Funding Will Affect 1,200 Tribal Buildings, Create $48.5 Million in Energy Savings and Support 13 Indian Tribes and Tribal Entities Across the Country

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced nearly $9 million in funding to 13 American Indian and Alaska Native communities for 14 projects that will harness their vast undeveloped solar, hydro and geothermal energy resources, reduce or stabilize energy costs, and increase energy security and resilience on tribal lands. 

The projects will provide communities with clean electricity, power residential buildings that lack electricity, install microgrids and increase workforce training opportunities. This funding will help address the needs of small, rural and underserved communities essential to President Biden's goal of an equitable clean energy transition.

To learn more about this funding announcement, read DOE's full press release. The projects competitively selected for negotiation of the award, in alphabetical order, are as follows:

# Selectee & Location* Project Description Total Award Value**
1 Coeur d'Alene Tribe, Plummer, ID The project will install 35.2 kilowatt (kW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) on the roof of the Tribe's Coeur Center, a new youth recreation center located in Worley, Idaho. The solar PV system is expected to reduce energy use of the Center by nearly 41,750 kilowatt-hour (kWh) per year resulting in a life time savings of $136,259. $136,259 (Requested DOE Funds: $68,129; Proposed Cost Share $68,130)
2 Colusa Indian Community Council, Colusa, CA The Community will expand existing medium-voltage distribution to seven homes within the new development with the addition of medium-voltage cabling, step down transformers, smart meters, and street lighting. The project will allow the Tribe to utilize their existing co-generation power plant and microgrid to supply the new homes with highly reliable power with fewer interruptions and at a reduced rate compared with the local utility for a savings of $876,856 over 30 years. The project will give the Tribe greater independence from traditional power sources and provide jobs for the community. $862,000 (Requested DOE Funds: $517,200; Proposed Cost Share $344,800)***
3 Karuk Tribe, Happy Camp, CA The Karuk Tribe located in Northern California install a 947 kW ground-mounted solar PV system for the Tribal Casino and administrative trailers and a 18.4 kW roof-mounted system on the newly constructed Wellness Center. These systems are estimated to save over $9.8 million over the life of the systems. $2,781,360 (Requested DOE Funds: $1,390,680; Proposed Cost Share $1,390,680)
4 Karuk Tribe, Happy Camp, CA The project will install 310 kW of solar PV and 580 kWh of battery storage on 39 elder's homes to power critical loads during grid outages. Besides providing reliable power, the systems are estimated to save over $74,000 per year and over $3.8 million over the life of the systems. $853,514 (Requested DOE Funds: $426,757; Proposed Cost Share $426,757)
5 Kawerak, Inc., Nome, AK The project will install a 65 kW Organic Rankine Cycle system using local geothermal resources at Pilgrim Hot Springs to electrify and heat 18 existing Tribal buildings, a water well, a water pump house, and two bathing pools that currently have no regular power. The project is intended to meet the long-term goals of eliminating fossil fuel dependency at the site, provide geothermal heat for local food production, and allow economic development of this historic site located 60 miles north of Nome, Alaska. $1,886,718 (Requested DOE Funds: $1,524,376; Proposed Cost Share $362,342)***
6 La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians, Pauma Valley, CA The project will install a 104.72 kW solar PV systems and 132 kWh battery storage to supply electrical power to the La Jolla Trading Post, the only store and gas station on the La Jolla Indian Reservation. The system is estimated to offset 75% of the energy use and save over $1.3 million of the life of the system and provide hands-on training to up to 12 tribal members. $568,456 (Requested DOE Funds: $511,610; Proposed Cost Share $56,846)***
7 Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Cass Lake, MN The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe will install 534 kW of solar PV to power 9 existing and currently being constructed tribally buildings, saving over $2.5 million over the life of the systems. This project will empower Leech Lake to become more sustainable, provide long term resilience, lessen dependency on fossil fuels and redirect monetary savings to future energy saving projects. $1,529,049 (Requested DOE Funds: $729,049; Proposed Cost Share $800,000)
8 Lummi Nation, Bellingham, WA The Lummi Nation will install a 99.8 kW solar PV system at the Lummi Nation Health and Dental Facility, a new 50,000 square foot facility in Bellingham, WA in an effort to 1) improve economic and energy self-sufficiency and 2) reduce emissions from energy production and use that contribute to global climate change, air quality degradation, and other adverse environmental and human health impacts. The project is estimated to save $324,984 over the 25 year life of the system and provide training for seven tribal members. $316,038 (Requested DOE Funds: $158,019; Proposed Cost Share $158,019)
9 Metlakatla Indian Community, Metlakatla, AK The Metlakatla Indian Community will rebuild and install key components of two 1.2 megawatt (MW) Francis Hydro Turbines and replace an aging lead-acid battery system with a 1 MW Lithium Ion (Li-ION) battery system. The goals are to increase turbine energy production by 20%, reduce dependency on diesel powered generators, and provide infrastructure for adding other renewable energy generation systems.  These goals support MIC's efforts to add significantly greater power and resiliency to its "islanded" micro-grid as well as to reduce the impact on the environment. $1,934,693 (Requested DOE Funds: $967,258; Proposed Cost Share $967,435)
10 Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Auburn, WA The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe will install 157 kW of solar PV on three tribal buildings on the Muckleshoot reservation located in Auburn, WA. The systems will offset 52% of the cost of electricity and save $434,693 over the life of the systems. Six tribal members will be trained in solar system installation. $496,897 (Requested DOE Funds: $248,448; Proposed Cost Share $248,449)
11 Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, Corning, CA The Tribe will install 135.6 kW of roof-mounted solar PV on 3 buildings at the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians Rolling Hills Clinic in Corning, CA. The project will reduce electrical costs by 94% and save $36,470 annually. $409,623 (Requested DOE Funds: $203,866; Proposed Cost Share $205,757)
12 Pueblo of Laguna, Laguna, NM The Pueblo will install 53.24 kW of solar PV on community buildings in the Villages of Mesita, Paguate, Paraje, and Seama. The combined annual generation is expected to be 93,329 kWh and displace between 87% to 100% of the annual load of these buildings and save a minimum of 70% in electricity costs. $195,165 (Requested DOE Funds: $174,765; Proposed Cost Share $20,400)***
13 Puvurnaq Power Company, Kongiganak, AK The tribally owned village utility, Puvurnaq Power Company, will purchase, install, and integrate a 200 kW solar PV array to an existing wind diesel battery power system in the Village of Kongiganak. The project will not only demonstrate the integration of solar PV into an islanded microgrid system in the arctic conditions of southwestern coastal Alaska, it will also allow the diesel engines to be turned off 56% of the year and save over 48,000 gallons of fuel annually. $749,256 (Requested DOE Funds: $674,330; Proposed Cost Share $74,926)***
14 The Navajo Nation Tribal Government-Kayenta Chapter, Kayenta, AZ The project will provide 100% access to clean electricity for the Comb Ridge/El Capitan community, consisting of 24 unpowered residential buildings, in the Kayenta Chapter of the Navajo Nation. The solar-based microgrid will consist of 107 kW solar PV, 347.8 kWh battery energy storage, and 168 kW of propane generation for back-up power. The microgrid will provide 24/7 power and internet for the community to improve the residents' quality of life by offering affordable electricity and internet and create 5 full-time temporary positions and 3 full-time positions for the life of the system. $2,807,301 (Requested DOE Funds: $1,185,409; Proposed Cost Share $1,621,892)

*    In alphabetic order
**   Amounts shown are subject to negotiation 
*** Proposed Selectee cost share reflects approved cost share reductions