The ‘Leaning Juniper IIB’ project, located in Gilliam County, Oregon, will supply energy to Google’s nearby data centres

• It will supply energy to the existing ‘Leaning Juniper IIB’ project in Gilliam County, Oregon, increasing output and extending the lifespan of the US facility.
• The project will provide over 100MW to support Google’s data centre operations in The Dalles.

Iberdrola’s US subsidiary, Avangrid, has announced the signing of a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Google for more than 100 megawatts (MW) of energy from the ‘Leaning Juniper IIB’ project. Located in Gilliam County, Oregon, the project will supply power to Google’s data centres in nearby The Dalles.

Avangrid will repower its existing ‘Leaning Juniper IIB’ facility, significantly upgrading the site by replacing existing components with modern equipment. This will extend the project’s lifespan, while improving its efficiency and increasing energy output to deliver electricity to the grid. Once completed, ‘Leaning Juniper IIB’ is expected to generate enough electricity to power around 31,000 US homes annually.

The Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District will deliver the energy from ‘Leaning Juniper IIB’ to Google’s data centres in The Dalles. Google opened its first company-owned and operated data centre in The Dalles in 2006 and has since expanded its presence. These data centres power Google Cloud, AI innovations and other digital products and services used daily by individuals and organisations, such as Search, Maps and Workspace.

The project represents an investment of nearly €170 million ($200 million) in north-central Oregon. Construction will create 150 jobs, most of which will be filled by union labour from Oregon.

Avangrid has been part of the Gilliam County community for more than fifteen years. The project is expected to generate around €17 million ($20 million) in taxes over its lifespan, supporting a range of public services, particularly in education. This includes a Strategic Investment Programme (SIP) agreement with Gilliam County that will provide Local Improvement Payments totalling €2.3 million ($2.8 million) over the next decade.

‘Leaning Juniper IIB’ is a wind energy facility built in 2010. It has paid approximately €12.7 million ($15 million) in property taxes since beginning operations. Through Avangrid’s community sponsorship programme, ‘Leaning Juniper II’ has also contributed to local libraries, preschools and fire departments.

Avangrid owns and operates approximately 2.5GW of energy generation capacity in Oregon. The company employs around 375 people in the state, supporting operations both on the ground and from its corporate office in Portland.