Energy firm Avangrid Inc. has broken ground on a new expansion on its National Training Center facility in Sherman County, Oregon, officials announced Oct. 19.

The expansion will grow the facility’s footprint by about 2,500 square feet, the company says, and will also enclose the existing 30-foot fall protection tower. This will allow technicians to train on Avangrid’s equipment year-round, regardless of weather conditions.

The changes to the National Training Center will help Avangrid provide consistent, hands-on safety and technical training throughout the year, officials say. Additionally, the company aims to prepare the workforce for the next generation of solar manufacturing, installation, and O&M that is needed to operate a nationwide fleet of projects.

“Nothing is more important than ensuring our employees have what they need to work safely,” says Avangrid CEO Jose Antonio Miranda. “Upgrading our National Training Center represents Avangrid’s investment in the health and safety of our people.

“As we grow our generation fleet, we are simultaneously building a skilled workforce to operate our facilities and help us to meet growing electricity demand.”

Making featured improvements

Avangrid built the National Training Center in the summer of 2024, welcoming the first group of technicians inside its walls that fall. The company says about 350 new and existing Avangrid technicians have attended courses at the facility since it opened, as it serves as a central location to train technicians near many of Avangrid’s projects in Oregon.

The newly expanded facility includes a fleet of new features, including the aforementioned fall tower. Officials say the tower will allow technicians to practice emergency procedures while working at height, and help trainees to learn those same safety protocols before they have to utilize them in the field.

Additionally, the new facility will provide other forms of hands-on experience, including maintenance and troubleshooting practice for technicians. The training modules will also include “additional individual components,” including those from solar plants, wind farms, and various high voltage installations.

Finally, the company says the new National Training Center will make use of immersive training, mixing virtual reality and augmented reality tools. These technological advancements will allow technicians to become familiar with equipment, as well as practice simulated operating challenges.

Avangrid currently operates more than 2.5 GW of renewable energy in Oregon, across a fleet of 17 energy generation facilities.

Tags: Avangrid, education, O&M, Oregon, Solar Training Programs