Native Village of Kotzebue

Plans by the Native Village of Kotzebue to sell wind power to its local electric cooperative are on hold after the federal government slashed a $150 million grant for Alaska tribal infrastructure projects earlier this month.

The building will house the tribe’s administration offices and the Iñupiaq immersion preschool, Nikaitchuat Iḷisaġviat.

“The idea of the tribally-owned energy project is to have more control locally over the price of energy, and to be able to produce as much energy locally as we can, reducing the amount of diesel fuel we use for electricity,” said Chad Nordlum, the energy project manager for the Native Village of Kotzebue.