The Mesa Grande Band of Diegueño Mission Indians and the nonprofit Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) have completed solar and battery storage installations at three tribal facilities on the Mesa Grande Reservation in San Diego County, California. The Tribe describes the work as the reservation's first public clean energy installation and as another step in a multi-decade effort to gain greater control over its own power supply.
The equipment serves three administration buildings — Tekamuk, Hallyeyaaw and Golden Eagle — that function as civic and community hubs. They house tribal government operations, housing services, cultural and educational programming, food distribution and emergency response.
Output and savings
The arrays are sized to cover the three buildings' present electricity demand while leaving room for future growth. Combined, they are expected to produce roughly 60 MWh of solar electricity a year and to reduce the Tribe's power bills by at least $16,780 annually.
Backup for an unreliable grid
The battery systems allow the administration buildings to keep operating independently of the regional grid during outages, which the Tribe says are common in the rural community. Curtis La Chusa, chairman of the Mesa Grande Tribal Council, said electricity is something most people stop noticing until it fails, but that on the reservation interruptions can stretch for days and disrupt the services the Tribe provides.
Two decades of energy work
The project continues a longer history. Electricity did not reach the reservation until the 1950s, and some homes remain off the grid today, relying on small generators for basic household needs. Over the years the Tribe has pursued residential solar, renewable energy planning and workforce development, and four tribal members who had previously trained in solar installation were employed on this project.
Bob Freling, executive director of SELF, which facilitated the project, said reliable and affordable power gives communities room to invest in what comes next, and that lower energy costs and stronger resilience can free up resources while providing a base for growth.
Housing plan in the works
The installations arrive as the Tribe begins work on a long-term plan for new housing and community infrastructure. That plan calls for 1,500 new homes and would deliver the first new housing built on the reservation since 2005, addressing affordability and supply shortages that have limited how many members can live on tribal land. La Chusa said the Tribe's future begins with enabling members to return home and with providing the spaces and services they need to thrive.
The project was funded by the William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation and other donors.