Powering Up Haiti

When you think about the opportunity of a lifetime, you probably do not think of traveling to a place where there is no electricity. A place where kids don’t attend school when it rains, a place where there is only one location to buy ice, or you may have to wait days to get gas for your car. This setting in Côteaux, Haiti sparked the interest of McDonough Power Journeyman Lineman, Joe Wernsman.

A few months ago McDonough Power began making plans to send Wernsman to support NRECA International’s efforts to establish a new community-owned electric cooperative in southwestern Haiti. The cost of the trip, room and meals are picked up by NRECA International. All the Illinois cooperative employees have to do is show up for work – in Haiti.

Joe along with two linemen from Corn Belt Energy in Bloomington will spend three weeks in Côteaux building and upgrading electrical power lines with limited resources— that will eventually provide electricity to members of the Coopérative Electrique de l’Arrondissement des Côteaux (CEAC).

Here are a few pictures that Joe has sent back to us so far. Stay tuned for updates and more information about the NRECA International program.