Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal"
On May 11, 1935, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed an executive order establishing the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) as part of his “New Deal” emergency relief program. Designed to bring electricity to the rural areas of America, the REA also became a lending agency to help finance such projects.
The idea of providing federal assistance to accomplish rural electrification gained ground rapidly when President Roosevelt took office in 1933. On May 11, 1935, Roosevelt signed Executive Order No. 7037 establishing the Rural Electrification Administration (REA). It was not until a year later that the Rural Electrification Act was passed and the lending program that became the REA got underway.
Within months, it became evident to REA officials that established investor-owned utilities were not interested in using federal loan funds to serve sparely populated rural areas. But loan applications from farmer-based cooperatives poured in, and REA soon realized electric cooperatives would be the entities to make rural electrification a reality.
In 1937, the REA drafted the Electric Cooperative Corporation Act, a model law that states could adopt to enable the formation and operation of not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives.
Within four years following the close of the World War II, the number of rural electric systems in operation doubled, the number of consumers connected more than tripled and the miles of energized line grew more than five-fold. By 1953, more than 90 percent of U.S. farms had electricity.
Today, about 99 percent of the nation’s farms have electric service. Most rural electrification is the product of locally owned rural electric cooperatives that got their start by borrowing funds from REA to build lines and provide service on a not-for-profit basis. REA is now the Rural Utilities Service, or RUS, and is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"The forward march of electric cooperatives has an even more profound significance in terms of our fight to preserve democracy."
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Electric Cooperatives in Texas
Did you know, from booming suburbs to remote rural communities, America’s electric cooperatives are energy providers and engines of economic development and play a pivotal role in transforming communities. In the United States, cooperatives power 56% of the nation's landmass while serving 42 million people and power more than 21 million businesses, homes, schools and farms in 48 states.
Did you know there are more than 76 electric cooperatives in Texas and more than three million members throughout the state? Get to know some of them here.
Bailey County Electric Cooperative (BCEC) was incorporated in 1938 and are headquartered in Muleshoe, Texas. BCEC serves portions of the following counties: Bailey, Castro, Cochran, Lamb, and Parmer. The Cooperative has 42 full-time employees who serve approximately 1,492 members. David Marricle has served as President & CEO since 2002.
Bandera Electric Cooperative proudly distributes electricity to more than 28,000 members and more than 39,000 active meters across seven counties in Central Texas. Roughly 130 employees operate and maintain more than 4,700 miles of power lines.
Bartlett Electric has over 9,900 Members and 13,200 meters served by over 1,700 miles of line. The Cooperative Board of Directors consists of nine representatives elected from various districts of the system by the Members. Bartlett Electric Cooperative employs 49 personnel to serve its Members. The Cooperative serves areas of Bell, Burleson, Milam, Williamson and Lee counties in Central Texas.
On January 4, 1999, the board of directors of Big Country Electric Cooperative met to ratify the consolidation agreement and articles of consolidation as well as adopt the corporate logo and seal. The original BCEC board consisted of sixteen directors, 7 from Midwest EC and 9 from Stamford EC. All assets from the two separate entities were transferred to BCEC and membership fee was set at $25.00. On January 19, 1999, the Texas PUC (Public Utilities Commission) approved the consolidation of MEC & SEC into BCEC.
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is an electric utility cooperative headquartered in Bastrop, Texas. Founded in 1939, Bluebonnet is one of Texas’ oldest electric cooperatives.
Bowie-Cass serves members in Bowie, Cass, Titus, Morris, Red River and Franklin Counties. Our service area spans over 4500 square miles. We energize enough line to reach from our office in Douglassville to New York City then to Seattle to Los Angeles and back to Douglassville.
Headquartered in the city of Fredericksburg, Central Texas Electric Co-op has branch offices in Kingsland, Llano and Mason.
