Iberdrola Group company Avangrid announced it has begun panel installation at Oregon Trail Solar, a 57-MW energy project located in Gilliam County, Oregon. The milestone marks an important step forward in the project’s construction, which is supporting 200 local union jobs.
“Beginning panel installation at Oregon Trail Solar marks meaningful progress in delivering new energy infrastructure in Oregon,” said Avangrid CEO Jose Antonio Miranda. “Projects like Oregon Trail are creating jobs, supporting local communities, and helping meet the growing demand for electricity across the region.”
When complete next year, Oregon Trail Solar will include over 100,000 solar panels and produce enough electricity to power about 10,000 U.S. homes each year.
In addition to job creation, Avangrid expects the project to contribute $6 million in combined PILOTs (payment in lieu of taxes) and property taxes for Gilliam County over its lifetime, which will support a variety of public services, including schools and infrastructure.
Oregon Trail is adjacent to Avangrid’s operating Pachwáywit Fields solar project and its recently announced Shutler Energy Storage project. Today, Avangrid operates more than 2.5 GW of capacity in Oregon, including Daybreak Solar and Bakeoven Solar in Wasco County and Tower Solar in Morrow County.
