Special to IFN
Lineworkers from EnergyUnited extended the cooperative mission of powering rural communities far beyond North Carolina this spring by helping bring electricity for the first time to the village of El Plan Nuevo Amanecer in Guatemala.
EnergyUnited CEO Thomas Golden and Board President Brian Sisson joined linemen Chad Huffstetler, Levi Walker, Blake Ledford and Grey Karriker as part of a 15-person volunteer team representing eight North Carolina electric cooperatives. Together, they worked to build a power system from the ground up in a remote and rugged region.
Over the course of three weeks, crews hand-built more than three miles of power line, bringing electricity to more than 50 homes, a school, two churches and the community’s only health clinic. Without access to bucket trucks or heavy equipment, volunteers relied on manual labor, lifting transformers weighing more than 300 pounds and stringing lines across dense vegetation and challenging terrain.
Traveling more than 2,800 miles from home, the experience proved both demanding and deeply meaningful for those involved.
“What we saw was powerful and humbling,” Golden said. “Reliable electricity is now improving daily life for families who previously lived without power. This effort is a great reminder of the impact we can have when we bring our skills, our heart and our cooperative spirit to serve others.”
The project was coordinated through North Carolina Electric Cooperatives’ Brighter World Initiative in partnership with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) International Foundation, which works to expand access to electricity in underserved communities around the world.
For residents of El Plan Nuevo Amanecer, access to reliable power is transformative. Electricity will expand educational opportunities for students, support the growth of local businesses and improve safety by lighting homes and streets after dark. Families can now cook using electric burners instead of open indoor fires, reducing serious long-term health risks.
In addition to electrifying homes, volunteers helped refurbish the village health clinic and provided critical medical supplies, strengthening access to care for the community.
To celebrate the project’s completion, residents, local leaders and volunteers gathered at the village school for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Volunteers were honored with plaques, and a commemorative sign was installed to mark the achievement and lasting impact of the project.
About EnergyUnited
EnergyUnited Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is the largest electric cooperative in North Carolina with 145,038 member connections. Headquartered in Statesville, EnergyUnited provides electric service in portions of 19 counties in west central North Carolina which include Alexander, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Wilkes and Yadkin. Visit energyunited.com to learn more about the cooperative’s energy services and community programs.