Avangrid Announces The Commencement Of Commercial Operations Begin At Powell Creek Solar Project In Ohio

Avangrid, Inc., a leading energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, has announced that its Powell Creek Solar project in Putnam County, Ohio, has reached commercial operation. The solar facility has a capacity of 202 megawatts DC (150 megawatts AC) and is Avangrid’s second power project in Ohio. It is now producing enough electricity to supply approximately 30,000 homes annually. The Powell Creek project is located near Miller City in Northwest Ohio and began commercial operations in April. The site includes over 300,000 solar panels and created around 500 construction jobs, most of which were filled by local union workers.

The project adds important new energy capacity to the regional electric grid, helping to meet increasing demand, especially during peak summer months. It supports the growing power needs of data centers, domestic manufacturing, and the broader trend toward electrification. In addition to providing clean energy, Powell Creek supports the local community through economic benefits such as job creation, tax revenue, and lease payments to landowners. Over its expected lifetime, the project is estimated to contribute $31 million to local taxing authorities and approximately $1.1 million annually in land lease payments.

Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO, said in a statement, 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. 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.”

Jim Erford, mayor of Miller City, stated, “Partnership with Avangrid has been and will be beneficial to 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.”

Miller City benefits directly from the project’s revenue, using it to build a new sewer line to support residential and business development. This infrastructure upgrade addresses a long-standing limitation, as the village’s homes, businesses, and school have relied on individual septic systems. According to a recent study by S&P Global, energy demand in the United States could increase by as much as 50 percent by 2040, driven largely by the growth of data centers. Projects like Powell Creek are critical in meeting this rising demand, improving the reliability of regional electric grids, and supporting sustained economic growth.

Powell Creek follows Avangrid’s earlier Ohio project, the 304 megawatt Blue Creek wind farm completed in 2012. Combined, Avangrid’s projects in Ohio now provide over 500 megawatts of clean energy capacity, enough to power more than 100,000 homes each year. In the past year, the company contributed around $3 million in state and local taxes and paid about $5 million in lease payments to landowners in Ohio. Avangrid employs 22 people in the state. In the last six months, Avangrid has added nearly 600 megawatts of new energy capacity to the U.S. grid. This progress demonstrates the company’s commitment to meeting growing electricity needs, creating local jobs, and ensuring reliable power supply for homes and businesses. Overall, Avangrid operates about 10.5 gigawatts of energy capacity across the United States.