Details coming into focus for the 2026 Guatemala Project
- Harrison County REC
- 22 hours ago
- 2 min read
In March, the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperative’s (IAEC) Safety Director Scott Meinecke traveled to Guatemala for a project planning trip with representatives from the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC), the Colorado Rural Electric Association (CREA) and NRECA International.
IAEC is joining forces with OAEC and CREA to form a team of lineworkers for an NRECA International project slated for September of this year. During the planning trip, the group traveled to the job site and learned more about the work needed to bring electricity to rural Guatemalans.
"We will be working in the rural mountain villages of Montenegro and El Estocal, located near the town of Gastatoya, which is 3 hours northeast of Guatemala City. The climate and elevation is similar to what our team experienced during our 2024 project, but the terrain is much steeper this time around. The soil is sandier, so we're hopeful that rain and mud won't impact our work like it did in 2024," remarked Meinecke.
He added, "The project team will build out infrastructure to electrify approximately 100 homes in the two villages, along with powering a school and a new health clinic. We also have a community service project lined up to equip the school's kitchen with new flooring, shelving and a refrigerator."
Harrison County REC is pleased to announce that Foreman, Jeremy Jochims, will be
participating in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. “Harrison County REC was built on the same mission that started cooperatives in 1936 which was bringing power to rural communities that others overlooked. This project allows us to live out that purpose again on a global scale. Sending one of our own to Guatemala isn’t just about building infrastructure; it’s about sharing knowledge, strengthening communities, and carrying forward the cooperative spirit of service that defines who we are and what we stand for.” States CEO, Shadon Blum. Jeremy will be one of seven journeyman linemen coming from Iowa’s Electric Cooperatives with a total of 18 journeymen participating from the three combined states. The travel dates for the 2026 team have been scheduled for September 15 through October 2, with the lighting ceremony on September 30.
The 2026 trip will be the third NRECA International project for Iowa's electric cooperatives; 4 Iowa electric co-op linemen traveled to Guatemala in October 2019 with linemen from Illinois and Wisconsin, and 7 Iowa electric co-op linemen traveled to Guatemala in June 2024 to work with linemen from Minnesota.
Jochims states, “I’ve spent 33 years helping keep the lights on for our members at Harrison County REC, but being part of something like this reminds you why the work matters in the first place. To go somewhere that’s never had electricity and help change lives, that’s something you carry with you forever. It’s an honor to represent our co-op and be part of a team bringing that kind of opportunity to another community.”
