The tribe conducted feasibility studies on renewable energy including wind, solar and hydroelectric power over a 10-year period prior to launching the current solar strategy. Tribal officials cite declining revenues from oil and natural gas production as a driver for developing alternative income sources through solar power sales. The development program aims to reduce fossil fuel reliance, lower carbon emissions, create employment and establish new revenue streams for the tribal government.
An initial project is advancing with Public Service Company of New Mexico for a solar facility south of the Colorado border on Highway 160. Two additional projects are planned for Colorado locations, with a fourth targeting southeast Utah to serve tribal members in that region. Project timelines remain contingent on attracting investment capital and finalizing utility partnerships.
The tribe’s existing 1 MW facility provided proof of concept for the larger deployment strategy. Based on solar industry standard conversion rates of approximately 164 homes per megawatt, the full 500 MW build-out would theoretically power over 82,000 residences. The tribe is actively pursuing investor partnerships to finance the construction phases, with commercial operations timing dependent on capital commitments. Tribal leadership emphasized aligning the solar expansion with indigenous environmental stewardship principles while addressing climate change impacts affecting southwest Colorado. The multi-state geographic scope reflects both the tribe’s land holdings across state boundaries and the objective of accessing multiple utility service territories for power purchase agreements.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
