𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗱

As part of our commitment to clean energy and climate resilience, Blue Lake Rancheria continues to lead with innovation. Our Electrical, Construction & Utilities Department recently completed a major upgrade to the Tribe’s primary microgrid—an essential system that provides power to the 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗼, 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹, 𝗦𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻/𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, and the 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰.

The team replaced an aging 18-year-old diesel generator with a 𝗧𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗩, 𝗘𝗣𝗔-𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱, 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗺𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘁𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿, and installed a state-of-the-art 𝟭.𝟮𝟰 𝗠𝗪 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝗹𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 to boost reliability and reduce emissions.

Funding for the new generator was made possible through a 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟴 𝗙𝗘𝗠𝗔 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 (𝗣𝗗𝗠𝗣) award—later transitioned into the 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 (𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗖) program. We’re deeply grateful for FEMA’s support, which covered 𝟳𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗺𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘁𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀. Despite significant supply chain delays, this project was successfully completed and delivers greater self-sufficiency and long-term energy security.

“The Blue Lake Rancheria’s Electrical, Construction & Utilities Department is made up of seven dedicated employees—five on the construction side and two on utilities. As department manager, I’ve done electrical work in twenty-two states and three countries, and I can confidently say the amount of work our construction crew has accomplished is nothing short of extraordinary. It’s second to none.

Working directly with the Schatz Energy Research Center at Cal Poly—an engineering team I consider the best in the business—has been some of the most rewarding work of my career. The forward-thinking leadership of Arla, Jason, and Anita has empowered our construction team, in partnership with Schatz, to lead the way in developing low-carbon, self-generating microgrid technologies.

Our Utilities team plays a critical role too—supporting the Rancheria’s transportation fleet and providing full utility support for the new Tribal Administration building. These guys work hard, show up with great attitudes, and take pride in what they do.

The Blue Lake Rancheria is made up of incredible, down-to-earth families. I’ve been here 25 years, and they’ve made me feel like part of the family from day one.”

— Randy Cox, Electrical Systems Director

BLR’s microgrid is a 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 system that provides uninterrupted power to lifeline services—such as 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆, 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀, and 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻—for both the Tribe and surrounding communities. These upgrades are not only about energy—they’re about ensuring 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, and honoring our commitment to 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲-𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

This microgrid plays a vital role in the Rancheria’s broader strategy to create a secure, low-carbon energy future.