Avangrid Achieves Commercial Operations at Powell Creek Solar Project in Ohio

Avangrid, Inc., a leading energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, announced that it has achieved commercial operations at its Powell Creek Solar project in Putnam County, Ohio. The 202 MWdc (150 MWac) project, Avangrid’s second power facility in Ohio, is now generating enough electricity to power the equivalent of 30,000 homes annually. Powell Creek is a timely addition to the regional electric grid ahead of peak summer demand and represents new American energy capacity that will help to meet the growing power needs from data centers, domestic manufacturing, and electrification.

“Avangrid has achieved commercial operations at Powell Creek at a pivotal moment for the local community in Ohio, where rapidly growing energy demand requires new sources of power generation,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “Putting this critical project into service demonstrates Avangrid’s unique ability to deliver on the energy needs of communities across the country. In addition to this needed power, Powell Creek is providing important benefits to the local, state, and regional economies. Projects like this represent significant capital investments that generate hundreds of construction jobs, permanent employment opportunities, and new tax revenue that supports important public services in the local community.”

Powell Creek is in Northwest Ohio near the town of Miller City and reached commercial operation in April. The project includes over 300,000 solar panels and supported about 500 jobs during construction, most of them filled with local union workers from the region.

The project is directly supporting the community through new jobs, tax revenue, and landowner payments. Powell Creek is expected to contribute an estimated $31 million to local taxing jurisdictions over its lifetime and about $1.1 million in annual lease payments. In a unique relationship, Miller City is capturing significant revenue from the project which it will use to construct a new sewer line to encourage new home and business development. Growth was historically limited there because the village’s homes, businesses, and school run on individual septic systems.

“Partnership with Avangrid has been and will be beneficial to Miller City,” said Jim Erford, mayor of Miller City. “This is a major economic development opportunity that will help us grow for the first time in many years, bringing new families and businesses to our Northwest Ohio community.”

According to a recent U.S. National Power Demand Study by S&P Global, energy demand in the U.S. could rise by as much as 50% by 2040, driven largely by new data centers. Projects like Powell Creek are helping to meet growing energy needs, improve the reliability of regional electric grids, and deliver sustained economic growth.

Powell Creek is Avangrid’s second energy project in Ohio, following the 304 MW Blue Creek project built in 2012. Avangrid now has over 500 MW of installed capacity in Ohio, which can generate enough electricity for over 100,000 U.S. homes annually. Avangrid’s Ohio footprint contributed about $3 million in state and local taxes last year and about $5 million in lease payments to participating landowners. The company employs 22 people in the state.

Avangrid has added nearly 600 MW of domestic energy capacity to the U.S. grid in the past six months. This achievement underscores Avangrid’s commitment to meeting surging electricity demand, supporting local jobs, and ensuring homes and businesses have a reliable source of energy. Avangrid operates about 10.5 GW of energy capacity across the country.

Avangrid | http://www.avangrid.com