The Mesa Grande Band of Diegueño Mission Indians has completed solar and battery storage installations at three Tribal facilities on its reservation in San Diego County, California, in partnership with the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF). The Tribe described the project as the first public clean energy installation on the reservation and a step in its long-term effort to strengthen energy sovereignty.
The systems serve the Tekamuk, Hallyeyaaw and Golden Eagle administration buildings, which function as civic and community hubs for Tribal government, housing services, cultural and educational activities, food distribution and emergency response.
Designed for current load and future growth
The solar arrays are sized to meet the three facilities' current electricity needs and include additional capacity for future growth. Together they are expected to produce approximately 60 MWh of solar electricity annually and reduce the Tribe's electricity costs by at least $16,780 per year.
Battery storage allows the administration buildings to operate independently from the grid during outages. The Tribe noted that power interruptions are common in the rural community and can last for days, disrupting services.
Curtis La Chusa, chairman of the Mesa Grande Tribal Council, said electricity is often taken for granted until service is lost, and that at Mesa Grande outages are a regular reality that can disrupt the services the Tribe provides.
The project builds on more than two decades of work to expand access to reliable, affordable clean energy. Grid electricity did not reach the reservation until the 1950s, and some homes remain off-grid, using small generators for basic needs, according to the Tribe. Earlier efforts have included residential solar, renewable energy planning and workforce development.
Four Tribal members with prior solar installation training worked on the project, the Tribe said.
Backup power and housing plans
The installation comes as Mesa Grande begins work on a long-term plan for new housing and community infrastructure. The plan calls for 1,500 new homes and would include the first new housing built on the reservation since 2005, addressing housing affordability and supply constraints that have limited how many members can live on Tribal land.
Bob Freling, executive director of SELF, said reliable, affordable energy can lower costs and strengthen resilience, freeing resources for communities to invest in future growth. SELF facilitated the project.
La Chusa said the Tribe sees a bright future and that it begins with enabling members to return home and providing spaces and services that help them thrive.
The project was funded by the William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation and others.