Manufacturing company Prysmian Group has broken ground on a $63.8m plant expansion project in Du Quoin, Illinois, US.

This expansion project intends to boost cable production for the renewable energy and electric vehicle (EV) industries.

Prysmian intends to invest $63.8m to generate 80 jobs in Southern Illinois, supported by a 'Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois' incentive package.

Illinois' governor JB Pritzker said: “I’m pleased to share that Prysmian Group is expanding its operations in Southern Illinois by 100,000ft², creating 80 new jobs which expands its workforce by more than a third, and strengthening Illinois’ fast-growing clean energy industry.”

The extension also adds more than seven main pieces of equipment and includes a two-line expansion for renewable cable production, laying the path for greater renewable cable production in Illinois.

The expansion will also assist in modernising the facility’s current infrastructure and creating an efficient energy management system.

Prysmian North America CEO Andrea Pirondini said: “This expansion will produce cutting-edge, high-quality, sustainable products that not only help enhance the grid - by increasing reliability, preventing blackouts and reducing overall maintenance costs.”

The facility also manufactures the component portions of several types of solar gathering systems, as well as a cable that distributes power to EV charging stations and residences being modernised for energy and grid efficiency.