The massive transformers needed to power data centers are being built largely by hand. (WSJ)
At Hitachi Energy’s Virginia plant, skilled laborers known as “winders” spend weeks manually coiling miles of paper-insulated copper wire to create machines the size of a garage.
This explains the supply holdup: Because this intricate work can’t be fully automated and takes 3-5 years to master, production is capped at a glacial pace of 4-6 weeks per unit.
Bottom line: Orders will exceed supply by ~14K large units this year, and the US currently imports 80% of what it needs. Translation? Grid expansion isn’t held back by ready-to-go capital—it’s held back by manufacturing.