REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMEXICO CITY, Sept 11 (Reuters) - A state governor in Mexico said on Monday that Tesla (TSLA.O) and its suppliers would invest $15 billion over the next two years in a factory that is still under construction, an amount that is triple what Mexican officials previously announced. In March, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said his company would open a gigafactory in northern Nuevo Leon state, part of the electric carmaker's push to expand its global footprint. At the time, Musk did not detail Tesla's investment, but Mexican officials said the factory would involve a $5 billion investment. Speaking at an event, Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia said the facility will now involve thrice that amount. Neither Tesla's press office nor Nuevo Leon officials responded after hours to a request for comment on the governor's comments.

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Persons: Angelika Warmuth, Tesla, Elon Musk, Musk, Samuel Garcia, Nuevo Leon, Carolina Pulice, Beth Soloman, David Alire Garcia, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Tesla, Nuevo Leon, Nuevo, BMW, General Motors, Ford, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, MEXICO, Mexico, Nuevo Leon