(Carmel, IN) – Sixteen Indiana electric cooperative lineworkers, including two from our area, are in Guatemala as part of an international initiative to bring electricity to a developing area in that country.
“Project Indiana: Empowering Global Communities for a Better Tomorrow” will bring electricity to a part of the Central American country where none is available.
The crew is extending electric infrastructure in the village of Palmira, a mountainous area along the western edge of Guatemala, now through February 15.
When completed, approximately 109 homes will have electricity for the first time.
Collin Crabtree and Paul Trenkamp from Decatur County REMC are on the Project Crew, which is being backed up by a six-member Support Team.
This is Indiana electric cooperatives’ sixth trip to Guatemala.
In August 2012, 28 Hoosier lineworkers from 17 of Indiana’s electric cooperatives spent four weeks working across the mountainous terrain to bring electricity to 184 homes, a church and a school in three villages.
In April 2015, 14 lineworkers battled extreme heat and the rugged land to bring electricity to 164 homes, a school and a church.
In 2017, 14 lineworkers endured extreme temperatures to power 68 homes, a school, a church and a health clinic.
In 2019, 14 lineworkers brought electricity to nearly 90 homes, two churches, and a school and ensured that every home they wired for electricity had a properly vented wood-burning cooking stove installed to replace the open fires villagers have used for years.
And, on the last trip in 2023, 14 lineworkers brought electricity to 26 homes and a school.
You can follow the crew’s journey in Palmira by visiting ProjectIndiana.org/Palmira.
