Colorado’s Electric Co-ops Send Crews to Light Up Navajo Nation

In June and July, Sangre de Cristo Electric Association (SDCEA) and 6 other Colorado electric co-op line crews traveled to parts of Arizona to help electrify homes in the Navajo Nation. SDCEA sent a 4-person crew to build electric infrastructure near Kayenta, Arizona. SDCEA linemen Josh Saar, Colton Blankenbeckler, Caden Creamer, and Lucas Montgomery worked on the project.

More than 13,000 families living in the Navajo Nation do not have basic access to electricity at home.

An initiative between the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and the American Public Power Association, Light Up Navajo works to change that statistic and to change people’s lives. “It is hard to believe that in 2024 there are still families in the United States that have never experienced having electricity,” Colorado Rural Electric Association Board President Steve Valdez said. CREA is the trade association representing 21 Colorado electric co-ops across the state.

“The Light Up Navajo project was a good experience. We spent a week building a power line for people on the Navajo Nation in northeast Arizona. Unlike our day-to-day work, they have never had the opportunity to have grid power in their life,” Montgomery said. “The lady we built power to the first couple days was living without power for 85 years, and she was very grateful when we set the meter. She said she never got to sleep at night with a fan on and she was able to use the lights to do things at night rather than using a lantern.”

Some NTUA applicants have waited years for electricity at home. Challenges include infrastructure limitations, supply chain issues, and siting and permitting considerations. Melissa, a new NTUA customer whose home was connected in June, had waited 1 year for electricity. “I purchased my home last year and was trying to take care of my family,” she said. She and her kids lived with Melissa’s parents during that time. “Now my kids have electricity and we’re going to be forever grateful,” she said, expressing thanks to the Colorado crew that worked to connect her home.

“NTUA was the power company we were working for, and they treated us very well. They made sure we were taken care of all day, bringing us lunches and snacks. This helped tremendously since we were working in 100–118-degree temperatures. The people we worked to bring power to live a very different lifestyle than what we are used to. It was awesome to be a part of a project that will help them live just a little bit easier,” Montgomery said.

“I learned some new ways of building line that we had never really thought of, and I always think it’s nice to learn a few new tricks from linemen around the country,” Montgomery added. “All around, I’m very grateful for the opportunity and proud that our company was a part of such a good cause.”

Since 2008, NTUA and volunteer crews have connected more than 7,500 homes to receive electricity. This year’s mission was to connect at least 150 homes. Volunteer crews surpassed that goal and helped connect 170 homes.

“Participating in projects such as Light Up Navajo are important because they exemplify the cooperative principle of Concern for Community,” Valdez concluded. “Volunteers banding together to improve quality of life is how co-ops got their start. Today, Colorado’s electric co-ops are still improving the quality of life in rural areas — it’s who we are.”