Two Tribal communities in New Mexico receive funding to connect homes to electricity
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Two Tribal communities in New Mexico were awarded funding from the federal government to connect homes to electricity.
The Office of Indian Affairs’ Tribal Electrification Program will provide $14.5 million in financial and technical assistance to the Pueblo of Santa Ana in New Mexico. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah will receive $10 million in funding.
Commercial air tours will not be allowed over Bandelier National Monument
In total, $72 million will be disbursed to 21 Tribes across the country to connect homes to transmission and distribution that is powered by clean energy; provide electricity to unelectrified Tribal homes through zero-emissions energy systems; transition electrified Tribal homes to zero-emissions energy systems; and support associated home repairs and retrofitting necessary to install the zero-emissions energy systems.
“Every home deserves to have access to reliable, affordable electricity – and now, with historic investments from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re bringing much-needed resources to Indian Country to electrify homes with abundant clean energy sources,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland stated in a news release.
In 2022, the Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy issued a report citing that 16,805 total Tribal homes were unelectrified, with most being in the Southwest region and Alaska.
A second round of funding availability is expected to be announced in the spring. To see the full list of funding recipients, click here.
