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DOE selects 63 tribal projects for award negotiations, over $125 million

  • Selection is not a commitment to fund, DOE says
  • Largest-ever single tribal energy investment in office's history, office says
  • March funding notice sought applications for up to $50 million
An electrical substation, in an illustrative photo used on Headwaters WirePhoto: Wikimedia Commons - The Official Website of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, CC BY 4.0
Illustrative photo.

Headwaters Wire ·  · AI-assisted

WASHINGTON, Oct 22 — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Oct 22 announced over $125 million for 63 tribe-led projects selected for award negotiations, a step the department said is not a commitment to issue an award or provide funding.1

The DOE Office of Indian Energy released its Unleashing Tribal Energy Development Notice of Funding Opportunity in March 2026 to solicit applications for up to $50 million, according to the office's Tribal Energy Development Selections page.1 The office said applications requested approximately 10 times the amount of funding available.1

The selected projects span 16 states, including Alaska, and include 61 tribal entities, the department said.2

Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will go through a negotiation process.2 DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind a selection for any reason during that time, according to the press release.2

"With this announcement, the Office of Indian Energy is making the largest-ever single investment in tribal energy development in the office's 20-year history," Office of Indian Energy Director Eric Mahroum said.2

According to the department, 13 projects will focus on deploying community-scale energy projects.2 These include bringing electric service to 150 tribal homes that currently lack electricity and converting 500 homes and businesses to natural gas heating.2

Another 27 projects will focus on predevelopment activities.2 The remaining 23 will cover planning, assessment and feasibility work for large-scale tribal energy projects, including identifying geothermal and other energy resources, the department said.2

The department said the projects will be supported through Fiscal Year 2026 and prior-year congressional appropriations.2