WASHINGTON-The U.S. Department of Energy today announced over $125 million for 63 tribe-led projects selected for award negotiations. The selected projects span 16 states, including Alaska, and include 61 tribal entities. This investment will support projects aimed at cutting electricity costs, expanding electricity access, and advancing economic development for tribes across the United States.

Consistent with President Trump's Executive Order, Unleashing American Energy, these selections highlight the fundamental role of energy in strengthening tribal economies.

"President Trump has prioritized delivering affordable, reliable, and secure energy to the American people since day one, and this administration is taking decisive action to deliver on that commitment," said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy James P. Danly. "This historic investment will help address longstanding energy challenges facing tribal communities by lowering electricity costs, expanding access to reliable power, and creating new opportunities for economic development. We are ensuring that tribal communities have the energy resources they need to grow and prosper."

"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," said DOE's Office of Indian Energy Director Eric Mahroum. "These projects represent a new and expanded direction for the Office, and for the first time, we're supporting projects at any phase of development and with a broad set of technologies and approaches. Our goal is to support tribes to advance high-value energy projects, including large scale projects like generation, transmission, distribution, and critical mineral projects."

The 63 selected tribe-led projects will deliver for tribal communities in three key areas. Thirteen projects will focus on the deployment and installation of tribal community-scale energy projects to meet the needs of the community, bringing electric service to 150 tribal homes that currently lack electricity, converting 500 homes and businesses to natural gas heating, and upgrading electrical infrastructure to ensure tribes have reliable access to power. Twenty-seven projects will focus on predevelopment activities required to identify community-scale energy opportunities and bring projects from concept to implementation readiness, and will include studies on Tribal Utility Authorities, electric transmission/distribution, resource assessments, resiliency measures, and workforce development. Twenty-three projects will focus on planning, assessment, and feasibility activities to de-risk and advance development for large-scale tribal energy projects that provide opportunities for revenue generation and economic development, including identifying geothermal and other energy resources to supply baseload power, provide resilient backup power, as well as to generate revenue through power sales.

The full project list is available here.

Selected projects will be supported through Fiscal Year 2026 and prior-year congressional appropriations.

Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.