Ørsted celebrates the completion of its most ambitious project on American soil. The Helena Energy Center, located in Bee County, Texas, combines both a wind farm and a solar installation, with a total capacity of 518 MW. The project, the first of its kind for Ørsted in the USA, is designed to provide enough power to supply over 110,000 homes and businesses each year.
A major investment for Texas
The Helena energy center is an important part of Ørsted ‘s $20 billion investment plan in the United States. This initiative aims to boost domestic energy production and contribute to the reliability of the Texas power grid, which has come under particular scrutiny due to recent climatic and infrastructural challenges. The project comprises 66 wind turbines and over 600,000 solar panels spread over 18,000 acres, involving the participation of 40 local landowners. The construction of this center has created around 500 temporary jobs, and also requires permanent positions for the operation and maintenance of the facilities. Participating landowners will receive approximately $4 million a year in payments, a significant economic benefit for the region.
Economic and community impact
The inauguration of the Helena energy center was marked by a celebration attended by partners, community members, and local and state elected officials. Among them, Texas Senator Morgan Lamantia stressed the importance of this project for Bee County. As well as providing clean energy for the state, the center will create job opportunities and support public schools and rural areas. The project represents an investment of nearly half a billion dollars in Bee County and will generate tens of millions in tax revenues. Tax contributions from wind and solar installations are expected to exceed $115 million over their lifetime, benefiting school services and local infrastructure without raising taxes.
Collaboration and future prospects
Trevor Sholly, Ørsted’s Land Project Delivery Manager, expressed his gratitude to community leaders and landowners in Bee County. “Without their collaboration, this project would not have been possible. Ørsted is proud to be a long-standing partner of this community,” he said. County Commissioner Dennis DeWitt also emphasized the project’s positive impact on the region. “Our schools, infrastructure and tax structure will benefit greatly from the tax revenues generated by Helena’s energy center. Ørsted has proven to be a good neighbor and we look forward to maintaining a positive and open relationship in the years to come.”
