Two TEP crews recently returned from volunteering to set miles of poles and string conductors for the Light Up Navajo initiative, designed to connect isolated rural households to the grid.
They joined line workers from other states for one week in Winslow and another in Tuba City in northeastern Arizona. The crews put in a lot of hard work digging, hauling, installing about 60 poles, and stringing wire to bring service to about 16 customers.
Crew members were invited to volunteer for paid shifts on the project, which would keep them away from home for an extended period. TEP sent crews last year as well.
Journeyman Lineman Michael Mitts signed up immediately. He had performed mutual aid assistance in a previous role at another company. Now as a TEP employee, he wanted another opportunity to help others.
He said first time assisting with Light Up the Navajo was a rewarding experience. Not only was he able to give back, but he enjoyed learning from other crews including Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA).
He had the opportunity to meet with some of the residents after they were in power, noting he couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to live without something we take for granted. It was rewarding to see the residents first able to experience living with electricity.
“This is great for our apprentices and journeymen. They get to experience the work others are doing and bring people into power.”
More than 10,000 families living on the Navajo Nation do not have power. Nearly 900 homes have received electricity because of the initiative, which launched in 2019 and is organized jointly by the American Public Power Association and NTUA.
