Over the past two years, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and Energy Trust of Oregon have completed more than 40 energy efficiency projects across the reservation — a partnership that tribal leaders and energy officials say marks only the beginning of what could become a long-term effort to address unique rural energy needs.
Among the most notable projects are upgrades at two key community facilities: the High Lookee Lodge, a 26-year-old building that serves tribal elders, and the Warm Springs Fire and Safety Building, which doubles as both a fire station and a medical clinic. Together, the improvements at those two sites have drawn more than $90,000 in investment and are projected to save $13,800 annually in energy costs.
Better Light, Better Care
For Fire Chief Scott Spaulding of the Confederated Tribes, the lighting upgrades at the Fire and Safety Building have had an immediate and visible impact on patient care.
"So when the new lighting came in, it completely made it brighter. And the crews can see the patients better and the patient can see the crew better," Spaulding said. "I think that the warmth, the feeling of the building helps out with patient care. I think it's all around better experience."
At High Lookee Lodge, director Fay Hurtado said the improved lighting has been especially meaningful for elders with impaired vision.
"The energy upgrade was awesome. The elders were able to see," Hurtado said. "Dim light is sometimes hard on some that can't see very well. So the upgrades brought a lot of light to our facility."
A Unique Community With Unique Needs
Carina Miller, tribal government stakeholder relations manager for Energy Trust of Oregon, said the partnership has required the organization to think differently about how it delivers services to rural and reservation communities.
"I mean, this is a reservation and so it's a very unique community," Miller said. "We need to be able to anticipate for higher energy needs and some of these things that are going to impact our communities regardless. But here in rural Oregon, on the reservations, there are different and unique needs that ETO is learning how to fill those gaps."
Unlike cities and counties, tribal land encompasses both energy efficiency and energy enterprise — with the Confederated Tribes also generating power that is sold to surrounding communities. That dual role shapes how energy planning must work on the reservation.
More to Come
Both Energy Trust of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes have described the current work as an initial phase, with hopes to expand services throughout the reservation in the coming years. For a community that has long navigated the challenges of rural Oregon with limited external support, the partnership represents a meaningful shift in how statewide energy programs reach tribal lands.