Around 13,500 of the 55,000 households on the Navajo reservation do not have access to electricity in their homes. They account for about 75% of all unelectrified homes in the United States.
Due to the isolated, rural location of these homes, it’s been a costly, and subsequently, extremely slow endeavor to bring power to these families. In an ambitious attempt to solve this unacceptable problem, the American Public Power Association and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority partnered in 2019 to launch a pilot program they called “Light Up Navajo.” The program aimed to power up more Navajo homes faster, at a significantly reduced cost.
Watch as IBEW 1245 members describe what it’s like to participate in this life-changing program.
video courtesy of IBEW International