Xeni Gwet’in First Nations Government (XGFNG) is one of six Tsilhqot’in communities that make up the Tsilhqot’in Nation. Located approximately 200 km west of the closest townsite of Williams Lake, BC, Canada, this remote location can only be accessed after a 100km drive on an unpaved gravel road. XGFNG’s project “Xeni Gwet’in Community Electrification Project- Underground Distribution” was funded by the BC Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative (BCICEI) in 2020.
The project is about developing an underground distribution line from the central community’s solar-powered microgrid to connect their nearby western community that is reliant on diesel generators. The underground distribution line project is an excellent example of renewable energy projects in Indigenous communities rooted in traditional values to address unique needs and create sovereign energy solutions.