Avangrid Inc., a sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, recently installed the “Golden Row” at its Powell Creek solar project in Putnam County, Ohio, near Miller City. The Golden Row represents the first row of solar panels that the rest of construction will be modeled after. With the Golden Row in place, Avangrid has continued work on site and installed more than 1,000 panels to date.
“I am excited to see that work at our Powell Creek solar project is off to a great start,” says Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “This is a milestone worth celebrating because it will set the tone for the rest of our construction. 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.”
Powell Creek sits on land leased directly from landowners. It will ultimately have about 300,000 solar panels generating enough energy to power at least 30,000 homes each year. The project is supporting up to 400 jobs during construction, most of which are being filled by people who live in the region.
Avangrid expects the Powell Creek project will directly support the community through property tax and landowner payments. The nearby town of Miller City has also annexed the project area, enabling it to capture revenues that will support construction of a new sewer line. This will enable Miller City to begin to grow by adding new homes and development. Growth has historically been limited because the village’s homes, businesses and school are currently on individual septic systems.
“We’ve been trying to do this for a long time,” says Miller City Mayor Jim Erford. “With Powell Creek, we are projected to expand our tax base by 10 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.”
Construction at Powell Creek began in late 2023. This is Avangrid’s second renewable energy project in Ohio. Avangrid built the Blue Creek wind farm in 2012, which has a capacity of 304 MW and generates enough power for about 76,000 homes each year.
