In June, Avangrid announced plans to build a new 82 megawatt-hour battery storage facility in Gilliam County, Ore. – bolstering reliability in the region while supporting Avangrid’s efforts to balance electricity supply and demand in the Pacific Northwest in real time.

A single discharge from the Shutler Energy Storage system will be able to power approximately 3,000 homes in the sparsely-populated county. The facility will come online in 2027, and its construction will create 35 local union jobs.

“Shutler Energy Storage gives us another tool to effectively manage our regional portfolio, improving how we coordinate across our generating assets and make better use of our existing infrastructure,” Avangrid Power CEO Sy Oytan said in a statement. “This added flexibility will allow us to respond quickly to changing grid conditions and operate our fleet more efficiently every day.”

Additionally, Avangrid announced plans to donate $110,000 annually to Condon Early Learning Center and Arlington Childcare Center, two local nonprofits supporting early childhood education and childcare.

"This generous investment by Avangrid will provide vital support not only for our organization, but more importantly for the families, children, and future of Arlington,” said Arlington Childcare Center Board President Mark Moore. “This kind of community partnership provides working families with greater security, allows local businesses to thrive, and ensures that our community’s children have access to quality early learning experiences for years to come.”

In late March, Avangrid unveiled a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool built to help the company’s field technicians more quickly and efficiently respond to technical issues at its wind plants.

The First Time Right Autopilot generative AI program helps technicians diagnose and resolve possible problems on wind turbines. Technicians engage with the program via voice or text, providing background information on the issue, and the program provides them with step-by-step instructions and documentation through their mobile devices. The program already has been installed at plants in Iowa and New York. Avangrid is planning to deploy it across its fleet later this year.

“By leveraging generative AI to provide real-time, expert-level support, we are empowering our technicians with the tools they need to improve reliability and efficiency within our fleet,” Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra said in a statement. “This is a testament to our commitment to shaping the future of energy through continuous innovation and technological advancement.”

The program is helping Avangrid technicians safely and more quickly identify technical problems, cutting down on the amount of time turbines are taken offline. It is the company’s latest effort to leverage AI capabilities to assist in its operations and better serve its customers. Last year, Avangrid unveiled Ava, a customer-facing AI energy assistant, in certain markets, and it announced a pilot project involving an AI-powered robotic dog to assist with substation inspections. And, in 2023, Avangrid and Iberdrola stood up a data science and analytics team to manage the company’s AI systems that help improve grid reliability and serve customers.