SANTA YSABEL, Calif. – Tekamuk Training and Events, a wholly owned enterprise of the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians, will host its second Tribal Energy Summit November 16-17 at Sycuan Casino and Resort in El Cajon, CA.  The conference agenda includes presentations by experts in energy financing, structuring tribal energy deals, selling energy to utilities and negotiating power purchase agreements (PPAs).

Among presenters at the Tribal Energy Summit are Pilar Thomas, Of Counsel at Lewis Roca Rothberger LLP, and former Deputy Director of the Office of Indian Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy; Payton Batliner, Economic Development Specialist, U.S. Department of Interior Division of Energy and Mineral Development; Ted Roberts, Attorney, and Brad Mantz, Energy Contracts Originator, both from Sempra Energy; and Michelle Holiday, principal at Michelle Holiday & Associates, Washington DC, a tribal energy development and government affairs consultant.

 The event also features a mini-expo with booths highlighting government and private sector energy programs and services. Exhibitors include San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E);  Department of Interior Division of Energy and Mineral Development (DEMD);  Klas Robinson QED, a leading provider of economic analyses and feasibility studies for Indian tribes; and Tekamuk Energy, a Mesa Grande-owned energy company.

The Mesa Grande Band is active in the energy marketplace. In 2014, MG2 Tribal Energy, a joint venture of the tribe and Minnesota-based Geronimo Energy, successfully executed a power purchase agreement with the U.S. General Services Administration  (GSA) for 140 megawatts of wind energy. It was the largest wind energy purchase from a single source in federal government history.

Tekamuk Energy also provides residential solar installation services for homeowners in the San Diego area. Nine tribal members have become certified as solar installers under a joint effort with Grid Alternatives, a non-profit solar installation organization providing services to low-income homeowners; and the California Indian Manpower Consortium (CIMC), a non-profit providing job training and employment opportunities for Native workers.

More information and registration links are available at www.tekamuk.com.