CHARLESTON, S.C. — Sonepar USA recently partnered with ELECTRI International, the educational and research foundation established by the National Electrical Contractors Association.
The goal of their joint effort was to lend a helping hand in Puerto Rico, where insufficient infrastructure and lack of resources post-Hurricane Maria continue to cause families on the island to struggle for basic necessities.
“Six years after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico is still recovering,” said Dale Strothman, Sonepar national accounts manager. “The category 5 hurricane devastated the island and caused the worst electrical blackout in U.S. history. Due to the unreliability of the utility grid, families lose power for days at a time. The only option these families have is to purchase bags of ice in hopes of maintaining the proper temperature for food and critical medication. For those without a car, making multiple trips for ice is a monumental task.”​​​​​​
The project in Puerto Rico involved Sonepar, ELECTRI, and the NECA Student Chapter from Iowa State University teaming up with SBPUSA, a relief organization, to identify two low-income families who would benefit from renewable, consistent power to their homes. Sonepar donated all solar equipment, including panels, racks, inverters, and batteries, as well as a Generac home generator for the project.
Over the span of three days, Dale and the team spent time with the families learning about their living conditions.
“Imagine having to throw out everything in your refrigerator because you didn’t have power for three days – when you could barely afford the groceries in the first place,” Strothman said. “The families face obstacles to getting clean running water, consistent electricity and air conditioning – so having a reliable and affordable power source will make a huge difference in their daily lives.”
ELECTRI’s International Center conducts seminars, briefings, and studies on multi-national relationships to encourage business and cultural exchanges and to create a strong link between electrical contractors and industry partners in the United States and their counterparts throughout international communities. ELECTRI works with many different charitable organizations worldwide, SBPUSA being one of them.
