First solar panels installed at Avangrid Ohio facility

On Thursday, Avangrid announced it had installed its first solar panels at its Powell Creek solar project near Miller City, Ohio.

Powell Creek will be a 202 MWdc solar farm that is estimated to generate enough energy to power 30,000 homes a year. Avangrid, a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, said the “Golden Row” project has its first row of panels in place, bring to 1,000 the total number of solar panels Avangrid has installed to date.

“I am excited to see that work at our Powell Creek solar project is off to a great start. This is a milestone worth celebrating because it will set the tone for the rest of our construction,” Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra said. “Powell Creek is another great example of Avangrid executing on its plan to grow renewable energy generation, help the country meet ambitious clean energy goals, and accelerate the clean energy transition.”

Ultimately, the site will have about 300,000 solar panels, officials said, on land that is leased directly from landowners. The project supports up to 400 jobs during construction, the company said, most of which is being filled by residents in the region.

Avangrid said it anticipates that the Powell Creek project will support the Miller City community through property taxes and landowner payments. Miller City has also annexed the project area, enabling it to capture revenues that will support the construction of a new sewer line, allowing the community to grow and develop, officials said.

“We’ve been trying to do this for a long time,” Miller City Mayor Jim Erford said. “With Powell Creek, we are projected to expand our tax base by ten times and grow our town for the first time in many years. We are thrilled to bring new development, new families, and a new energy into the community we love so much.”

The project is Avangrid’s second renewable energy project in Ohio. The Blue Creek wind farm was built in 2012 and has a 304 MW capacity, generating enough power for about 76,000 homes per year.

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