Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, partner start work on developing reservation’s first solar power project

WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Warm Springs Power & Water Enterprises, which manages the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs’ energy assets and facilities, announced Monday that it will collaborate with renewable energy developer BrightNight to develop the Salmonfly Project, a utility-scale solar energy and battery energy storage project on the Warm Springs Reservation.

Though early in the planning, input and approval process, the project has potential to support job opportunities, increase Tribal revenue and develop on-Reservation infrastructure for power generation and transmission. The renewable energy generated through this project, which includes a solar panel array and a Battery Energy Storage System, would be able to go online soon after development by utilizing a surplus interconnection with the Pelton-Round Butte hydroelectric project.

Warm Springs Tribal members are invited to a public scoping meeting on Wednesday, December 4 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Greely Heights Community Center to meet the BrightNight team, learn more about and provide input on Salmonfly’s location, size, benefits and impacts.

“Warm Springs Power and Water Enterprises has a broad vision for how we support Tribal sovereignty through the intentional design and development of renewable energy that positions the Tribes as leaders in the energy market,” said Cathy Ehli, Executive Director of the Warm Springs Power & Water Enterprises. “BrightNight has experience collaborating with other Tribal Nations, and we trust that their sensitivity to the cultural needs of Warm Springs members will be an added benefit as we navigate the planning and approval process.”

Along with expanding revenue opportunities for the Tribes, Tribal members will be prioritized for manufacturing, installation and solar maintenance jobs, allowing Tribal members to grow careers in the rapidly expanding renewable energy industry.

Florida-based BrightNight is the first renewable integrated power company designed to provide utility and commercial and industrial customers with clean, dispatchable renewable power solutions. Their recent projects include the 300 MW Box Canyon solar project in Arizona, with construction ongoing, and a 100 MW combined wind and solar project under construction in India.

In close consultation with the WSPWE team and Tribal Council, BrightNight will lead the planning, design and development of the Salmonfly Project following a very involved community input process that:

• Begins with gathering preliminary information about the potential layout and location of the project
• Connects with Tribal members to learn how the project can provide direct benefits to them
• Develops a plan based on that feedback, to ensure the project’s long-term revenue can support initiatives important to Tribal members.

The project follows a study commissioned in 2010 that found that solar energy is the best option for new renewable energy projects, given the Tribes’ geographic compatibility, its long history of managing largescale utility energy projects and the lower cost of developing solar energy complexes.

Over the coming months and years, Tribal members will be able to follow and provide their input through community meetings concerning the project’s development, including the scoping meeting on December 4.

“Right now, BrightNight is in the early stages of development of the Salmonfly project — working to understand which areas of the proposed project site are buildable and how to best use the land in culturally sensitive and relevant ways,” said Jaron Wright, Senior Director of Development at BrightNight. “We are elated to bring our previous experience partnering with Tribal Nations to the community of Warm Springs, and we also appreciate the opportunity to continue learning as we hear what matters to Tribal members here.”

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The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon is a federally-recognized, sovereign Indian tribe occupying the Warm Springs Reservation, which was reserved for its exclusive benefit by an 1855 Treaty with the United States. The Reservation stretches from the summit of the Cascade Mountains to the cliffs of the Deschutes River in Central Oregon. https://warmsprings-nsn.gov/

BrightNight designs, develops and operates safe, reliable large-scale renewable power projects for utility, commercial and industrial customers across the U.S. and Asia Pacific, overcoming challenging energy sustainability standards, rapidly changing grid dynamics and the transition away from fossil fuel generation. To learn more, visit: www.brightnightpower.com