Electricity was in the air a few weeks ago at long-time Cameron resident Modesta Jones’ house.

Navajo Nation Speaker LoRenzo Bates, Cameron Council Delegate Walter Phelps and Cameron Chapter President Milton Tso were among those there to witness the historic moment.

A Navajo-owned business – Big Navajo Energy – installed a solar/wind battery-based system that provides electricity to the family’s house for the first time. The Jones family was the first of three in the Bennett Freeze area to receive the equipment.

Jones’ home is in the Bennett Freeze area, where federal law, for four decades, prevented any new construction or improvements to existing structures on land claimed by both the Navajo and Hopi tribes.

So Modesta Jones has been living her life in a home that never had electricity.

Bates and Phelps were instrumental in getting Big Navajo Energy to donate the equipment to Jones.

“Solar voltaic installations for families off the grid are the next best thing for access to power,” Phelps said.

Big Navajo Energy is an entirely-Navajo owned renewable energy company. Working in coordination with the Navajo council Big Navajo Energy is in the process of donating solar and wind-based power systems to more residents in the Bennett Freeze area.

Tso said he hopes more families take advantage of renewable energy.

Phelps selected Modesta Jones for the equipment because he wanted to help an elderly community member.

The Jones family was one of three families with the Bennett Freeze area to receive renewable energy generators and heaters.

Although the Jones family lives only about a half mile from the nearest power line, it would cost approximately $40,000 to hook the house up on the grid, Big Navajo Energy President Dory Peters said.

Bringing clean and renewable energy to the reservation is one of the Navajo Council’s top priorities, Bates said.