Lighting the Way: BPU Crews Bring Power to Navajo Families

  • Publish Date: August 13, 2026
By Amber Oetting
Share Link copied

By: Amber Oetting

For many families across the Navajo Nation, electricity remains out of reach. Through Light Up Navajo, public power utilities from across the country work together to bring safe, reliable electric service to homes for the very first time.

This May, five BPU lineworkers traveled hundreds of miles to support that mission. Representing BPU were Jeremiah Waldeck, Superintendent; Eric Ferguson, Jake Janes, and James Golubski, Linemen; and Austin Feaster, Apprentice.

For the families receiving service, however, the impact is life-changing. Access to electricity means lights that turn on with the flip of a switch, refrigeration for food and medicine, the ability to charge devices, and new opportunities for education, communication, and daily living.

“At BPU, we talk a lot about reliability and service, but Light Up Navajo reminds us why those things matter,” said Jeremy Ash, General Manager. “For many of us, electricity is something we’ve never had to think twice about. For these families, receiving power for the first time is transformational. We are proud to support this effort and proud of the employees who volunteer their time and talents to make it happen.“

For the crews, the experience offers a different perspective on their work every day.

“We spend a lot of time maintaining and improving a system that’s already in place,” said Jeremiah Waldeck. “This is one of the few opportunities where you get to see the direct impact of bringing power to someone for the very first time. It’s a reminder of how important our work really is.”

Austin Feaster, participating in the project for the first time, said the experience reinforces the purpose behind public service.

“Being able to help connect a home that has never had electricity is something I’ll never forget,” Feaster said. “It’s hard work, but it’s meaningful work. It makes you appreciate what we do and why it matters.”

Light Up Navajo is more than a construction project. It is a demonstration of what public power can accomplish when utilities work together in service to others.

Whether restoring power after a storm in Wyandotte County or helping connect a family to electricity for the first time, the mission remains the same: improving lives through safe, reliable utility service.

Click here to learn more about Light Up Navajo.