traction through a Texas order for 765 kV capacitive voltage transformers, which will serve the state’s first transmission lines at this voltage for ERCOT. Direct relationships with leading hyperscalers also place Trench within the energy supply chain supporting AI infrastructure. To reinforce its American presence, the Group is investing $60 million in an HSP bushings plant in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its first U.S. factory, the facility meets Buy America requirements in full and is due to hold its Grand Opening in July 2026.

At the IEEE PES Transmission & Distribution Conference in Chicago, Trench Group GmbH is introducing a coordinated strategy for the U.S. 765 kV market. The global supplier of essential high-voltage grid equipment is bringing its technology and delivery capabilities together to support the country’s transmission expansion.

The launch combines a presentation of the complete 765 kV product range with two significant developments: a Texas CVT contract linked to the state’s first transmission lines at this voltage, and the July 2026 opening of a dedicated bushings manufacturing facility in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Drawing on decades of 765 kV deliveries across four continents, Dr. Bahadir Basdere said Trench is prepared to become a dependable partner as American investment gathers scale. He described transmission expansion and modernization as a defining industrial challenge, explaining that the company’s presence in Chicago reflects both the momentum of the U.S. market and its readiness to support it.

Dr. Bahadir Basdere, President & CEO, Trench Group

A generational overhaul of the U.S. electricity network is gathering pace.
Investment of approximately $55–60 billion is planned by 2032, covering over 4,000 miles of new 765 kV lines and 50 to 70 additional substations. Several forces are converging behind this expansion: electricity-intensive AI data centers, the integration of renewable generation at scale, industrial electrification and the replacement of ageing grid assets. Many utilities will be working at 765 kV for the first time, making technical reliability particularly important in a voltage class where errors cannot be tolerated.

An Integrated Approach to 765 kV: Engineered as One

Customers can draw on equipment, specialist advice and services throughout an asset’s lifecycle through Trench’s Engineered as One offering. Each element is available separately, while the combined package establishes a single point of accountability. By coordinating a complete technical solution, an experienced delivery team and an established performance record, the company aims to reduce the risks utilities face when developing 765 kV infrastructure.

The equipment range brings the principal critical components of a 765 kV substation under one supplier and a shared set of design principles. It includes bushings using RIP technology up to 765 kV, with a new generation of oil-free RIS technology under development; instrument transformers covering Gas CT, OIP CVT, GIS VT and Gas Combi designs; and coils & reactors.

Trench’s North American 765 kV CVT history dates back to 1975, when the first units were manufactured in the region for its transmission market.
The installed base now extends across North America and Europe, India’s national PGCIL interstate network, and major transmission systems in Latin America and Asia. This extensive service history provides decades of practical operating evidence to support the company’s technical capabilities.

Texas Selects Trench CVTs for Its First 765 kV Transmission Development

A newly awarded Texas project will use Trench’s 765 kV Capacitive Voltage Transformers as part of the state’s first transmission lines at that voltage for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). The contract adds to a growing U.S. order base, which already includes several larger awards for 765 kV transformer bushings. Trench has also established long-term supply arrangements and received initial firm orders from equipment manufacturers including HICO, Pennsylvania Transformer and Hyundai Power Transformers USA.

Chief Sales Officer Klaus Merklein emphasized the importance of early projects when a market of this size begins to expand. In his assessment, the Texas award carries significance beyond the contract itself: it provides further evidence that utilities regard Trench as a trusted technical reference for the market’s most demanding voltage class.

Klaus Merklein, Chief Sales Officer, Trench Group

Supplying the Power Infrastructure Behind America’s AI Expansion

At lower voltage levels, Trench already works under direct contracts with leading global hyperscalers. These businesses are developing the data center capacity helping push American electricity demand to historic levels. With worldwide data center electricity consumption projected to double to 945 TWh by 2030, Trench has an established position in the supply networks needed to power this growth.

A $60 Million Manufacturing Commitment in Charlotte

Assembly has begun at Trench Group’s new HSP bushings facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, ahead of its Grand Opening in July 2026. The $60 million investment will progressively add full in-house manufacturing capabilities during 2026 and 2027.

Deliveries of the first 230 kV bushings are confirmed for the end of 2026, followed by the first Charlotte-produced 765 kV units in early 2028. Designed for annual output of up to 3,500 bushings spanning 25 kV to 765 kV, the factory was built and brought into operation within 15 months of the investment decision. Full compliance with Buy America requirements enables utility customers to access federal infrastructure funding directly through the IIJA.

Dr. Bahadir Basdere characterized Charlotte as a tangible demonstration of Trench’s commitment to America’s energy future. He stressed that the $60 million investment represents a lasting commitment to the U.S. market, extending beyond the construction of a manufacturing facility.

Dr. Bahadir Basdere, President & CEO, Trench Group

Visitors to IEEE PES T&D can explore Trench Group’s complete 765 kV offering, including products making their world debut, at booth 1520 in the South Building of McCormick Place, Chicago, from May 4–7, 2026.

About Trench Group

Trench Group supplies high-voltage components and systems used in electricity transmission networks around the world.

Based in Berlin, the company draws on more than a century of engineering experience to develop and manufacture equipment for the essential functions of power infrastructure: connecting networks, monitoring their performance and maintaining dependable operation.

Its portfolio spans bushings, cable terminations, instrument transformers, coils and reactors, supporting the infrastructure required as electricity consumption increases and grids evolve internationally.

Since becoming independent in April 2024, Trench Group has doubled its annual revenue, taking it above €1 billion.

More than 3,000 employees work across the business, which operates 11 factories in eight countries on four continents. The company plans to expand its workforce to 4,000 by 2030.

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