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- calendar_today October 25, 2026
Inside Passage Electric Cooperative Selected for Major Tribal Energy Initiative
The Inside Passage Electric Cooperative, based in Juneau, Alaska, has been selected as one of 63 projects to enter funding negotiations under a new $125 million federal tribal energy program. The announcement was made on October 22, 2026, by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), highlighting the organization’s ongoing role in powering rural Southeast Alaska communities.
Serving Rural Alaska Communities
Inside Passage Electric Cooperative is a nonprofit electric utility headquartered on Mendenhall Loop Road in Juneau. It delivers electricity to more than 1,300 members across five remote communities: Hoonah, Kake, Angoon, Klukwan, and the Chilkat Valley. Many of these areas are separated by water and difficult terrain, presenting unique challenges in electric service and energy infrastructure.
Chilkat Indian Village Project Highlighted
The cooperative's latest federal selection is tied to the Chilkat Indian Village, the federally recognized tribe in Klukwan. While specific details such as the project’s scope, funding amount, and schedule have not yet been disclosed, the selection positions the cooperative for a significant new investment in tribal energy funding. The community of Klukwan receives its electricity through Inside Passage Electric’s Chilkat Valley system, which forms part of the Upper Lynn Canal grid, according to the Alaska Energy Data Gateway.
Previous Federal Energy Program Participation
Inside Passage Electric has previously participated in other federal energy programs. Under a past grid-resilience initiative, the Chilkat Indian Village was designated as the awardee for a vegetation and fuel-load management project, with the cooperative acting as subrecipient. That effort was supported by $93,231 in federal funds, towards a total project cost of $131,944. Similarly, the Organized Village of Kake secured federal funding for battery-storage equipment with the cooperative’s cooperation, receiving $166,517 in federal support toward a $247,000 total project. These projects are separate from the current announcement but reflect ongoing federal involvement in improving energy reliability and capacity in these rural areas.
Implications for Energy Reliability and Costs
While the new federal selection signals continued investment in rural Alaska’s electric infrastructure, the details remain to be determined. The cooperative’s website currently references a rise in its Cost of Power Adjustment, a charge related to the costs of supplying electricity to its members. Some have raised questions about how upcoming federal investments might impact future power costs, though no estimates for customer savings have been released.
Wider Federal Investment in Tribal Energy Projects
Nationally, the Department of Energy announced over $125 million for 63 projects supporting 61 tribal entities across 16 states, including Alaska. Of the selected projects, thirteen are slated to install community-scale energy systems, 27 will focus on transmission and distribution improvements, and 23 will undertake planning and feasibility efforts for larger energy developments. The programs aim to expand electricity access to underserved tribal homes and enable hundreds of household and business heating system conversions to natural gas.
Cape Fox Corporation, headquartered in Ketchikan, was also listed among the Southeast Alaska applicants. DOE officials described the program as the single largest investment ever made in the Office of Indian Energy’s 20-year history. Funding will utilize fiscal year 2026 and prior congressional appropriations. All chosen applicants, including Inside Passage Electric Cooperative, must still complete funding negotiations to finalize their awards, identify the facilities or customers that will be served, and set a timeline for construction.
Source: juneauempire.com.
