May 6, 2025
Contact: media@chugachmiut.org, 907-334-0160

TRIBAL CONSORTIUM SIGNS MOU FOR OCEAN WAVE ENERGY
Chugachmiut and Carnegie Clean Energy Ltd. Sign MOU

Anchorage, AK—Chugachmiut and Carnegie Clean Energy Ltd. announce a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on exploring wave energy in the Chugach region. Carnegie Clean Energy is the Australian developer of the CETO® technology, which captures energy from ocean waves and converts it into electricity. The companies will work together to explore the feasibility of ocean wave energy in Alaska.

Carnegie uses the latest advances in onboard power generation and artificial intelligence to efficiently generate zero-emission electricity. CETO is an innovative, fully submerged, point absorber-type wave energy technology. A submerged buoy sits a few yards below the water’s surface and moves with the ocean’s waves. This constant movement drives a power take-off system that converts this motion into electricity. Being fully submerged and zero-emission, CETO won’t interfere with marine traffic, coastal aesthetics, or tourism, and has minimal impact on marine life.

Carnegie Clean Energy’s CETO technology has enormous potential to be a source of sustainable, clean electricity in Alaska. “This revolutionary wave conversion system can potentially supply electricity to communities in the Chugach region,” says Angela ‘Jan’ Vanderpool, Executive Director of Chugachmiut. “We are excited for the potential of lowering energy costs in the region, and it’s clean, renewable, and sustainable.”

Attached to the sea floor, CETO can harness wave power and become a source of zero-emission and cost-effective electricity for the Chugach region. Learn more and watch a video of the CETO technology at https://www.carnegiece.com/ceto-technology/.

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About Chugachmiut

Chugachmiut is a 501(c)3 non-profit established in 1974 to serve and promote the self-governance of the seven Native tribes of the Chugach Region of Alaska. Chugachmiut offers a range of services to its seven constituent tribal communities, including primary care, dentistry, behavioral health, addiction counseling, trust and land management, heritage preservation, and wildland firefighting. Learn more at www.chugachmiut.org.

Download a PDF of this release.

Chugachmiut received a $249,636 Tribal Climate Resiliency award from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This funding will support the creation of a Tribal Climate Justice Commission to guide the growth of Chugachmiut’s climate education initiatives. This Commission, led by Chugach Tribal leadership, will play a vital role in integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with climate science to foster new approaches to understanding and addressing climate challenges.

The Chugachmiut Tribal Education Department will manage the grant and will support the development of its education and leadership programs by emphasizing the harmony between TEK and climate science. Commission members and regional leaders will convene in Anchorage to study and address climate issues in our communities. Their work will include analyzing existing research, collecting new data, and preparing a strategic report to identify opportunities for advancing climate education.

Elders will play a central role as knowledge-keepers and advisors, ensuring that cultural wisdom and traditional practices guide our climate resiliency efforts. This approach honors the fundamental connection between Indigenous knowledge and environmental stewardship.

Chugachmiut will also collaborate with organizations and partners who have recently completed climate resiliency studies, leveraging their insights and expertise for the commission’s success. Upon completing this project, Chugachmiut may qualify for additional funding opportunities as part of a broader effort to secure federal and state climate justice grants.

Chugachmiut is excited to announce that our Education Department has received a $5.8 million Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This five-year grant will fund the Chugach Identity Project to support Alaska Native high school students in grades 9-12. By fostering resilience and cultural identity through social-emotional learning activities, the project will serve 75 students in rural and remote schools, including those in the Native Village of Nanwalek and Qutekcak Native Tribe in Seward, Alaska.

The Chugach Identity Project will adapt the Identity Project curriculum and educator program using Sugpiaq and Eyak traditions. Materials from this project will be openly available to the public to encourage educational innovation and equity. Students enrolled in these classes will strengthen their cultural connections, enhance their academic engagement, and develop storytelling skills rooted in their heritage.

We are excited to collaborate with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and the Identity Project to deliver this program. Additionally, we are working with Dr. Heather Gordon and the Alaska Technology Development Group to evaluate its effectiveness.

In 2024, we celebrate our 50th anniversary! We are proud of the collective dedication and achievements that have shaped Chugachmiut into what it is today. From humble beginnings as a tribal consortium focused on health and social services, we have expanded our reach into culture, language preservation, economic development, and education. Our milestones underscore the commitment of our team and the steadfast support of the seven Native tribes in the Chugach Region. Our strides in healthcare, behavioral health, and economic development reflect our unwavering commitment to serving the Chugach region with integrity and compassion.

Join us as we reflect on the past 50 years with this commemorative video and booklet! 

Chugachmiut 50th Anniversary Video.

Chugachmiut’s Nupuat Newsletter Spring Edition is available!

Topics in the Nupuat Newsletter

• Career Opportunities
• State’s New VPSO Division Director
• VPSO Program at Chugachmiut
• Forestry and Fire Program Update
• Jeremy Cook Earns CDL
• Story Submissions
• Mandy Wood’s Sobriety Journey
• Housing Improvement Program
• Health Services Division News
• Nourishing Snacks
• Exercise and Brain Health      
• Tribal Home Visiting
• Litnaurwik Education Department
• Employee Spotlights
• Tobacco Prevention Support Group
• Nanwalek Basketball Team Visit

📸About the Cover: The Nanwalek Basketball Team visited Chugachmiut in February. They spent time with staff and partner organizations, Chugach Alaska Corporation and Chugach Heritage Foundation, learning about services and employment opportunities in the Chugach region. Staff shared tips for being successful in the working world, and about their careers in finance, human resources, social services, IT, administration, and communications. They also played some fun games.

Back row (left to right): Daria Swenning (chaperone), Coach Alyssa Romanoff, Margareta Demas, Phontina Demas, Macarius Evans, Dmitri Kvasnikoff, Ashton Meganack & Coach Kevin Seville.

Front row (l-r): Kenji Simmons, Jr., Alyson Seville, Royanna Berestoff, Hailey Hetrick, Emma Tanape & Shane Moonin.

Nupuat is a quarterly publication of Chugachmiut, the tribal not-for-profit organization serving the Alaska Native peoples of the Chugach Region. If you need to update your mailing address, please email us at media@chugachmiut.org.

View previous editions here.