City leaders are celebrating the recent announcement from Norwegian solar energy company NorSun stating it would reorient its focus to Tulsa as it develops a state-of-the-art 5 GW ingot and wafer factory. The news comes on the heels of the company’s June announcement that it would invest $620 million in Tulsa and create an estimated 320 new, direct jobs.

“This announcement truly represents Tulsa’s global impact and leadership in bringing the next generation of energy and jobs to our city,” Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols said. “I want to thank NorSun for their vote of confidence in Tulsa, and I want to thank the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and so many others for championing Tulsa as the city of choice for global industries moving forward. I’m confident and hopeful that investments like these will bring in more economic opportunities to everyone in Tulsa, and I’m eager to stand alongside our partners as we work to attract other domestic and international companies to Tulsa.”

NorSun’s manufacturing plant will be located near N. Mingo Rd. and U.S. Highway 169 in the Mingo Development Area. The company’s investment in Tulsa is its first in the U.S., which was made possible by the State of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust, Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce, and PartnerTulsa.

“NorSun’s announcement that it has decided to focus all future manufacturing in Tulsa means great things for our local and state economies,” said Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. “The Tulsa region shows time and time again that our skilled workforce is a key driver in attracting innovative companies. Tulsa has the competitive edge for advanced manufacturing companies like NorSun that are looking to make the United States their flagship location for global operations. The Tulsa’s Future regional economic development partnership thanks NorSun for its investment in – and commitment to – northeast Oklahoma.”