The project is part of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives’ Brighter World Initiative, a mission to deliver new opportunities to communities abroad by providing first-time access to electricity.

North Carolina co-ops did similar work in Bolivia in 2019, building five miles of power line infrastructure to connect the village of Laphía to the power grid (“Building a Brighter World,” Aug. 2019). More than 75 buildings were connected, including a school, bringing new opportunities and advantages to the 120 residents of the rural, agricultural community.

In Guatemala, 15 lineworkers will join NRECA International and local engineers in a project to bring power to the village of El Plan Nuevo Amanecer. The group will build three miles of primary and secondary line, energizing more than 50 homes, along with two churches, a school and a health clinic — the only one serving the area.

“Being part of a project like this is an incredible opportunity,” said Josh Morrison, a crew supervisor at Union Power Cooperative and crew lead for the trip. “Back home we work each day to serve our communities, and we’re bringing that same commitment with us to serve these people.”

Watch for more coverage of the Brighter World Initiative in the August issue of Carolina Country magazine.