Avangrid Champions Environmental Stewardship on World Environment Day

June 05, 2024 at 14:40 PM EDT

Recognizes efforts from its Networks and Renewables businesses to preserve and protect the environment

Company’s 2023 renewable energy production reduced more than 7.7 million t CO₂ eq

Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, is celebrating World Environment Day today by recognizing the many initiatives and investments by its Networks and Renewables businesses to preserve, protect and restore the environment. Held annually on June 5, World Environment Day puts a global spotlight on pressing environmental challenges and aims to inspire people from around the world to create positive change in the environment.

“Today is a great opportunity to reflect on the importance of environmental conservation, and remember that every step counts,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “I’m very proud of the proactive actions taken by our Avangrid team, in partnership with Iberdrola, to lead the charge towards a more sustainable future. Preserving and protecting the environment is not just a responsibility; it’s an opportunity to create a better world for future generations. Together, we can make a difference for our planet.”

Avangrid is one of the leading onshore wind and solar generators in the United States and is pioneering the country’s offshore wind industry. Currently, the company operates 8.8 gigawatts (GW) of emissions-free installed capacity. In 2023, that renewable energy production translated to a reduction of more than 7.7 million t CO₂eq. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, this is the equivalent of taking more than 1.6 million gas-powered cars off the road for a year.

In addition to its renewable energy production, as part of its efforts to promote environmental stewardship, Avangrid has a Biodiversity Policy to ensure the company preserves biological diversity and natural ecosystems as it continues to create a more sustainable energy future. To better protect and enhance biodiversity, Avangrid supports Iberdrola’s Biodiversity Plan goal of achieving a net positive impact on the ecosystems where the company operates by 2030.

Currently, Avangrid’s ongoing efforts to preserve, protect and restore the environment include:

Restoring and Protecting Kennebunk Plains in Maine: Central Maine Power (CMP), along with local partners, are addressing severe soil erosion occurring on a segment of a CMP powerline corridor in the Kennebunk Plains, a state-owned refuge located within the Branch Brook Watershed, a source of municipal drinking water. As part of the project, CMP worked with its stakeholder partners to restore and stabilize eroded areas along the 1.2-mile segment length. Benefits to the community include restoration of fragile land area, the arrest and control of further erosion to assist in limiting the negative impact on water quality and improved habitat conditions by limiting motorized vehicle access within this fragile area.
Improving Butterfly Habitat Across Upstate New York: New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) are helping preserve habitat for monarch butterflies through a voluntary conservation program with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Through this program, NYSEG and RG&E are implementing practices like mowing brush to enable nectar plants like milkweed to thrive to support the well-being of monarch butterflies, which play a vital role in the health of ecosystems and global food crop production.
Donating and planting trees across Connecticut: United Illuminating (UI) is carrying out a year-long campaign to collaborate with municipal leaders in its 17 towns and cities to provide $1,000 per town to fund the tree-planting initiative. During the campaign, UI officials will reinforce the company’s public safety initiative to plant the right tree in the right place to improve electric reliability and prevent tree-related outages while promoting sustainability and combatting climate change.
Funding recovery efforts for the endangered California Condor: Avangrid developed a first-of-its-kind conservation plan in close collaboration with the USFWS and the Oregon Zoo to fund a full-time employee at the zoo’s condor breeding facility to support the captive rearing of six California condors to mitigate the potential impacts of the company’s Manzana Wind Power Project. Funding from the company supported the successful rearing of 12 condors, 10 of which were releasable in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, the company’s philanthropic arm, the Avangrid Foundation, supports the Oregon Zoo’s Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation to support California condor recovery efforts.

About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $45 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens – in 2024 for the fourth consecutive year. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240605186359/en/

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Media Contact:

Sarah Warren

sarah.warren@avangrid.com

585-794-9253

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Avangrid Champions Environmental Stewardship on World Environment Day

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