Family Ties in Costa Rica

Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative (Penn) and Coopealfaro Ruiz, R.L. (Costa Rica)

Impressed with the international commitment shown by its fellow Keystone State system, Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative in Somerset, Pa., partnered with Cooperative de Electrificación Rural Alfaro Ruiz (Coopealfaroruiz), a small Costa Rican electric cooperative serving just south of Coopelesca.

“On our first trip, we were impressed with how well Coopealfaroruiz adhered to the seven cooperative principles and how friendly all of their folks were,” says Somerset REC General Manager Rich Bauer. “Though language barriers initially caused a bit of a problem, they were easily surmounted with help from a translator.”

Bauer concedes that he was immediately concerned about Coopealfaroruiz’s safety practices and operational efficiency. “To do work, their lineman propped tall ladders against poles. And because they had to constantly hold the ladder in place, they were limited to the use of one hand while working. So we decided to get them a bucket truck.”

The request was eventually facilitated through another donated Adams Electric vehicle. “We raised enough money to send it to Coopealfaroruiz,” Bauer adds. “We’d love to get them another one. We are optimistic about our future working relationship.”

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