Avangrid, a US-based energy company, and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to discuss the viability of developing up to 1 GW of green energy projects within the Navajo Nation in New Mexico and Arizona. The two parties will concentrate on the development of projects for battery storage as well as wind and solar power. The project is expected to create new jobs and assist economic development.
The NTUA is a multi-utility company owned and operated by a Native American tribe, while Avangrid is a division of the Iberdrola Group with operations in 24 US states. With around $40 billion in assets, Avangrid comprises two primary business lines, Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. The two parties will also focus on how the projects could capitalise on the US Inflation Reduction Act.
In March 2023, Avangrid started the construction of two solar facilities in Texas and Ohio. The combined clean energy output from the Texas True North and Ohio Powell Creek projects would be 523.5 MW. True North, which is being built in Falls County, Texas, would start producing 321 MW of power in the early 2025 timeframe. The project is anticipated to provide more than 200 employment during construction.
