It may be hard to imagine living without electricity today, but it is a reality for many around the world. In October, Illinois electric cooperatives are partnering with those from Iowa and Wisconsin to help electrify a village in Guatemala.
The project, directed by National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) International, will provide power to 42 homes, a school and health post in the village of Salinas 7 Cerros in north-central Guatemala.
In June, a technical team leader from each state visited the area to familiarize themselves with the project design and address any questions or concerns in order to determine the number of workdays required.
Shannon Davis (in red shirt), Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc., is the Illinois team leader. Davis and three other Illinois linemen will form a team of 12 with four linemen each from Iowa and Wisconsin electric cooperatives. Davis says he is excited for the opportunity to help electrify the village. “It is a beautiful country and the villagers are proud of it,” he says. “I can only imagine how much it will change in the years to come with access to electricity.”
