Ed Talk: A Look Back at the Navajo Generating Station

The Navajo Generating Station was approved by the Navajo Tribal Council in 1969 by a vote of 46-0.

Construction began in 1970 and NGS went online in 1974, 1975 and 1976. For 45 years, it’s been not just

the largest coal-fired power plant in the West but one of the most reliable. It was built as an environmental

compromise to keep dams from being built in the Grand Canyon to power the Central Arizona Project.

Throughout its life, NGS has employed thousands of workers and three generations of Navajos, fulfilling

its promise to bring jobs, revenue and prosperity to the Navajo Nation. Come hear the story of NGS

from some of those who worked there and will be there on its final day of operation.