Avangrid celebrates grand opening of National Training Center in Sherman County

MORO, or — Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, celebrated the grand opening of its National Training Center (NTC) in Sherman County, Oregon on June 25.

The NTC is a world-class facility located near Moro, where many of Avangrid’s operating wind and solar farms, and will serve as a centralized location to train and upskill technicians working across Avangrid’s onshore renewable energy portfolio.

“It was a pleasure to celebrate the grand opening of the National Training Center today alongside our dedicated Oregon and Washington employees, and I am proud to see this project come to life,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “This new facility will be key to executing on our commitment to accelerating a clean energy transition. It will help us bring new wind and solar technicians up to speed quickly and efficiently, and empower the hundreds of technicians currently operating our onshore fleet to become experts in their field.”

Sherman County Judge Joe Dabulskis said that the training center will help to lead the nation’s efforts in training in-demand jobs for wind and solar technicians. He also said that before renewable energy arrived in Sherman County, there were significant financial challenges.

“Prior to renewable energy coming, Sherman County was the second poorest counties in the state,” Judge Dabulskis said. “I hear the nightmare stories of what happened back in those days, especially around budget time,” he continued. “Avangrid has been a part of the Sherman County community since the construction of the Klondike (Wind Farm).”

Dabulskis also noted that the newest wind towers were brought for the Golden Hills wind project by Avangrid - which was erected this year – and boast the newest technology in the industry.

“I brag about that every chance I get,” Dabulskis said.

But in addition to the boom in county coffers, wind and solar jobs are bringing young people to the region. And with the training center in Sherman County, there will be a lot more of them.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, wind turbine service technicians will be the fastest growing job through 2032. With the NTC, Avangrid will be well-positioned to address the growing demand for these highly skilled, clean energy jobs.

Avangrid expects to train more than 200 employees each year at the NTC. Technicians will gain practical and realistic training with the latest wind and solar technologies across all major equipment manufacturers used in Avangrid’s utility-scale projects. The first cohort will begin coursework as soon as this summer.

The facility will include several innovative features, such as a fully-immersive training center, using virtual reality and mixed reality technologies. Technicians will become familiar with a variety of machines and experience working through challenges in a simulated environment.

A 30-foot tower on site will teach technicians how to handle emergencies while working at heights on a turbine. Addressing one of the biggest risks in the wind industry, this enables trainees to master proper safety protocols in a safe place before working on a turbine.

Trainees will get hands-on experience. The NTC will feature a completely intact nacelle (top of the wind turbine), providing the hands-on opportunity for technicians to practice maintenance and troubleshooting on real-world equipment, as well as additional individual components pertaining to a wind farm, solar plant, or High Voltage installation.

The NTC is located in Sherman County near many of the Avangrid’s 14 renewable energy facilities in Oregon, and represents an additional commitment and investment in the region. The company’s wind and solar fleet support more than 60 full-time operations jobs in the region and have contributed more than $140 million combined in property taxes over the life of projects.

Avangrid’s training program was developed in accordance with guidelines from the American Clean Power Association. Additionally, Avangrid will seek certification from the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) to ensure technicians are meeting global industry safety standards.

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 http://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.