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turbinetree

(24,632 posts)
Wed Jun 5, 2019, 07:32 PM Jun 2019

Delaware team helps bring electricity to remote Navajo town (opinion)

Heather Contant is director of media relations and communications for the Delaware Municipal Electric Cooperation.

You may find it shocking that there are currently people in our country who do not have access to electric power. However, in the Navajo Nation there are still 15,000 families who do not know what it’s like to come home and turn on the lights or grab something out of a cold refrigerator.

After learning about the “Light Up Navajo” project, spearheaded by the area’s local utility, the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), several Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation (DEMEC) member communities felt it was time to step up.

In April, DEMEC sent a four-man crew consisting of two linemen from the city of Milford and two from the town of Smyrna, along with DEMEC Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Power Supply Kimberly Schlichting for a week to help bring electricity to families in the Navajo Nation.

Many families spent decades trying to get electricity but, due to several factors — including federal government restrictions — it was an expensive and tedious undertaking.

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/opinion/contributors/2019/06/04/delaware-team-brings-electricity-remote-town-opinion/1332951001/

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Delaware team helps bring electricity to remote Navajo town (opinion) (Original Post) turbinetree Jun 2019 OP
I'm confused as why they are running electric lines for miles to provide power csziggy Jun 2019 #1
Because of this.....................and having 10,000 dollars to live on................. turbinetree Jun 2019 #2
A whole bunch of states sent crews. DURHAM D Jun 2019 #3

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
1. I'm confused as why they are running electric lines for miles to provide power
Wed Jun 5, 2019, 07:34 PM
Jun 2019

Wouldn't it be more efficient to provide solar panels and batteries to remote households, especially in a sun drenched area like the Navajo Reservation?

turbinetree

(24,632 posts)
2. Because of this.....................and having 10,000 dollars to live on.................
Wed Jun 5, 2019, 07:44 PM
Jun 2019

Also, Navajo land is held in trust by the federal government. This means private property ownership is difficult and residents often are responsible for the costs incurred by power or waterline extensions.

DURHAM D

(32,596 posts)
3. A whole bunch of states sent crews.
Wed Jun 5, 2019, 07:58 PM
Jun 2019
There are groups participating from Illinois, Ohio, Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, California, Delaware, Texas, Arkansas, Massachusetts and Utah. The cities in Utah that are participating are Murray, Santa Clara, Washington City, Lehi, St. George and Heber City. Murray is the only city in Utah that is sending a group of four with equipment.


http://navajopost.org/murray-power-to-help-make-navajo-nation-bright/


This is also interesting -

Of the 55,000 homes located on the 27,000 square mile Navajo Nation (roughly the size of West Virginia), approximately 15,000 homes do not have electricity. These represent 75% of all U.S. households that do not have electricity.


http://web.dscc.com/news/newsarticledisplay.aspx?ArticleID=3293
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