Cooper says 1,000 new jobs coming to Edgecombe County

TARBORO, N.C. (WITN) – A thousand new jobs are coming to Eastern Carolina.

Gov. Roy Cooper was in Tarboro this afternoon to announce that Natron Energy has selected Edgecombe County for its new $1.4 billion plant.

The company makes sodium-ion batteries and is based in Santa Clara, California.

Natron makes the batteries for AI data centers, military and defense uses, and powering electric vehicle fast charging stations.

“North Carolina’s momentum in the clean energy economy reaches epic proportions with today’s news,” said Gov. Cooper. “Natron Energy’s choice to build this large and unique battery factory in our state will help the nation reduce greenhouse gas emissions while creating good jobs in Rocky Mount, Nash and Edgecombe counties, and many other places in eastern North Carolina.”

The state says salaries for the new jobs will average $64,071, with a $68 million annual payroll once the plant is fully staffed.

The company says it will build the new plant at the Kingsboro Megasite, which sits on US 64 halfway between Tarboro and Rocky Mount.

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