PROVO — A crew from Provo Power is helping electrify the Navajo Nation, where many lack access to power.
“It is hard to believe there are people who don’t have that basic conveniences that so many of us take for granted, like having power,” said Ryan Spencer, distribution manager for the Provo-based, publicly owned utility.
The crew from Provo Power, which also assisted with electrification on the reservation in 2024, started its efforts last Monday and will continue through Saturday, April 19. The company is one of 45 utility operators that will provide free manpower to aid in electrification efforts through the summer as part of the Navajo Nation’s Light Up Navajo! initiative.
“They learned about our challenges and were prompted to be a part of this dramatically meaningful project,” Walter Haase, general manager of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, said in statement. “We are deeply grateful for the outside utilities for sending us line workers who raised their hands and said — ‘Sign me up, I’ll go.'”
According to Navajo Nation figures, 10,407 Navajo Nation families lack electricity, representing 16% of homes. The Light Up Navajo! initiative aims to combat such disparities and, in conjunction with other mutual aid efforts, has so far helped connect 882 families to the power grid.
The Provo Power crew has been installing power poles, stringing overhead conductors, framing transformers and more. “It is a rewarding experience to be a part of a project where we can provide power to the residents of the Navajo Nation community,” said Spencer. “The crew that is working there takes a lot of pride in their job and will remember this project for a long time.”
The American Public Power Association and Navajo Tribal Utility Authority help spearhead the Light Up Navajo! effort. It launched in 2019 though those taking part skipped 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This effort represents more than just infrastructure development. It’s about putting our values into action and extending help to neighbors in need,” said Scott Bunker, the director of Provo Power.
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