Transitioning Hopi Economy from Coal to Renewables
Coalition Lead Applicant: Hopi Utilities Corporation
Region (applicant-defined): Northeastern Arizona
Cluster Sector(s): Energy and Resilience
Coalition Overarching Narrative (applicant submitted) (PDF)
Project Description:
The closure of the Navajo Generating Station (NGS) coal plant and mining operations hurt the regional economy in Northeastern Arizona. The coalition, led by the Hopi Utility Corporation (HUC), aims to invest in a large-scale solar project that can fill the void of lost revenues and jobs related to the NGS closure while mitigating climate change by creating clean energy. If provided an implementation grant, this solar project proposes to support the growth and enhancement of HUC and Hopi Telecommunications, Inc., as well as provide technical training for Tribal members to obtain good-paying jobs. The coalition also proposes to carry out three additional projects, which include a workforce development program tied to the construction of the solar project; a planning effort to strengthen the Hopi’s organizational capacity to build future infrastructure projects; and several smaller-scale infrastructure projects focused on reliability, resilience, and supporting new business development across Hopi villages.