The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority in partnership with the American Public Power Association on April 7 officially launched Light Up Navajo V, a project to extend electric service to Navajo Nation households.
This year there are 42 electric utility companies from 16 states that will participate in the 2024 LUN V initiative, beginning April 7 and ending July 20th.
Over 250 electric line workers will be traveling to the Navajo Nation over the next few months to help connect the home of Navajo families to the electric grid. The goal is to connect at least 200 homes.
Visiting line workers will be working with NTUA electric crews. The visiting crews represent utilities located in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Oklahoma, Utah, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.
This week the line workers are from the Salt River Project in Phoenix and the Grand River Dam Authority from Oklahoma. They are working on projects in the tribal communities of Dilkon (AZ), Naschitti (NM), Tohatchi (NM), and St. Micheals (AZ). Each week they will be working on shovel-ready projects.
In 2023, 26 utility companies from 16 states sent their electric crews to be part of Light Up Navajo IV and extended electric power to 159 homes from April to July.
“We are grateful for the outside utilities who want to help bring positive change for families waiting for electricity,” said NTUA General Manager Walter Haase. “The communities these utilities represent learned about our challenges and were prompted to be a part of this dramatically meaningful project,” he said.
“Together, the visiting line workers will help to provide families with the basic modern conveniences made possible by electricity, such as lighting, heating, air conditioning, and refrigerated food. With electricity the families can also prepare for water and broadband services,” Haase said. “Light Up Navajo fulfills the ultimate goal of to help make life easier and helps lift burden for so many families.”
