UI Hosts First Tour of Energy Generation Assets for 16 Avangrid Interns

College interns toured a fuel cell, microgrid, peaking plant, and solar farm, which help support the energy transition and ensure uninterrupted power to UI residential customers and businesses


Photos and videos of the tour linked HERE


ORANGE, Conn. — July 25, 2024 — In advance of today’s celebration of National Interns Day, United Illuminating (UI), a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), this week welcomed sixteen interns from Avangrid's summer program to explore three of UI's clean energy generation assets, as well as a peaking plant that ensures reliability for customers across New England in times of peak energy demand. The tour included a visit to a 2.2-megawatt (MW) fuel cell and microgrid system in Woodbridge, a 2.2 MW solar farm and a 2.8 MW fuel cell in Bridgeport, and a 200 MW peaking plant in Milford. As the students navigated through each location, they gained insights into the sites' innovative development, intricate design, and the critical role they play in supporting Connecticut's commitment to clean energy and electric reliability.

"We were privileged to host our parent company’s interns at our energy generation facilities, where students gained a comprehensive understanding of our investments in energy innovations that support the state's sustainability goals and electric reliability," said Frank Reynolds, President & CEO of United Illuminating. "The students saw first-hand how our daily operations extend far beyond the management of poles and wires. We are deeply engaged with local governments, community stakeholders, and policymakers to foster investments in renewable energy and peaking plants to ensure the safety and reliability of our electric grid for generations to come. We look forward to continuing to educate and empower students to have a better understanding of the utility industry as we work to develop our energy assets.”

The first part of the tour showcased Amity High School in Woodbridge, home to a 2.2 MW microgrid powered by FuelCell Energy Inc. located behind the school. This microgrid harnesses clean energy to supply power to eight key municipal buildings, including Woodbridge’s town hall, library, fire station, police department, public works, senior center, and the high school itself, particularly during power outages. Next, students visited Bridgeport’s renewable energy park, which features a 2.2 MW solar farm constructed atop of a former landfill, alongside a 2.8 MW fuel cell facility. These installations in Woodbridge and Bridgeport stand as a testament to Connecticut’s Renewable Connections Program (RCP), pioneering the development of ‘microgrids.’ This initiative ensures a resilient power supply to essential services and emergency shelters, maintaining continuity during extreme weather events.

The final part of the tour was held at GenConn Devon power station, a Milford-based peaking plant that is a 50/50 joint venture between Clearway Energy, Inc. and UI. The power plant was developed in accordance with a law passed by the State of Connecticut’s General Assembly in 2007 (Public Act 07-242, Section 50), which sought a long-term solution to meet peaking needs. The facility only operates during times of high electricity usage, when there is a capacity shortage, or too little available electricity supply relative to demand.

"We wanted to incorporate the GenConn peaking plant into the tour because UI is a multifaceted electricity provider committed to reliability for our customers 24/7/365, and we wanted Avangrid interns to see this firsthand," said Devang Patel, Senior Vice President of GenConn Energy LLC and General Manager at UI. "We're working to ensure GenConn has the necessary resources to provide our customers with service during the coldest of nights and hottest of days, when other resources may be insufficient to meet demand. Peaking plants provide reliable service regardless of the weather, ensuring UI can uphold system reliability year-round."

Following approval from the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) and the Connecticut Siting Council, all UI shareholders have invested in the three energy generation assets owned in part or in full by the company. Connecticut customers bear the associated costs, while the revenues generated from these projects’ operation within the New England markets are returned to customers. The RCP serves as a testament to the utility’s ability to develop, construct, own, and manage projects that bolster the energy transition—tasks that might prove challenging for the commercial market. Additionally, GenConn is integral to the electric system’s reliability, gaining even greater significance in the shift towards renewable energy sources.

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