All News

Your Unique Source of Power

You have a unique story to tell about yourself because you are part of an electric cooperative community. But if you’re like a lot of electric cooperative members, you might not feel you know enough to tell that story well. So here’s some help.

About 1 in 10 Americans receive their power the way you do, from an electric co-op. Electric cooperatives belong to the people they serve—that would be you and your neighbors—and were first formed in the 1930s because major utilities, owned by investors wanting to make a profit, ignored rural America. They didn’t think there was enough money to be earned there. So people in rural communities joined forces and formed locally owned electric co-ops.

October is National Co-op Month, the time of year when cooperatives across the country celebrate the many ways co-ops are unique and, more important, the members they serve. This year we’re focusing on our ties to the local community. Your co-op was built by the community, for the community, so let’s take a look at what that means for you, the members of the co-op. 

Your co-op is here to stay. Since the co-op belongs to the members it serves with safe, reliable, affordable energy, it’s not going to move out of the country or even across the state. It’s staying right where it is. 

Your co-op knows you. No two cooperatives are alike. Across the country there are more than 900 electric co-ops. Because each of those co-ops belongs to the people who live there, the co-op listens to the community it is a part of. Whether it’s working with the latest energy efficiency technologies or keeping the electric grid safe and secure, your electric co-op can offer solutions that make the most sense in your area.

Your co-op cares about your community. The co-op’s top priority is to power the community. It is not owned by faraway, or even nearby, investors looking only for a good return on their money. Your co-op partners with local organizations on community events, fundraisers, youth programs and more. We’re your friends and neighbors. By investing in the local community, your electric co-op supports economic development and prosperity for all, right here at home. 

And these are just a few ways you and your electric cooperative are one of a kind.