Jumeka Saunders, age 26, from the remote Aboriginal community of Nipapanha in South Australia has been awarded a scholarship to work on a significant project advancing energy justice for community members.
Jumeka's home at Nipapanha is at the end of the electricity line, and experiences frequent and long power outages. Power insecurity makes life in the community hard and limits Nipapanha's expansion and growth.
Jumeka says following the October 2024 storms which caused a major prolonged power outage and significant disruption, the community decided power-outs were becoming too big of a problem to ignore.
"Everyone just wants power that's reliable, sustainable,” she told the ABC in December 2025.
To understand alternative options available, Jumeka travelled to Marlinja Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory to look at that community's microgrid which was installed in 2024, in partnership with Original Power.
“It looked really good. It’s impressive what they have accomplished in their community. The whole community is pretty involved with that project, which is great. And it's done like a lot for that community. It just runs the whole community."
Finding a similar solution to the energy problems Nipapanha is facing is "close to pretty urgent”, says Jumeka.
Scholarship to advance energy justice for Nipapanha
Jumeka was awarded the Kelvin Trimper Scholarship* at an Energy Consumers Australia Foresighting Forum held on 4-5 March 2026. The scholarship is designed to support a person to build their knowledge, or to research innovative ideas that will improve outcomes for consumers in the Australian energy sector.
Jumeka will use the scholarship to contribute to a new project called Advancing Energy Justice for Nipapanha. This may include the development of community-led clean energy projects to assist community members access to clean, reliable, affordable power.
With two additional Nipapanha community members, Jumeka will be supported through the scholarship to trial a pilot energy working group aimed at identifying knowledge gaps about energy within the community. They will focus on reviewing including standalone energy systems, options to strengthen energy security, energy efficiency in homes, and avenues to gain a better customer experience with retailers.
Jumeka told the First Nations Clean Energy Network receiving the Kelvin Trimpler Scholarship means a lot.
"This scholarship will help me better understand clean energy and what it will provide for our land, people, and communities in the years to come.
"Focusing on energy solutions means I can support and provide for my people and community."
Alexandra Bishop, Executive Manager of Energy Consumers Australia's Grants Program, says energy is an essential service.
“Everyone should have access to energy regardless of their circumstances, but too many Australians still lack this basic right.
"This Advancing Energy Justice project is a vitally important initiative which will hopefully help find sustainable and long-term solutions for the Nipapanha community.”
Congratulations Jumeka!
* Kelvin Trimper AM was an urban development manager and leading South Australian horticulturist who, at his passing, was an important consumer advocate for SA Power Networks customers. To honour his memory, SA Power Networks in partnership with Energy Consumers Australia created the scholarship in his name.
Front page photo is of Jumeka Saunders and Alex Lewis, SA Power Networks. Photo credit: Energy Consumers Australia