Manufacturers across the globe rely on Hemlock Semiconductor (HSC) as a reliable source for polycrystalline silicon, one of the purest man-made substances on Earth. HSC is a world leader in producing this high-purity product for electronics, solar cells and semiconductors.
A growing demand in the solar market created a need for HSC to expand its manufacturing capacity, resulting in a need for significant power increases. For HSC, maintaining the highest quality during the manufacturing process is critical; even the slightest power flow interruption can result in immediate product loss plus risks of equipment damage and possible safety issues. Even the slightest momentary outage could trigger weeks or months of work to requalify a product for the customer.
HSC’s load requirements are by far the highest in Michigan, so the company needed to be sure it would have a reliable source of high-voltage power throughout the manufacturing expansion and on into the future. HSC enlisted ITC’s expertise in high-voltage industrial interconnections to help with long-term planning for the project. As HSC continued to expand its production and ITC provides upgrades to meet the company’s needs, new issues occasionally emerge which the HSC-ITC team addresses as needed.