Tennessee Volunteers Brought Power, Built Strong Co-op Ties

Last summer, a team of 15 volunteer line workers from eight Tennessee electric cooperatives spent more than two weeks in a remote section of Guatemala building line infrastructure and bringing first-time electricity to dozens of homes and buildings in two rural villages. CFC and NCSC were proud to support the mission with $45,000 in grants.

Dubbed Project Highlight, this was the first international electrification mission undertaken by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association (TECA), in cooperation with NRECA International.

“The timing felt right for two reasons,” TECA CEO Mike Knotts explained. “First, our line workers had consistently expressed a desire to serve in this way. Second, as an association, we believed bringing multiple co-ops together for a shared mission would strengthen relationships at home while advancing the cooperative mission abroad.”

“International electrification projects reflect who we are as cooperatives,” Knotts added. “Nearly a century ago, rural Tennesseans banded together to bring electricity to communities that others overlooked. Supporting electrification efforts in developing regions extends that same spirit of service and self-help. It reinforces the idea that cooperatives are not just utilities—they are mission-driven organizations rooted in community.”

Bringing Electricity to Two Rural Villages

The project was designed to bring electricity to two rural villages in the western highlands of Guatemala: Corral Viejo and La Paz. The communities are a short distance apart as the crow flies, but several miles apart by road due to very mountainous terrain.

“Terrain was one of the most significant challenges,” Knotts said. “Crews worked across steep hillsides with limited vehicle access, requiring materials—including poles and hardware—to be transported by hand over rugged ground.”

The villages were fed by two taps from an existing distribution line operated by the local municipal utility, Empresa Eléctrica of the Municipalidad de Guastatoya.

From those connection points, the Project Highlight team extended nearly eight miles of new distribution line to reach the two communities.

In total, 28 homes, two schools and one small business were connected to electricity for the first time.

Collaboration Gets the Job Done

Cooperatives know how to work together and with others to accomplish goals. And that was key to this project.

Crews from the local utility worked alongside the Project Highlight team setting poles, constructing the new lines and connecting them to the existing lines and will assume responsibility for operations and maintenance of the new infrastructure moving forward.

“The collaboration was meaningful, though not without challenges,” Knotts said. “Language barriers required extra effort and flexibility from both groups. That said, the local crews were passionate about the project and deeply committed to bringing power to their communities. Both teams genuinely enjoyed working alongside one another and developed strong mutual respect.”

The local villagers also played a significant role in the project’s success.

“The villagers’ enthusiasm was evident every day,” Knotts said. “They were excited, engaged and willing to do whatever was necessary to bring electricity to their homes.”

They trimmed rights-of-way, often with nothing more than a machete, cleared brush and assisted with transporting materials.

“Our Tennessee crews were impressed by their efficiency, their ability to navigate rugged terrain and even climb trees without gear,” Knotts added. “It was not uncommon to see large trees being cut using only hand tools.”

Electrification Changes Lives

Electrification provides both immediate and long-term benefits. Children can study after dark under reliable lighting. Families can refrigerate food and medicine. Small businesses can expand operations. Schools can use improved lighting and new technology.

“One resident shared that he had lived in his village for more than 30 years and never imagined he would see electricity there in his lifetime,” Knotts said. “That generational impact cannot be overstated.”

For their part, the Tennessee line workers consistently described the experience as deeply meaningful.

Chris Miller of Volunteer Energy Cooperative shared, “The work was physically demanding, but at the end of the day, it was more gratifying than anything I’ve ever accomplished.”

Nick Gipson, team leader from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, added, “The moment the lights came on and the kids started cheering—that’s something I’ll never forget.”

Beyond pride in the project itself, many line workers described coming home with renewed appreciation for the work they do every day serving their own communities.

“They returned home changed, with a deeper sense of purpose,” Knotts said. “Their co-workers also have been energized by their stories, and the experience has sparked broader conversations about service and what it means to be part of a cooperative.”

Knotts noted that experiences like Project Highlight strengthen bonds that pay unexpected dividends back home. They build leaders, deepen relationships and reinforce the teamwork that defines the cooperative model.

One unexpected benefit of the project occurred during Winter Storm Fern in late January, which knocked out power to 175,000 Tennessee households.

“As mutual aid crews moved across the state to assist with restoration, several volunteers from the Project Highlight team crossed paths and worked alongside one another again,” Knotts said. “The relationships and trust built while working together in challenging conditions overseas translated directly into smoother coordination and communication during storm restoration.”

Financial Support Was Key

International projects of this scale require significant coordination and financial commitment. Travel, materials, logistics and construction costs add up quickly.

“The support from CFC and NCSC was instrumental in making Project Highlight possible,” Knotts said. “Grant funding helped offset key expenses and reduced the financial burden on participating co-ops. Every bit of support makes a difference in ensuring that projects like this can move forward responsibly while maximizing impact in the communities being served.”

Tennessee cooperatives and vendors were able to raise some extra funds to buy gifts for the Guatemalan villagers, including shoes for the village children, six laptops for the village schools as well as hardhats, work gloves, rubber gloves and headlamps for the line workers at the local utility.

“Project Highlight reinforced something we already believe: electrification changes lives,” Knotts said. “It did so in rural Tennessee nearly a century ago and it continues to do so around the world today. For our volunteers, the experience was about more than building lines. It was about building relationships and living out the cooperative principle of Concern for Community—wherever that community may be.”