Avangrid 150 MW solar plant starts grid export in Ohio

Avangrid, a subsidiary of the Iberdrola Group based in Orange, Connecticut, has begun exporting power from its 150 MW ac Powell Creek solar project in Putnam County, Ohio. The project features 300,000 solar panels and was expected to generate electricity for approximately 30,000 homes each year. Construction activities supported around 500 jobs, primarily filled by local union labour. The project was built on land leased directly from landowners and marked Avangrid’s second major renewable energy initiative in Ohio. Its first, the Blue Creek wind project, was completed in 2012 and had a capacity of 304 MW, producing power for about 76,000 homes each year. Final commissioning work for Powell Creek remained ongoing ahead of full commercial operations anticipated later in the year.