Avangrid has announced plans to Repower its Leaning Juniper IIB wind Project in Gilliam County. Avangrid Inc., a member of the Iberdrola Group, has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Google to supply more than 100 megawatts of renewable energy from its Leaning Juniper IIB wind farm in Oregon’s Gilliam County. The energy will be used to power Google’s expanding data center business in The Dalles. With its nearly $200 million injection, the project is expected bring an economic and infrastructure tsunami to north-central Oregon, including the creation of approximately 150 construction jobs, many to be taken by union members in the state.
Avangrid will repower the existing Leaning Juniper IIB wind power facility by substituting its parts with current technology. The scheme will not just extend the life of the plant by years but also boost energy efficiency and even production capacity by a considerable margin. After repowering, the wind farm will generate enough electricity to illuminate around 31,000 homes annually.
Northern Wasco PUD to Deliver Energy to Google Data Centers
The power generated at the facility will be fed to Google’s data centers through Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District (PUD). Google has had data centers in The Dalles since 2006 and has established a growing presence in the area over time. The data centers support a wide range of Google services—from Search, Maps, Workspace, Google Cloud, to AI-enabled tools used by millions across the world.
“Energy demand is growing extremely rapidly across the country, and extending the life of projects like Leaning Juniper IIB is a classic case of the strategic commitment Avangrid is making to addressing this key challenge with our customers,” said Avangrid CEO Jose Antonio Miranda. “In partnering with Google, we’re making a significant investment to retro-fit our current facility that will make it run more efficiently and generate more energy than ever. Moreover, this is our continued investment in Oregon and ensures our positive contribution to the community will continue to yield dividends for many years to come.”
Northern Wasco County PUD’s CEO and General Manager Roger Kline continued: “Through our strategic alliance with Google, Northern Wasco County PUD is developing leading-edge carbon-free renewable energy sources to meet the increasing industrial needs of our customer-owners in a way that benefits all customer-owners equally. Not only does this strengthen our regional clean energy capacity but also generates long-term economic dividends and sustainable infrastructure investments for our community.”
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Tax revenues
Avangrid has been a presence in the Gilliam County landscape for over 15 years. The repowering project will generate around $20 million in tax revenues during its operation, some of which—$2.8 million—will come to the county itself as a Local Improvement Payments agreement under Oregon’s Strategic Investment Program. They will be utilized to support important public services like education.
“Gilliam County has had long-standing collaborations with business partners for over 30 years and understands the value of public-private partnerships to fuel our economy,” said County Judge Cris Patnode. “These collaborations provide community members the opportunity for a living wage job right here in Gilliam County. That is what keeps Gilliam County strong because these jobs create families and make our communities stronger.”. Gilliam County has diversified its economy from largely an agricultural base to renewable energy through associations with entities such as Avangrid. Their consistent effort to reinvest in their infrastructure keeps our economic motor running.”
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Leaning Juniper IIB Wind Power Facility
Located across 7,962 acres (12.4 square miles), the Leaning Juniper IIB Wind Power Facility is an expansive wind energy operation. It features 74 towering wind turbines, each with blades reaching up to 389 feet high, collectively capable of generating a peak of about 111 megawatts of power. The facility has paid about $15 million in property taxes over the years. Alongside tax revenues, the wind farm has also contributed to local causes through Avangrid’s sponsorships of communities—giving money to libraries, early childhood centers, and local fire departments.
Overall, in Oregon, Avangrid currently owns and operates about 2.5 gigawatts of electricity production, making it a clear front-runner in the state’s clean energy transition.
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Avangrid to Repower Leaning Juniper IIB Wind Facility: Project Factsheet
Project Overview
Location: Gilliam County, Oregon
Developer: Avangrid, Inc. (Iberdrola Group)
Customer: Google
Project Type: Wind facility repowering
Key Details
Supply to Google: 100+ megawatts of clean energy
Investment: Nearly $200 million
Power Output When Complete: Enough electricity for 31,000 homes annually
Original Construction: 2010
Energy Transmission: Via Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District (PUD)
Economic Impact
Construction Jobs: 150 positions (mostly union labor)
Lifetime Tax Revenue: $20 million
Direct County Payment: $2.8 million through Local Improvement Payments
Historical Tax Contribution: $15 million in property taxes to date
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