WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) has published their first set of Community Benefits Plans for three projects, including the Viejas Microgrid Project on the tribal lands of the Viejas Band of the Kumeyaay Indians near Alpine, CA. LPO utilizes Community Benefits Plans to show how projects support an equitable clean energy future and to hold our borrowers accountable for commitments they’ve made to local communities.
In September 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the closing of a $72.8 million partial loan guarantee to finance the development of a solar-plus long-duration energy storage microgrid on Viejas Band tribal lands. The Viejas Microgrid will help lower the tribe’s cost of energy, allowing savings to be redirected toward investments by the tribe in infrastructure maintenance, operation of the fire department, tribal culture and educational programs, and other tribal member services. The project will be constructed by workers from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers.
Highlights from the Viejas Community Benefits Plan:
- The Viejas Microgrid provides the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians energy surety for emergency services and support facilities, as well as cost savings in the first year that are sustained for a minimum of 30 years thereafter.
- Indian Energy’s subcontractors have a workforce of 187 people from a minority background across the various phases of the project, which represent approximately 75 percent of the total project design and construction team.
- Indian Energy has over 50 percent ownership between two partnering tribes, creating long-term revenue streams for the tribes.
- Indian Energy has joined multiple Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) to advise and share best practices on tribal energy projects.
- The project led to the creation of Maada’oozh, a Native American-owned energy and environmental services company and part of the Indian Energy Group.