On April 9, 2026, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) hosted a meeting on Tribal engagement in long-term transmission planning. The purpose of the meeting was to share information about transmission planning and development in California, engage Tribal community members and leaders in dialogue on the development of CAISO’s Tribal Engagement Policy, receive input from Tribal community members, and identify opportunities for Tribal participation in transmission development decisions. The California Energy Commission (CEC) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) also participated in a joint agency presentation to encourage Tribal community members to participate in the various programs and proceedings at each respective agency.
The meeting opened with a brief overview of the demand for new electricity and the implications for Tribal communities. The expected load growth in California has led CAISO to place importance on including Tribal communities in transmission planning conversations.
The CEC’s Tribal Affairs staff presented on the two upcoming CEC funding programs for clean energy development: Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Located in Non-traditional Terrain (SPLINT) and Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) Tribal Direct Install Program. According to CEC staff, the EBD Tribal Direct Install Program will have $30 million in available funding. CEC staff also identified the opportunity for Tribal engagement in land-use screens for electric system planning, which feeds into the CPUC’s Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) proceeding and, ultimately, CAISO’s Transmission Planning Process (TPP). The notice for the CEC’s land-use screens update will be posted to the public CEC docket.
The CPUC staff’s presentation included a summary of the IRP and Busbar Mapping Processes and explained why Tribes would benefit from engaging in the proceedings. Aside from the valuable opportunity for Tribal participation in the IRP proceeding, particularly with land-use screenings, Tribes can participate in the Busbar Mapping Process for cultural resource identification. The proceeding does not involve actual project siting, but it does provide an understanding of land-use and environmental implications for early identification of barriers to development. CPUC staff noted that Tribes may become a party to the IRP proceeding (Rulemaking 25-06-019) and can reach out to the CPUC’s Office of the Tribal Advisor for assistance. Tribes are eligible for intervenor compensation should they choose to participate in these proceedings.
CAISO staff underscored that the development of CAISO’s Tribal Engagement Policy is not intended to replicate government-to-government consultation, as CAISO is not a governmental entity, but CAISO intends to include both federally recognized and non-federally recognized Tribes in its policy. The Tribal Engagement Policy will thus reflect the unique and sovereign status of Tribal governments, in addition to supporting early and ongoing engagement with Tribes in the TPP and beyond. In doing so, CAISO intends to provide flexible and meaningful opportunities for Tribal input while maintaining confidentiality.
A follow-up meeting is tentatively scheduled for August 2026.