Author: Amber Knight

Indiana electric cooperative lineworkers are traveling to Guatemala today to re-energize approximately 670 homes in seven villages in Central Guatemala as part of an international initiative to bring electricity to developing areas in Guatemala.

“Project Indiana: Empowering Global Communities for a Better Tomorrow” will bring electricity to a part of the Central American country where it has been out of service for nearly two years.

The crew will spend August 8 through 17 inspecting and repairing the electric distribution system that provides electricity to the homes served by the Coopersa cooperative in Guatemala. This region’s power is produced by a hydro generator that was built approximately 20 to 25 years ago and has been inoperable for approximately two years. Over the last year, Project Indiana has worked with the cooperative and a local business with industry expertise to pinpoint the problem, identify funding sources, order the necessary parts and facilitate the repair.

The electric distribution system in one of the seven villages served by this cooperative — Sepamac — was first built in 2015 by a crew of Indiana electric cooperative lineworkers.

PROJECT CREW

• Jamie Bell, NineStar Connect
• Ethan DeWitt, Northeastern REMC
• Clint Heeke, Southern Indiana Power
• Cody Campbell, South Central Indiana REMC

This is Indiana electric cooperatives’ seventh 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. In 2023, 14 lineworkers brought electricity to 26 homes and a school. And, on the last trip in 2025, 16 lineworkers brought electricity to 197 homes, one restaurant and one store.

Sixteen Indiana electric cooperative lineworkers will travel to Guatemala in late January as part of an international initiative to bring electricity to a developing area in Guatemala.

“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 will spend January 29 through February 15 extending electric infrastructure in the village of Palmira, a mountainous area along the western edge of Guatemala. When completed, approximately 109 homes will have electricity for the first time.

Project Crew

• Jonah Brewer, Bartholomew County REMC
• Bo Simpson, Clark County REMC
• Collin Crabtree, Decatur County REMC
• Paul Trenkamp, Decatur County REMC
• Garret Berg, Dubois REC, Inc.
• Steve Saltsgaver, Harrison REMC
• Zach Albin, Heartland REMC
• Kevin Bay, JCREMC
• Kolbie Cox, Miami-Cass REMC
• Brandon Bambusch, Orange County REMC
• Terry Minic, Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative, Inc.
• Jaylin Brown, RushShelby Energy
• Cody Campbell, South Central Indiana REMC
• Dakota Grimes, South Central Indiana REMC
• Jimmy Applegate, Southern Indiana Power
• Matt Bassett, Tipmont

Support Team

• Robert White, Indiana Electric Cooperatives
• Chris Todd, Northeastern REMC
• Eric Jung, Northeastern REMC
• Joe Banfield, Tipmont
• Ron Holcomb, Tipmont
• Joe Bower

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.

Follow along the crew’s journey in Palmira by visiting ProjectIndiana.org/Palmira.