Avangrid begins panel installation work on Oregon Trail Solar
Energy company and Iberdrola Group member Avangrid Inc. has announced that it has begun panel installation at its Oregon Trail Solar project in Gilliam County, Oregon.
The 57 MWdc / 41 MWac energy project is set to support a total of 200 construction jobs throughout the duration of the panel installation process, according to Avangrid officials. In total, the project will contain more than 100,000 panels, representatives add, producing enough electricity to power about 10,000 average American homes each year. Energy from the project will supply Amazon data centers throughout the region, according to Avangrid CEO Jose Antonio Miranda.
“Beginning panel installation at Oregon Trail Solar marks meaningful progress in delivering new energy infrastructure in Oregon,” he says. “Projects like Oregon Trail are creating jobs, supporting local communities, and helping meet the growing demand for electricity across the region.”
Avangrid also expects the Oregonian project — the latest in a long line of Avangrid sites in the Beaver State — to contribute $6 million in combined PILOTs (payment in lieu of taxes) and property taxes for Gilliam County over the course of its lifetime. These PILOT funds will support a variety of public services throughout the county, including schools, roads, and other infrastructure, Avangrid says.
First announced in September 2025, the Oregon Trail project is also adjacent to Avangrid’s operating Pachwáywit Fields solar project, as well as the recently announced Shutler Energy Storage project. The three projects make up a moderate percent of the company’s 2.5 GW portfolio of solar sites in Oregon, the firm says.
“Oregon Trail Solar is yet another example of how Avangrid works with local communities to build America’s energy future,” said Sy Oytan, Avangrid Power CEO, upon the project’s announcement in 2025. “With this new project, we are adding to our existing investments in Gilliam County and Oregon in a way that strengthens the region while producing electricity to help meet the growing energy demand across the country.”
Avangrid expects the Oregon Trail project to be fully operational in 2027, officials say.
