AMPS Plans for EV Charging Infrastructure on Tribal Lands
Aha Macav Power Service (AMPS) is developing a comprehensive EV infrastructure readiness plan for Fort Mojave tribal lands, funded through California Energy Commission grant GFO-23-607.
What the CEC Grant Funds
The CEC GFO-23-607 grant awarded AMPS $477,300 in November 2024 to fund two activities:
- Activity 2 — EV Infrastructure Planning: Developing a detailed planning blueprint and readiness plan for EV charging sites across tribal facilities. This includes site assessments, load analysis, BIA trust land permitting pathways, and a prioritized deployment plan for when capital funding is secured.
- Activity 3 — Workforce Training: Building the EVMojave community training program to prepare tribal members for careers in EV charging installation and operations.
These grant-funded activities are the planning and preparation phase — they identify where charging infrastructure should go and develop the community workforce to support it. Capital funding for actual station construction would come from separate sources such as DOE Office of Indian Energy grants, NEVI formula funds, or other federal and state programs.
AMPS Background
AMPS is a tribally owned electric utility incorporated in July 1991, serving the Fort Mojave Reservation across Arizona, California, and Nevada. AMPS already operates a 2.3 MW solar PV array (completed December 2020, funded by a $3 million DOE grant) that provides approximately 10% of the tribe's total power. Tribal-owned clean energy infrastructure has a strong track record at Fort Mojave.
Looking Ahead
The planning work AMPS is doing now positions the tribe to move quickly when capital infrastructure funding becomes available. With ADOT's Phase 2 NEVI plan including SR-95 locations and federal requirements for EVITP-certified installers, building the planning blueprint and trained workforce today is the strategic foundation for EV infrastructure tomorrow.
Follow the EVMojave portal for updates on infrastructure planning milestones and training program enrollment. Contact AMPS at infrastructure@ahamacav.com with questions.