Lynn Hendy
June 27, 2018
EB President Jeff Geiger, together with construction partners, and state, local and federal officials, marked the ceremonial start of site expansion at Quonset Point with a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, June 25.
Construction began last month on Building 9, which will be dedicated to submarine fabrication and outfitting. Building 9 is the largest construction project undertaken in Rhode Island this year. When complete, it will contain approximately 14 acres of manufacturing space.
In addition, work will soon begin on a 26,000 square foot facility to build the Virginia Payload Module, the critical component that will expand the capability of Virginia-class submarines.
“This expansion is crucial to Electric Boat’s future success,” said Geiger. “It also promises significant long-term benefits for the economic health of Rhode Island with the creation of hundreds of construction jobs in addition to the 1,300 additional employees we’ll require over the next decade for submarine work.”
U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said, “this collaborative effort between Electric Boat, Gilbane Building Company, Dimeo Construction Company, A/Z Corporation, and the Rhode Island building trades creates a partnership that will ensure these submarines are built on time and ahead of budget.”
Reed attributed the Rhode Island congressional delegation’s success in helping to secure submarine contracts to “the men and women of Electric Boat who give their all every day. They do it not just because it’s a job, but because they recognize what they’re doing is protecting and providing the latest technology to the young men and women in uniform of the US Navy who will take these vessels into harm’s way and protect this great nation. For those young men and women, we can do nothing less than our best, and today is an indication that we’re committed to that ethic.”
