U.S. Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy

Partnering with a data center developer holds tremendous opportunity right now—from land leases to selling power to the data center through a power purchase agreement to infrastructure developments and job expansion.

In a recent blog, our team provides answers to frequently asked questions from Tribes on key issues such as water use, local and community impacts, transmission infrastructure, site selection, and more. Read our data center FAQ blog:

Data Centers for Tribal Economic Development: Frequently Asked Questions View the most commonly asked questions.

Meet the IE Team: Tommy Jones, Ph.D., serves the Office of Indian Energy (IE) as a Tribal Affairs Specialist. He is staff lead on the Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group, which held its second meeting of the year in Oklahoma City in May.
Tommy is also the IE staff lead for the U.S. Department of Energy Tribal Engagement Steering Committee and the Executive Secretariat, while supporting much of the office’s and DOE’s engagement with Tribes.
Learn more about Tommy Jones in our new Meet the Team staff profile. https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/articles/meet-team-thomas-jones-tribal-affairs-specialist

May was a busy month for our team!

✅ We held an in-person Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group meeting in Oklahoma City to collaborate with Tribes and identify opportunities to better support Tribal energy priorities

✅ We met with Osage Nation Tribal leaders to talk about energy priorities and shared values

✅ Director Mahroum spoke at the Native American Mining and Energy Sovereignty symposium

✅ We visited the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in Colorado for an exciting groundbreaking and technology visit for energy projects that were collaboratively developed by the Tribe and our Office.

…And so much more!

Stay connected with us here on social media to stay updated on our activities and work to advance Tribal energy development and opportunities.

What drives our office? 💭Our Director, Eric Mahroum, has outlined four key priorities that guide our work and impact across Indian Country.
⚡Affordability: Increase affordable, reliable, and secure electricity for all Tribes

🤝🏾 Public-Private Partnerships: Facilitate public-private partnerships to unleash American energy across Indian Country

📣 Communications: Strengthen outreach and communications with all Tribes, inclusive of all energy resource priorities

👷🏾 Workforce: Invest in the Tribal energy workforce to build the pipeline for the next generation of energy leaders

Learn more about each priority in more detail in our latest blog. https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/articles/office-indian-energy-director-priorities

📩 Our May newsletter is now available on our website: https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/office-indian-energy-newsletter

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ICYMI! Watch the recording of our most recent webinar “Microgrids and Distribution Infrastructure."

https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/microgrids-and-distribution-infrastructure-webinar

✅ REGISTER NOW: Don’t miss the Partnerships for Academic-Industry Career Training (PACT) Initiative office hours on June 3 with TechWerx - a DOE innovation hub.

The PACT Initiative will facilitate the development of hands-on training and credentialing programs in skillsets supporting the production of natural gas, oil, coal, and geothermal energy by establishing regional academic-industry consortia, and includes up to $2.3 million exclusively for Tribal Colleges and Universities!

TechWerx - Opportunities The PACT Initiative opportunity will enhance the nation’s capacity for a highly skilled energy workforce to help establish America’s energy dominance. Up to $11,300,000 will be available to institutions of higher education, including up to $2,300,000 exclusively to Tribal Colleges and Universiti...

Have you joined any of our 2026 Tribal Energy Webinars? 💻⚡️This series has provided participants with information to advance Tribal energy development and foster peer-to-peer learning through presentations from Tribes who are advancing their energy systems.

This year’s webinar series has focused on three themes:
⚡️ Unleashing Tribal Energy Resources
⚡️Tribal Energy Program Review Mini-Series
⚡️Creating the Enabling Framework to Advance High-Value Energy Projects

Visit our website to watch recordings of past webinars and register to join any upcoming! >> https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/webinars

⚠️ 2 months left ⚠️ to apply for our $50M funding opportunity to advance Tribe-led affordable, reliable, secure energy in Indian Country.

Applications are due by July 24, 2026, for the Unleashing Tribal Energy Development funding opportunity. We are soliciting applications from Indian Tribes, which include Alaska Native regional corporations and Village corporations; Tribal and intertribal organizations; Tribal Energy Development Organizations; and Tribal Colleges and Universities.

We anticipate issuing awards up to $7,500,000 (funding per individual award will vary). This funding opportunity has zero or 10% cost share with no reduction request required, depending on the type of project.

Learn more about this opportunity, including a recording of our informational webinar from April: https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/articles/50-million-available-advance-affordable-reliable-and-secure-energy-tribes

Last week in Oklahoma City, the Office of Indian Energy held an Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group (ICEIWG) meeting, a forum for candid dialogue, coordination, and identifying opportunities to better support Tribal energy priorities.

Currently consisting of 20 members, ICEIWG brings together leaders from Tribal Nations to provide crucial insights into the experiences, obstacles, and opportunities facing Indian Country in energy and related infrastructure development, deployment, and capacity building.

During the meeting, Caddo Nation Chairman Bobby Gonzales recognized visitors who had traveled significant distances to come to Oklahoma by gifting blankets, including to Councilman Keolani Booth from the Metlakatla Indian Community in Alaska and Pi-Ta Pitt, the Utility Manager from the Pechanga Band Luiseno Indians, Temecula, California.

Learn more in our new blog: https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/articles/office-indian-energy-holds-indian-country-energy-and-infrastructure-working