US energy project developer Avangrid has begun to produce power from the 321MWdc/238MWac True North solar project in Falls County, Texas.
The company said it had commissioned 20MW of the project thus far, while commercial operations are expected to begin by the end of the year, when the project will begin supplying power to customers on the Texas grid.
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Avangrid said the project is the largest solar power plant in its portfolio, and its first solar project in Texas.
Last year, Avangrid began construction of this solar PV plant and signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with social media and data giant Meta, supplying one of Meta’s new data centres in Temple City, Texas.
Meta has a number of PPAs in place, particularly in Texas, and has committed to powering its operations entirely with renewable energy since 2020. For example, Pine Gate Renewables signed an environmental asset purchase agreement (EAPA) with Meta for a 204MW solar PV project in Temple, Texas, in May 2024.
Aside from the True North Solar project, Avangrid installed the first modules at its 202MWdc/150MWac Powell Creek PV project in Putnam County, Ohio recently. Construction on the project began in late 2023 and Avangrid said the site would be placed into operation “within approximately 14 to 18 months”. This would put the operational date around Spring 2025.
Avangrid is a subsidiary of Spanish utility Iberdrola as it was fully acquired by the latter in May 2024. Iberdrola took full ownership of Avangrid for a total of US$2.551 billion after acquiring the 18.4% minority stake that it did not already hold in Avangrid for US$35.75 per share. Following the closure of the transaction, Iberdrola will request that shares in Avangrid be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.
