Oxford Solar Project

Presented by Brent Brown, Construction Project Manager

Southern Ute Indian TribeIgnacio, Colorado

November 14th, 2016

Historic Ute Land

Southern Ute Statistics Today Tribal Members: 1,400+

Reservation: 313,070 acres exterior: 681,306 acres

Unemployment: 6%

Employment: The Tribe is the largest employer in La Plata County with more than 1,300 employees.

Colorado

New Mexico

Arizona

Utah

San Juan Basin

Fee Acreage

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Part of Tribe’s overall plan to diversify their businesses– Decision started the process in

2006

We have the solar resource

The technology started to become economical for our area– Solar costs dropped over 60%

over last 5 years

Grant was critical to the project

Solar Make Sense?

Location of Reservation

Conducted a broad study of solar energy options (2012-2013)

Goalso Identify Lands and Buildings best suited for solar PV projectso Identify if Utility and/or Commercial scale solar is currently viable on

the Reservationo Identify needed conditions for economically viable projects

High level analysis of solar energy opportunity within Reservation boundaries

o Utility Scale – wholesale energy, ground mount, greater than 1MWo Commercial Scale – net metered, roof mount, less than 1MW

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technologyo Low Technology Risko Rapid Price Declineo Widely Deployed

Solar Feasibility Study

Identified most suitable areas for utility scale solar

Utilized site based parameters that impact energy generation, development cost and/or development risk

o Proximity to transmission infrastructureo Proximity to roadso Topography (slope, aspect and flood plains)o Solar resourceo Land Ownershipo Habitat for threatened and/or endangered specieso Others

Utilized GIS data and developed parameter weighted scoring methodology to compare sites (Solar Suitability Score)

Collected data and mapped all Reservation lands

Selected 8 most promising areas

Solar Feasibility Study

GIS Based Solar Suitability

Project Location

Environmental– NEPA - Eligible for a Categorical Exclusion due to early farming and ranching activity

which disturbed the land

Geotech– Utilized an outside contractor and took extra care in this evaluation

Land Lease and Rights of Way– Right to use and access the land (e.g., Trust land)– Complexities

• BIA water ditches• Private property• Utility rights of way and infrastructure• Oil and gas infrastructure

Permitting/Land Access

Discussions included:

Interconnection Agreement• Negotiated with local electric utility • Defines the terms under which the

project can connect to the grid

Power Purchase Agreement• Defines the rates the project will be

paid for the energy provided to the buyer

Utility Project Negotiations

SUIT Buildings that will Benefit from Project

Ten buildings will benefit from the energy produced

(1) SUIT Growth Fund Building(2) SunUte Community Center(3) Animal Shelter (4) Construction Services(5) Construction Services Quonset(6) Water Resources Building (7) Education Area Building 1 (8) Education Area Building 2 (9) Southern Ute Education Center (10) Food Distribution buildings.

These buildings were selected due to their location and ability to offset greater than 15% of fuel usage through electric savings alone. With a ground mount facility and an agreement with LPEA to credit the energy generated to the buildings the Tribe specifies.

Growth Fund Building

SunUte Community Center

Finalize Design (Summer of 2016)

~1,000kW ground-mount Photovoltaic (PV) project Interconnection near an underutilized substation Power sold to local utility Electricity generated equivalent to the usage of about 250

households $3M budget including $1.5M award from USDOE TEP/EERE -

Community-Scale Clean Energy Projects in Indian Country

Solar Project Overview

Solar Project Overview

Construction Started (Fall 2016)

Underground Conduit Pile Structures

Inverter Assembly

Solar Project Overview

Energize and Test the Array Commission the System Commercial Operation

(Estimated Spring 2017)

Solar Project Overview

Questions?

Contact Information

Brent Brown, Construction Project Manager Patrick Morrissey, Senior Vice President

bbrown@sugf.com pmorrissey@sugf.com

970-764-6420 970-764-6474