This year, the first community-based microgrid in Eastern Washington began powering the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center (MLK Center) in East Central Spokane. Spokane’s newest microgrid isn’t just an energy innovation. It’s a community investment, years in the making. Through a partnership between Avista Utilities, the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, and the Washington State Department of Commerce, the project represents a major step forward in local energy resilience and emergency preparedness.
“We’re seeing extreme weather events happen across the nation and the globe,” said Leticia Hill, VP of customer affairs and chief customer officer at Avista. “You respond by leaning into community and asking: how do we solve this together?”
That collaborative spirit became the foundation of the microgrid project, which was shaped directly by the people it serves.
A microgrid is a local power system that helps keep essential services running when the main electric grid goes down. This project helps ensure the MLK Center can keep serving the community—even during long or unexpected power outages. When the power goes out, a simple switch can activate the microgrid and keep the center running as a resilience hub. Whether it’s access to refrigeration, warmth, electricity, or a safe gathering space, the microgrid provides an anchor during moments of crisis.
The microgrid uses multiple energy sources working together: solar panels, battery storage, and natural gas backup for longer outages.