Avangrid adds weather protection to tower at Oregon technician training center

Avangrid has broken ground on an expansion of its National Training Center in Sherman County, Oregon, adding an enclosure for a 30-foot fall protection tower so technicians can practice emergency procedures year-round regardless of weather, according to the company’s Oct. 19 statement.

The project will add about 2,500 square feet to a facility that began welcoming technicians in fall 2024. Approximately 350 new and existing Avangrid technicians have attended courses there since opening. The center serves workers across the company’s nationwide generation portfolio, not just its Oregon operations.

Technicians use the tower to practice emergency procedures at height before working on a turbine. The center also provides hands-on maintenance and troubleshooting practice with equipment and components used in wind farms, solar plants and high-voltage installations. Virtual and mixed-reality tools let workers familiarize themselves with equipment and rehearse responses to simulated operating problems.

CEO Jose Antonio Miranda linked the investment in employee safety and skills to Avangrid’s expanding generation fleet and its effort to meet growing electricity demand. The training serves both new technicians and employees developing their skills.

The Oregon site is near many of Avangrid’s operating projects. The company operates 17 generation facilities in the state with more than 2.5 gigawatts of capacity; its national fleet comprises nearly 100 generation facilities with more than 11 gigawatts of installed capacity.