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WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation has received a total of $3.5 million dollars for energy projects from two separate U.S. Department of Energy grant programs.
The Navajo Nation was among four states and two tribal nations selected to receive grants from the department's Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants program, which aims to modernize electric grids across the U.S. by distributing $2.3 billion to states, territories and tribes over the next five years.
This first round of funding totals $50 million, of which the Navajo Nation will receive $1.8 million. The tribe will use the money to reduce the number and duration of outages caused by natural hazard disruptions by hardening power lines, facilities, substations and other systems.
Selected projects will address other outdated and failing energy infrastructure items and materials like power lines and poles, transformers, and bucket trucks. The projects also aim to reduce the energy burden experienced by low-income tribal members and disadvantaged tribal communities.
The funding comes on at the same time as the Department of Energy also announced $34 million for clean energy projects in 18 American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The Navajo Nation's Ojo Encino Chapter was awarded $1.7 million to install 50 solar power systems on tribal members' homes in New Mexico. The systems will produce a total of 250 kilowatts, which officials say will offset 75-95% of residents' electric utility bills and save those tribal members $2 million over the life of the systems.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said the project will greatly benefit the residents, some of whom were faced with $300 electric bills on monthly incomes of just $800, reports AZ Central.
"I'm happy there is money out there to support these programs," he said. "Anything to reduce the cost of energy is important."
