After a severe storm knocked down a significant transmission line causing a 21-hour power outage, the San Carlos Apache tribe in southeastern Arizona is calling for federal intervention. Chairman Terry Rambler highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, "This kind of electrical failure is usually equated with developing countries, not the United States," according to FOX 10 Phoenix. The tribe officials have voiced frequent failures of the transmission line, leading to prolonged power outages affecting residents and local businesses.
Routinely failing, the transmission line's disruptions extend beyond the loss of light, impairing mobile phone service, shutting down community wells, and necessitating the use of backup generators at the hospital, as the tribe stated. During the latest outage, a tribal emergency response team was essential in providing shelter, and distributing water and ice to the affected residents before power was reinstated on early Sunday afternoon, as confirmed by ABC 15.
The transmission line in question, dating back to 1924, is part of the San Carlos Irrigation Project established by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, serving both reservation residents and private landowners with electricity and irrigation. This situation reflects the broader struggle faced by other Native American tribes dealing with dated and insufficient infrastructure in terms of electricity, water, and broadband access. The Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy has been noted for investing over $120 million in more than 210 energy projects intended to enhance resilience and transition to clean energy from 2010 to 2022.
