Avangrid Renewables says it’s celebrating a growing renewable energy partnership, recognizing the newly-completed Montague Wind Farm, in Gilliam County, Oregon, and continued output of the Gala Solar project, in Crook County, Oregon. The facilities will supply renewable energy to Apple through power purchase agreements
Montague Wind began commercial operation on October 24, 2019. The facility has a total capacity of 200.85 MW and consists of 56 Vestas turbines. Gala Solar, located outside of Prineville, Ore., consists of approximately 160,000 Sunpower solar panels and has a total capacity of 69.9 MWdc. Gala Solar achieved commercial operation on October 31, 2017. Together, the two projects generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of over 60,000 homes.
“Thanks to Apple’s leadership, these two projects will continue generating and delivering clean electricity for decades to come,” Alejandro de Hoz, president and CEO of Avangrid Renewables, says in a press release. “We are proud to continue to grow our footprint in the Pacific Northwest and of the enduring economic foundation that these projects provide to rural Oregon communities.”
In addition to the clean energy delivered to Apple, the Montague Wind Farm and Gala Solar provide substantial economic benefits to surrounding communities, he adds. Over 400 people were employed in the construction of the two projects, and the projects support approximately 15 full time positions through their operation. The projects will provide an estimated $86 million to local communities over their lifetimes in the form of taxes and landowner lease payments.
Avangrid Renewables is headquartered in Portland and has a significant operational footprint in Oregon. The company’s 11 wind and solar generation facilities in the state represent a total investment of approximately $2 billion since 2001.
