$88M in federal funding to go to North Coast tribes for renewable energy projects, Huffman announces | Lost Coast Outpost

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Press release from Congressman Huffman’s office:

San Rafael, California – Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) announced that tribes in Northern California have received $88 million in funding from the Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovative Partnerships (GRIP) program to transform one of the state’s least reliable electric circuits into an incredibly resilient renewable energy system.

“The current system for providing energy to the tribes in Humboldt is woefully inadequate, and these tribes deserve better.” said Rep. Huffman. “Our district and tribes are once again paving the way for rural and underserved communities. Through our partnership between tribal leaders, private entities and Cal Poly Humboldt, the energy grid will receive a long-awaited, state-of-the-art update. This project will significantly increase tribes’ energy sovereignty — while improving reliability, climate resilience, job equity and clean energy innovation.”

The 142-mile Hoopa 1101 distribution circuit provides electricity to three tribes in eastern Humboldt County—the Hoopa, Yurok, and Karuk tribes—that collectively experience some of the most frequent and longest power outages in California. The three tribes are working with the Blue Lake Rancheria, located along the Baduwa’t River in coastal Humboldt, the Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA), Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), and the Schatz Energy Research Center at Cal Poly Humboldt to jointly develop nested microgrid solutions.

In July, Rep. Huffman wrote to the Energy Department to support federal funding for the project, saying, “This project in the rural northern part of my congressional district brings together four tribes and other partners to build critical infrastructure in highly vulnerable and underserved communities that need reliable and decarbonized energy systems.”

Hoopa Circuit 1011 serves 2,200 customers but is one of the least reliable circuits in California. It experiences 100 hours of outages per year and has no capacity for new development. The Blue Lake Rancheria, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Karuk Tribe, Yurok Tribe, Redwood Coast Energy Authority, Pacific Gas & Electric Company and Schatz Energy Research Center will collaborate on the TERAS project to build a microgrid on the circuit with 24/7/365 reliability and more than 20 MW of new renewable capacity. The project is cost-effective compared to the $1 billion cost of undergrounding and hardening the Hoopa Circuit 1011 by conventional means.

As chairman Russell “Buster” Attebery Karuk Tribe he said, “The most underserved community of Panamnik (Orleans) struggles with power outages and resource shortages due to its remote location. The microgrid power will not only strengthen our tribal sovereignty, but will provide the safety nets necessary for survival along the river. Our people will no longer fear losing food or vital medical supplies like vaccines as they have in the past. TERAS is a great example of tribes working together to achieve the best for their people, and we are proud to be a part of this collaboration.”

Yurok Tribe Chairman Joseph L. James said: “This project dramatically improves energy resilience on our reservation and is a major step toward our goal of energy sovereignty. I would like to thank DOE for the award and our tribes, RCEA and Schatz Energy Research Center for working with us to develop a resilient network of tribally owned microgrids to power our homes, schools, government buildings, businesses and community centers.”

“The Hoopa Valley Tribes are deeply honored to be a part of the Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program with our respected project partners. The Hoopa Valley Tribe has always been a steward of our natural resources, and this award allows us to continue our efforts to ensure tribal energy sovereignty and environmental protection for our community. We look forward to using this opportunity to build a resilient and sustainable energy future for our Tribe and beyond.” said Linnea Jackson, general manager of the Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District.

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