A group of linemen from Georgia’s electric cooperatives volunteered to bring electricity to a remote village in north-central Guatemala.
Linemen from Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), Cobb EMC, Coweta-Fayette EMC, GreyStone Power Corporation, Habersham EMC, Snapping Shoals EMC, and Walton EMC built four miles of electric lines over 17 days to bring power to Sesaltul.
The village had never experienced the benefits of electricity before.
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Their efforts brought electricity to approximately 90 homes, two schools, and two churches.
The linemen didn’t have access to the tools and equipment they’d normally use for this type of work.
“Here at home, we have bucket trucks and line trucks and various battery tools. There - there’s nothing. It’s all on hooks and hand tools and very physical,” Jackson EMC lineman Willard said.
Each home in the village received four lights, two switches, and two outlets.
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“You would flip the breaker on and turn the switch on and they would look at the light, just look at it. Then, immediately they would go over there and turn it off like they were going to run out of power if they left it on,” Jackson EMC lineman Fraser said
Employees at the cooperative also raised almost $7,000 for supplies and equipment at two schools in the village.
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