Press Releases
04/25/2023
AVANGRID’S Pachwáywit Fields, Oregon’s Largest Solar Farm, Achieves Commercial Operation
AVANGRID’S Pachwáywit Fields, Oregon’s Largest Solar Farm, Achieves Commercial Operation
The 162 MWac (205 MWdc) solar farm developed by AVANGRID will power Portland General Electric’s (PGE) Green Future Impact customers.
Portland, OR. April 25, 2023 -- AVANGRID (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, announced today that it has achieved commercial operation at its 162 MWac (205 MWdc) Pachwáywit Fields solar farm (also known as Montague Solar) in Gilliam County, Oregon, becoming the state’s largest photovoltaic plant. The facility will deliver clean, renewable energy to large customers and municipalities enrolled in Portland General Electric’s (PGE) Green Future Impact program, allowing them to meet their ambitious sustainability and carbon reduction goals.
“This new solar project is proof of AVANGRID’s strong commitment to accelerating the energy transition in Oregon and in the U.S.,” said Pedro Azagra, AVANGRID CEO. “We are proud to work with PGE to help it meet its ambitious targets to reduce emissions and provide clean, reliable power to its customers.”
“Pachwáywit Fields, the largest solar project in the state of Oregon, will provide clean energy to 17 of PGE’s largest customers through our Green Future Impact program” said Brett Greene, PGE Senior Director of Clean Energy Origination & Structuring. “We are proud to partner with our customers to deliver 162 MW of clean electricity toward our collective decarbonization goals at an affordable price, advancing the clean energy transition here in Oregon as outlined in our Clean Energy & Integrated Resource Plans.”
“The completion of AVANGRID’s Pachwáywit Fields project is great news for Gilliam County. Thanks to AVANGRID for selecting Gilliam County for this project, we now house the largest solar project in Oregon and will be receiving a significant increase in tax revenue in the future. The project has also made Gilliam County the largest producer of combined wind and solar renewable energy in the State of Oregon. Because of the extended construction period, the county also realized additional and unanticipated tax revenue. Working with AVANGRID to arrive at this status has positioned Gilliam County with a larger voice in the State while we advocate for assistance in housing, daycare, broadband, arts and culture and other initiatives that are important to our residents as we navigate our way into the future”, said Pat W. Shannon, Gilliam County Commissioner.
AVANGRID’s Pachwáywit Fields, which began construction in 2021, spans 1,223 acres and includes 471,156 solar panels that generate the electricity equivalent to powering 40,000 homes. During its construction, the facility created around 300 jobs and brought $1.37 million to the community through local taxes and property lease payments.
Pronounced Patch-Why-Wit, this word means “sun” in the Sahaptin language. The project is located on ceded lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, and the name pays homage to the rich history and stewardship of the Warm Springs and Umatilla Tribes.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $44 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
About Iberdrola: Iberdrola is one of the world's biggest energy companies and a leader in renewables, spearheading the energy transition to a low carbon economy. The group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries. With a focus on renewable energy, smart networks and smart solutions for customers, Iberdrola’s main markets include Europe (Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and Greece), the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. The company is also present in growth markets such as Japan, Taiwan, Ireland, Sweden and Poland, among others.
With a workforce of nearly 40,000 and assets in excess of €141.7 billion, across the world, Iberdrola helps to support 400,000 jobs across its supply chain, with annual procurement of €12.2 billion. A benchmark in the fight against climate change, Iberdrola has invested more than €130 billion over the past two decades to help build a sustainable energy model, based on sound environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.
