Okla.’s electric co-ops select team to electrify remote Guatemalan village
CO-OP HIGHLIGHTS:
- Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives announce a team of 14 volunteers to electrify the rural Guatemalan village of Barejones
- The mission is coordinated by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) philanthropic arm, NRECA International
- The completed project impacts nearly 100 families
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Residents of the rural Guatemalan village of Barejones will soon enjoy first-time access to electricity, empowering generations to come.
The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC) has selected a group of volunteer linemen to electrify Barejones this coming fall. The electrification project – dubbed Energy Trails – is coordinated through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) philanthropic arm, NRECA International.
The project site is located in the department (state) of Jalapa, east of Guatemala City. The department of Jalapa has a diverse ecosystem and is agriculturally productive. The village of Barejones produces corn, pepper, tomatoes, and green beans among other agricultural products. They also raise farm animals.
The volunteer linemen will work for nearly three weeks wiring poles and homes to receive first-time electricity. Oklahoma volunteers will complete one portion of the project while linemen volunteers from Ohio’s electric cooperatives will complete the second portion in early 2025.
Upon completion, 93 homes, two elementary schools, one health center and a few small businesses will benefit from access to electric power.
The team of linemen from both states will work on a stretch of 7.5 km of primary lines, 4.4 km of secondary lines in mountainous terrain to wire approximately 150 poles and install 9-plus transformers. Each home will be equipped with lightbulbs, light switches and electrical outlets. The powerlines will be an expansion of service to a local utility, Empresa Eléctrica Municipal de Jalapa (Municipal Electric Utility of Jalapa).
The following Oklahoma volunteers were selected to serve on the project: Team Leader Derec Janaway (Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, Oklahoma City-Okla.), Clint Robinson (Central Rural Electric Cooperative, Stillwater-Okla.), Billy Patterson (CKenergy Electric Cooperative, Binger-Okla.), Zac Smith (Cimarron Electric Cooperative, Kingfisher-Okla.), Case Hurst (Cotton Electric Cooperative, Walters-Okla.), Damon Lester (Indian Electric Cooperative, Cleveland-Okla.), Shane Stiger (Indian Electric Cooperative, Cleveland-Okla.), Duncan Nelson (Indian Electric Cooperative, Cleveland-Okla.), Matt Montgomery (Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, Vinita-Okla.), Jasper Smith (Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, Vinita-Okla.), Jon Enkey (Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Hulbert-Okla.), Jacob McFarlane (Oklahoma Electric Cooperatve, Norman-Okla.), Tony Ramirez(Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, Norman-Okla.), Trevor Howard (Northwestern Electric Cooperative, Woodward-Okla.). Additionally, communications support on the mission will be provided by Lance Shaw (Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, Oklahoma City-Okla.) and KorDale Lornes (Red River Valley REA, Marietta-Okla.)
This mission marks the seventh electrification project Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives have sponsored in Central and South America, collectively making possible nearly 900 first-time connections to electricity.
“We are grateful for the co-op linemen willing to leave their homes and families for an extended period of time to empower far-away communities,” says OAEC General Manager Chris Meyers. “Access to electricity will bring economic empowerment, better access to health care and enhanced safety for these villagers. This mission reinforces our commitment to empower generations by improving quality of life for local communities at home and abroad.”
Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives have established a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, The Oklahoma Energy Trails Foundation, to support this cause. All contributions are tax-deductible. To learn more, visit: https://oaec.coop/co-op-difference/energy-trails/
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About OAEC: The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives is a statewide association created and voluntarily supported by local electric distribution and generation/transmission cooperatives. OAEC is comprised of 27 distribution cooperative members and three generation/transmission cooperative member systems.
About NRECA International: NRECA International is a non-profit institution established in the early 1960s with an origin in the US rural electrification program. NRECA International programs have benefited more than 170 million people in 45 countries in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Media Contact:
Anna Politano, Director of Public Relations & Communications, Okla. Assn. of Electric Co-ops
Phone: 405-761-0289
E-mail: apolitano@oaec.coop