Red Lake Nation breaks ground on Makwa Solar Array near Blackduck

A new 3-megawatt solar array near Blackduck is moving Red Lake Nation closer to controlling more of its own energy supply, with enough planned output to power about 500 homes and keep utility dollars circulating closer to home.

Red Lake Nation leaders broke ground on the Makwa Solar Array on May 15 on land owned by the tribe near Blackduck. The project is one of the larger tribal-land solar installations planned in Minnesota, and it arrives after the idea was first raised 11 years ago, showing how long the tribe has been building toward a locally owned energy asset.

For Beltrami County, the project matters well beyond the symbolism of solar panels. Red Lake Nation chair Darrel Seki Sr. said the point is to help members lower electric bills, while proceeds from the sale of the power are expected to flow back into community programming. That makes the project a household issue as much as an infrastructure one, especially in a region where reliability and cost shape monthly budgets.

The project is being developed by Solar Bear, an Indigenous-led company that has also framed the work as a workforce-development opportunity. Funding includes grants, Red Lake Nation resources and support through the Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Electrification Program. The BIA says that program was allocated $150 million through the Inflation Reduction Act, with successful award selections announced in September 2024.

Red Lake Nation News said completion is expected around June 2027. That timeline means the project is not a quick ribbon-cutting, but a long build that could add a durable energy asset to the tribe’s portfolio and create training and construction work along the way.

The Blackduck project also fits into a broader shift in Minnesota Indian Country. It follows other tribal solar efforts, including work connected to White Earth Nation, and builds on earlier Red Lake projects that drew attention for their scale. Clean Energy Economy Minnesota previously reported on an earlier 240-kilowatt solar installation tied to Solar Bear and Red Lake Nation at a workforce training center, while a 2024 report noted Solar Bear trained an all-Native crew on a Prairie Island solar project.

Red Lake Nation, one of the most isolated reservations in the country and home to more than 14,000 tribal members, has long faced steep challenges in stretching infrastructure across a large geography. A locally owned solar array near Blackduck will not solve every energy problem, but it gives the tribe another tool for strengthening resilience, lowering costs and keeping control of an essential service closer to home.