NAVAJO NATION – In April 2019, the Navajo Nation Hayoołkaał proclamation prioritized a transition toward a balanced energy portfolio and the pursuit of renewable energy development for the long-term benefit of the Navajo people, becoming a new economic vision rooted in clean and renewable energy. 

In the months that followed, the closure of the Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta Mine resulted in a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall. Hundreds of Navajo workers were laid-off from high-paying jobs. Then in 2020, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the economic outlook for the Navajo Nation.  

While our leaders strategized to support our people, the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority was developing utility-scale solar projects to replace lost revenue from the closure of the Kayenta Peabody mine. Following the completion of the Kayenta Solar Farm, NTUA moved forward with solar projects in the Red Mesa, Cameron, and LeChee communities. 

These projects will create hundreds of construction jobs, on-the-job training opportunities, and community benefits, such as creating jobs and stabilizing electric rates. These solar generation facilities are an example of Navajo Nation sovereignty, whereby for the first time the Navajo Nation is generating electricity on its traditional homeland.

The success of the NTUA Solar projects relies on relationships and input from community members like you. That's why we're asking you to participate in our brief survey. Please tell us your thoughts about developing solar projects in your community.

Without the community's support, NTUA Solar will not succeed. The Nation will continue to depend on federal funds for community projects and essential services, leaving us vulnerable to the next public health crisis. 

Together, we can provide significant and lasting benefits for our people, economy, environment, and future. Because the solar projects are majority Navajo-owned, we can enhance our communities' connectivity, education, health, and safety. 

Solar energy development helps to extend life-essential necessities like running water, lighting, cooling, heating, and refrigeration, which are still very much lacking in many parts of our Nation. With your help, NTUA Solar will bridge these gaps and provide opportunities, improving the standard of living for today, tomorrow, and in the future.