Light Up Navajo V: Bringing Electricity to Navajo Nation

FORT DEFIANCE, AZ—The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) has successfully concluded another Light Up Navajo (LUN) mutual aid initiative. This year's project, Light Up Navajo V (LUN V), began on April 7th and wrapped up 13 weeks later on July 19th.

Light Up Navajo is a mutual aid training project launched in 2019 to connect homes to the electric grid quickly. Each year, utility companies from across the United States send their electric crews to the Navajo Nation to help connect homes and extend powerlines. This year, NTUA welcomed 48 utility teams from 16 different states to work alongside NTUA electric crews. Together, they connected 170 homes to the electric grid for the first time, averaging 13 homes per week and building 4.2 miles of new powerline.

Making a Difference

NTUA General Manager Walter Haase expressed immense pride in the visiting line workers who traveled to the Navajo Nation to make a life-changing difference for families living without electricity. The workers left with a sense of accomplishment, especially after receiving heartfelt thanks from the families they helped.

Support and Logistics

NTUA hosts the volunteer teams by providing engineering design, site and home preparation, food and lodging, and the necessary equipment and materials for constructing power poles and distribution lines. The visiting utilities cover the labor and travel costs for their crew members.

A Diverse Representation

This year's LUN V saw participation from a cross-section of the utility industry, including Public Power utilities, Rural Co-operatives, and Investor-Owned Utilities. Teams from Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin joined the effort.

Cultural Awareness and Impact

Visiting line crew members arrived on Sundays for an orientation that included a segment on cultural awareness. They then traveled to their respective NTUA district regions to begin work, starting early and ending late each day. The project not only made a significant impact on the Navajo people but also left a lasting impression on the visiting line workers and their communities.

Looking Ahead

Outside utilities are already signing up for the 2025 Light Up Navajo VI. Currently, approximately 13,000 families on the Navajo Nation still live without electricity. The Light Up Navajo mutual aid initiative embodies the true American spirit of people helping people, connecting homes of families who have been waiting years, even decades, for electric power.