Dec 12 (Reuters) - Boeing ( BA ) said on Thursday it

plans to increase production of its 787 Dreamliner widebody jets

to 10 planes per month by 2026.

The planemaker plans to expand its operations at its

Charleston County, South Carolina facility with an investment of

$1 billion in infrastructure upgrades and the creation of 500

new jobs.

Boeing ( BA ) has been trying to bring 787 production back to a

rate of five a month by this year's end, but has wrestled with

supply-chain snags that have caused delays.