Hitachi Energy & Rockwell team up on mine power systems

Hitachi Energy and Rockwell Automation have announced a collaboration on an integrated grid-to-process architecture for industrial facilities, with an initial focus on mining and metals.

The arrangement combines electrical infrastructure and grid systems from Hitachi Energy with Rockwell's process automation and digital operations tools. The goal is to better align the planning, delivery and operation of power supply and production systems at large industrial sites.

Both companies are targeting sectors where power demand is rising and operators are under pressure to cut emissions while controlling investment costs. Electrical systems and production operations are becoming more closely linked, particularly in capital-intensive projects.

Mining and metals are the first industries in scope because operators are being asked to increase output of critical minerals while modernising sites and electrifying more of their own operations. The companies cited analysis estimating that growth capital expenditure for new mining capacity could reach USD $1 trillion over the next decade.

Reliable electricity supply remains a central issue for mines, especially in energy-intensive activities such as crushing, grinding, conveying and processing. Interruptions in those systems can affect equipment use, production continuity and operating costs.

Integrated planning

The collaboration centres on what the companies describe as a grid-to-process approach. In practice, this means planning energy infrastructure and production systems together rather than as separate workstreams.

The companies say this could simplify engineering, improve coordination across teams and provide a more structured foundation for digital mining operations. They are also examining modular approaches that could help industrial sites expand capacity over time and adapt to changing electrification needs.

The model could also give operators a clearer view of energy use, production performance and asset utilisation once facilities are running. It could also support future expansion and the integration of additional energy resources.

Marco Berardi, Head of Grid & Power Quality Solutions and Service at Hitachi Energy, said the economics of industrial operations are shifting as electrification becomes more important.

"Electrification is changing the economics of industrial operations. Decisions about energy infrastructure increasingly influence productivity, sustainability, and growth," said Marco Berardi, Head of Grid & Power Quality Solutions and Service at Hitachi Energy. "As industries expand capacity and modernise their operations, they need greater coordination between the systems that power their facilities and the processes that drive production. By bringing together the strengths of Hitachi Energy and Rockwell Automation, we can help customers navigate this complexity, improve operational performance, and support more efficient, resilient, and sustainable industrial operations."

Wider scope

Although the initial work is focused on mining and metals, the companies see wider potential across other energy-intensive industries. They are exploring joint work in solution development, customer engagement and selected industrial applications.

The move reflects a broader shift in heavy industry, with operators treating energy systems as a core part of operational design rather than a separate utility function. As companies electrify more equipment and processes, the interaction between grid connection, power quality, energy management and plant automation is becoming more important to how facilities are built and run.

For project developers, this can affect decisions made early in the engineering phase, from grid access and protection systems to how production lines are sequenced and managed. For plant operators, it can influence uptime, power use and the ability to add capacity without redesigning major parts of a site.

Brian Holte, Vice President, Global Industry Growth, Rockwell Automation, said the integration of energy and production systems would shape the next phase of industrial development.

"The future of industry will be defined by how effectively companies integrate energy and production," said Brian Holte, Vice President, Global Industry Growth, Rockwell Automation. "By combining Hitachi Energy's leadership in electrification with Rockwell Automation's experience in automation and digital transformation, we help customers design, build, and operate more intelligent, resilient, and sustainable sites. Together, we are enabling a grid-to-process approach that improves performance, accelerates growth, and helps customers bring new manufacturing capacity online faster, more predictably, and at greater scale."