Navajo families receive power to their homes for the first time

Multiple PNM line crews recently volunteered in a nationwide utility collaboration project called “Light Up Navajo,” which is working to bring electricity to families throughout the region.

The largest U.S. Native American tribe, the Navajo Nation consists of more than 298,000 members, about 106,800 of whom live in New Mexico, yet more than 14,000 families do not have electricity.

The Navajo Nation has a land base of 27,000 square miles with chapters in the states of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, including two chapters in Sandoval County.

The Navajo Nation, American Public Power Association and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), launched the Light Up Navajo project in 2019 to energize homes that have never had power.

This year, the 11-week Light Up Navajo initiative worked to connect approximately 300 homes on the Navajo Nation to the electric grid for the first time.

"Thank you PNM and NTUA. I just retired as a teacher. I purchased my mobile home two years ago and have been waiting for an electricity connection," Phyllis Oldman said. “I couldn’t believe they were able to get me connected in two days when I’d been waiting two years. Seeing all those white trucks coming towards my home was overwhelming, and I couldn’t believe they were coming to connect my home and it was done in two days. I’m so thankful.”

Eight journeyman linemen represented PNM, working alongside NTUA crews, and other utility volunteer linemen, to construct and install new power poles and run new distribution lines to energize existing homes that have never had electricity. Since the Light Up Navajo project started in 2019, approximately 7,000 family homes have been connected to the power grid.

“It was amazing to see how they performed the work in a short amount of time, and I was amazed to watch and notice the attention to safety. I’m thankful for the job the PNM volunteers performed,” Navajo resident Carmen Nez said. “We live in an area that is very remote and people driving on the main highway would not know there are people in such an area. Seeing the convoy was emotional because you think, ‘This is really happening,’ and I’m so appreciative of our power being turned on. It was a long process, but I’m grateful.”

PNM was also recognized by the NTUA and the American Public Power Association, along with many other participating companies, at the APPA National Conference. Crystalyne Curley, speaker of the 25 Navajo Nation Council was on hand to present awards.

“I’m amazed by the overall support and collaboration from utilities such as PNM with their support in the NTUA Light Up Navajo initiative,” Curley said. “We are grateful for PNM’s contribution and participation in connecting Navajo families to the NTUA utility system. I appreciate the overwhelming support of the volunteer utility crews that come to the Navajo Nation to support Light Up Navajo. Thank you to PNM for its advocacy to continue to participate in Light Up Navajo by sending volunteer crews each year. Your participation improves the quality of life for Navajo families.”