DMEA Crews Help Bring the Power of Home to Navajo Families for Fourth Straight Year
Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) line crews recently returned from the Navajo Nation after participating in the Light Up Navajo initiative for the fourth consecutive year, helping extend electric service to families living without access to power.
"One of the things I love most about this project is that it reflects who coopeatives are at our core," said DMEA’s Chief Executive Officer Jack Johnston. "We're neighbors helping neighbors. Whether it's here at home or on the Navajo Nation, we're committed to improving the quality of life through the power of electricity. We were honored to lend our skills and be part of that mission once again."
Light Up Navajo, a partnership between the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and the American Public Power Association, brings utility crews from across the country together to help connect remote homes to the electric grid. Since the program began in 2019, more than 1,000 Navajo households have received electricity for the first time through the combined efforts of volunteer utility crews and NTUA employees.
This year, DMEA crews were stationed out of NTUA's Dilkon office in Arizona. The assignment presented some of the most remote work conditions DMEA has experienced during its four years with the program. Crews often spent five to six hours each day traveling to and from remote job sites across the vast Navajo Nation.
Despite the challenging terrain and long travel times, DMEA crews completed five separate projects, setting 39 poles and successfully energizing four homes.
During the project, crews received a visit from Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, who visited a work site on May 12 to thank volunteers for their efforts and recognize the impact the program is having on Navajo families.
The Light Up Navajo initiative continues to address one of the nation's most significant electrification challenges. Approximately 10,000 families across the Navajo Nation still lack access to electricity, making partnerships with cooperatives like DMEA critical to accelerating connections for families in need.
DMEA's participation reflects the cooperative principle of Concern for Community and the cooperative's ongoing commitment to supporting neighboring communities through mutual aid and service opportunities.
To learn more about Light Up Navajo, please visit https://www.ntua.com/light-up-navajo.html.
