Sources: Panasonic expected to end solar production at Buffalo’s Solar City

According to multiple sources, Panasonic Solar could be ending its solar operations in the United States.

That includes the Buffalo plant at SolarCity.

IGOOD EVENING -- WEBEGIN WITH BREAKINGNEWS THAT AFFECTSHUNDREDS OFWESTERN NEWYORKERS.MULTIPLE SOURCESTELL US PANASONICWILL BE ENDING ITSSOLAR PRODUCTIONOPERATIONS INBUFFALO.THAT MEANS THE ENDOF ITS ROLE AT THESOLARCITY PLANT.JEFF RUSACK IS HEREWITH WHAT WE ARELEARNING TONIGHT.ASHLEY,SOURCES TELLS 7EYEWITNESS NEWS,PRODUCTION FORPANASONIC ATSOLARCITY COULDEND AS EARLY AS MAYTHIS YEAR, WITH AFULL EXIT INSEPTEMBER.UP TO 400 EMPLOYEESWORK FORPANASONIC ATSOLARCITY.IN JUNE OF 2018, 7EYEWITNESS NEWSFEATURED PANASONICAS A PART OF THEHIRING 716 INITIATIVE.THE COMPANY HAD300 EMPLOYEES ANDWERE LOOKING TOHIRE ANOTHER 80.MARK SHIMA, THEREGIONAL PRESIDENT,SAID IN 2018, THEYHAD A CHALLENGE OFRETAINING WORKERSSINCE THE COMPANYOPENED IN EARLY2017.MAYOR BYRONBROWN WILL BEMEETING WITHPANASONIC OFFICIALSON WEDNESDAY.FOLLOWING THATMEETING WE'VE BEENTOLD MAYOR BROWNWILL MAKE A PUBLICSTATEMENT.PANASONIC RUNS OUTOF THE SAME FACILITYAS TESLA, WHICHRECIEVED $750MILLION DOLLARSFROM THE STATE TOBRING OVER ATHOUSAND JOBS TOBUFFALO.HOWARD ZEMSKY THEEMPIRE STATEDEVELOPMENT CHAIRRELEASED THISSTATEMENT THISEVENING.IT READS IN PART:"WE UNDERSTANDTHAT PANASONIC HASMADE A CORPORATEDECISION TO MOVEAWAY FROM GLOBALSOLAR PRODUCTS,BUT THIS ACTION HASNO BEARING ONTESLA'S CURRENTOPERATIONS NOR ITSCOMMITMENT TOBUFFALO AND NEWYORK STATE."ZEMSKY ALSO STATEDTHAT TESLA HASINDICATED THAT ITINTENDS TO HIRE ASMANY PANASONICEMPLOYEES AS IT CANGOING FORWARD.WE'VE REACHED OUTTO PANASONIC FORCONFIRMATION ANDFURTHER COMMENT.THE COMPANY HASYET TO RESPOND.JEFF RUSACK 7 EWN.