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DOE announced $1.7 billion in grants for EV plant

conversions

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UAW threatens strikes over Stellantis ( STLA ) delays in Belvidere

investment

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Granholm emphasizes Biden administration's commitment to

EV

production

By David Shepardson, Nora Eckert

DETROIT, Oct 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary

Jennifer Granholm said Tuesday the department is working "as

fast as we can" to finalize $1.7 billion in grants to fund the

conversion of plants to build electric vehicles and components.

"We are working as fast as we can to finalize as much as we

can -- to get the commitments in contract with all of those who

have been selected," Granholm said in an interview on the

sidelines of a Reuters Next conference. "We have a few months to

make sure that we're doing that."

DOE announced plans in July to award General Motors ( GM )

to convert its Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in Michigan to

EVs at an unspecified future date and to award Chrysler-parent

Stellantis ( STLA ) $334.8 million to convert its shuttered Belvidere

Assembly plant to build EVs and $250 million to convert its

Indiana Transmission Plant in Kokomo to produce EV components.

The United Auto Workers has threatened strikes over Stellantis ( STLA )

delays in the planned Belvidere investment, which has prompted

Stellantis ( STLA ) to file suits to prevent work stoppages.

Asked about the delay, Granholm said "there's a whole array

of considerations with respect to that and we are in

conversation about it."

Earlier this month, UAW President Shawn Fain said hundreds

of thousands of U.S. jobs were at stake if Republican

presidential candidate Donald Trump won the Nov. 5 election and

made good on his threat to repeal investments in electric

vehicles. Trump says EV production threatens U.S. jobs.

Democrats have seized on Trump's running mate, U.S. Senator JD

Vance of Ohio, declining to commit to maintaining the $500

million GM grant.

A GM spokesperson said it is "still in the negotiation

phase of the grant" and declined to forecast what might happen

if the grant was not approved.

Granholm at the conference said the Biden administration's

industrial strategy to ensure next-generation vehicle production

compared with prior efforts. "This time, United States

government is not effing around," she said.

The administration is help automakers "cut costs and secure

supply chains and innovate new technologies and help you be

globally competitive," Granholm said. "We are not just bringing

a knife to a gunfight. We are bringing an armada now."

Granholm said government has a key role.

"America's automakers are in this amazing race to dominate

this industry and to ensure that as EVs take over the global

market, places like Detroit aren't just keeping up but setting

the pace," she said.