Avangrid’s Lund Hill solar farm in Washington State goes into operation
Avangrid’s 150-Megawatt (MW) Lund Hill solar farm in Klickitat County, Wash., went into commercial operation this week.
It becomes the state’s largest photovoltaic plant and will supply Puget Sound Energy’s Green Direct program. This program allows large commercial and governmental participants to purchase 100 percent of their energy from dedicated, local renewable energy resources.
“It’s exciting to see utility-scale renewable energy generation come online, and with our efforts this upcoming session, this should be the first of many clean energy projects that bring good-paying jobs and affordable, zero-emission energy to Washingtonians,” Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said.
The Lund Hill facility is located on approximately 1,800 acres. The land is a mix of land leased from private landowners and the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
“Lund Hill represents a major milestone for us at Avangrid and is proof of our commitment with accelerating the energy transition in the U.S.,” Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO, said. “We are pleased to work with Puget Sound Energy (PSE) to help it meet its ambitious goals to reduce emissions and provide clean, reliable power to its customers.”
The facility will supply solar energy for PSE’s second round offering of its Green Direct program. More than 40 customers have already signed up for the program, including six Washington state government agencies, including the Departments of Health, Ecology, and Transportation (WSDOT).
“We’re excited to see Avangrid’s Lund Hill project go into full operation as we start to receive clean energy from the largest solar project in Washington state,” Mary Kipp, PSE president and CEO, said. “This project will help our Green Direct customers meet their clean energy goals as we work together to create a cleaner energy future for all.”
Green Direct also furthers PSE’s goal to move toward 100 percent clean energy by 2045.
