Tribal company signs landmark energy deal with GSA

The Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy Policy (OIEP) is reporting that a tribally owned energy company has signed a landmark wind energy deal to provide 140 megawatts of wind power to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The energy will come from a wind farm in Northern Illinois.

In a blog posted on the OIEP website, Acting Director Pilar Thomas wrote that “the historic energy deal marked the largest wind energy purchase from a single source in federal contracting history.  It will supply GSA with all the clean energy it needs to meet the Obama Administration’s 20 percent by 2020 goal for federal agencies.”

MG2 Tribal Energy, a joint venture between the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians and commercial wind developer Geronimo Energy, is the first tribal entity to sign a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the federal government. The energy company is one of several enterprises the Band has created over the past 18 months as part of a comprehensive economic development initiative.

Mesa Grande is a non-gaming tribe located northeast of San Diego, CA. In addition to MG2 Tribal Energy, the Band has launched a call center, a training and events production company, and a waste management firm.

Tribal Chairman Mark Romero said the GSA contract represents an important step forward in the history of the Mesa Grande Band. “Few other economic development opportunities enable us to remain so true to our cultural and spiritual values. This contract is entirely consistent with our historic concern for Mother Earth and the continued availability of clean water, land and air for future generations.”

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