Blue Lake Rancheria (BLR) extends our sincere appreciation to the California Energy Commision (CEC) for the awarded $5 million in follow-on funding through the EPIC program for our Microgrid 2.0 Project. BLR previously received a $5 million EPIC grant, which supported the commissioning of our existing microgrid. This project’s success has served as a model for at least 9 other Tribal microgrids.
Today’s CEC Commissioner vote resulted in unanimous approval of the award. Heidi Moore-Guynup, BLR Director of Tribal and Government Affairs, shares BLR’s tremendous appreciation to the Commission for their on-going support. This was followed by Peter Alstone of the Schatz Energy Research Center also expressing gratitude for the funding. CEC’s commitment through the EPIC program provides the stability and resources necessary to advance our critical work, and to continue to prove the effectiveness of our energy independence programs as a model for others to use in their own implementation of programs like this. This funding will allow us, along with our technical partner, Schatz, to demonstrate the crucial integration of necessary technologies, serving as a vital model for Tribal energy initiatives.
We intend to prove the effectiveness of a nested or networked microgrid. This technology will then be replicated across the 142 mile-long “Hoopa 1101” distribution circuit, which provides electricity to three Tribes in eastern Humboldt County – the Hoopa, Yurok, and Karuk Tribes – who jointly experience some of the most frequent and longest duration outages in California. This project will support the first Tribal Intergovernmental Collaboration of its kind on the North Coast. Furthermore, we are co-designing a Tribal low-voltage pre-apprenticeship program that will help support operations and maintenance of projects like this, as well as provide opportunity for education and growth in our community. We are deeply appreciative of CEC’s partnership in fostering energy resilience and sovereignty.