The U.S. Department of Agriculture has invested $1.9 million to bring sustainable energy to underserved areas of northeast Arizona.
The grant is part of the Biden administration’s Rural Energy Pilot Program, which bolsters renewable energy use in rural areas to reduce energy costs and pollution.
Funding will flow to Cooperatives for a Better World, which provides tools and expertise to co-ops to combat inequities.
The nonprofit will work with Navajo Power Home, a solar service provider for off-grid homes on Navajo and Hopi lands, to install stand-alone solar and battery systems in up to 100 homes in the Former Bennett Freeze Area surrounding Tuba City.
Efforts to develop the area have been underway since the 43-year construction freeze was lifted in 2009.
The USDA says the systems will provide energy security to indigenous and low-income households, including seniors and veterans.