Central Texas Electric Cooperative
Cherokee County Electric Cooperative, Assn. was started in 1938 to provide power to rural customers. The Cooperative now serves parts of 4 counties including Cherokee, Smith, Rusk, and Nacogdoches. Currently, the Cooperative has over 3,400 miles of line averaging 6.1 meters per mile of line for a total of over 21,000 meters.
Since their establishment in1937, Coleman County Electric Cooperative (CCEC) has provided rural West Central Texas with electricity. With almost 4,000 miles of line and approximately 9,000 meters in service, CCEC's service area stretches over eight counties, including Coleman, Runnels, Concho, Tom Green, Brown, Callahan, Taylor, and Coke.
Comanche Electric Cooperative was created in 1938 to serve the rural areas of North Central Texas in our service area. Today your cooperative serves seven counties with approximately 5,000 miles of line. The membership consists of more than 8,800 members being served at more than 16,000 meters. Electric service with CECA ranges from fence chargers to industrial sites, schools to hospitals. Our goal is to deliver "the highest quality service possible at the most practical price."
Concho Valley Electric a member owned, Rural Electric Cooperative serving areas around San Angelo, Sterling City, Mertzon, Grape Creek, Water Valley, Wall, Paint Rock, Veribest, Bronte, and Robert Lee. CVEC, headquartered in San Angelo, Texas, is a non-profit electric cooperative that was established in 1940. As a cooperative, CVEC is member owned.
CoServ is an electric and gas distribution company serving North Texas since 1937. Doing business as CoServ Electric since 1998, we now have over 11,253 miles of electric infrastructure serving more than 264,000 meters across Denton, Collin, Cooke, Grayson, Tarrant and Wise counties.
Our membership resides in the heart of the cattle feeding industry in Texas. The service area is also the home of the most productive cropland in the state. Our employees are well versed in meeting the needs of our irrigation and cattle feeding customers as well as providing for the needs of the many industries and value-added activities spawned by this vibrant agricultural community.
Deep East Texas Electric Coooperative’s service area extends into parts of 8 counties in East Texas: San Augustine, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Newton, Panola, Jasper, Sabine, and Rusk Counties.
Fannin County Electric Cooperative, Inc is a non-profit rural electric utility cooperative headquartered in Bonham, Texas. Fannin County Electric has been serving the rural residents of Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Lamar, and Collin Counties since 1937.
Today, FEC maintains over 2,920 miles of line serving more than 9,830 Members in parts of seven counties – Fayette, Bastrop, Lee, Washington, Austin, Colorado and Lavaca counties.
Founded in 1937 and based in Greenville, Farmers Electric Cooperative serves more than 50,000 homes and businesses in the fast-growing region spanning Dallas, Collin, Rockwall, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, Hopkins, Delta, Franklin, Fannin, Van Zandt, and Wood counties in Texas.
Founded in 1937 and based in Greenville, Farmers Electric Cooperative serves more than 50,000 homes and businesses in the fast-growing region spanning Dallas, Collin, Rockwall, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, Hopkins, Delta, Franklin, Fannin, Van Zandt, and Wood counties in Texas.
Fort Belknap's service area includes rural areas in Young, Throckmorton, Stephens, Shackelford, Archer, Jack, and Palo Pinto counties as well as within the city limits of Olney and Newcastle, Texas.
Grayson-Collin Electric is located in McKinney, TX and began with an unofficial meeting in 1936. Today, G-C serves five different counties northeast of Dallas.
Greenbelt Electric Cooperative, Inc. serves all and parts of 9 counties in the Texas panhandle-Armstrong, Collingsworth, Donley, Wheeler, parts of Childress, Gray, Hemphill, Randall and Roberts.
Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative serves 13 South Central Texas counties with offices in Gonzales, Schertz, Seguin, La Vernia and Cuero.
Hamilton County Electric Cooperative serves five counties in Central Texas, including Hamilton, Coryell, Lampasas, Mills and San Saba.
Harmon Electric is located in Hollis, Oklahoma and serves portions of Harmon, Greer, Jackson, Kiowa & Beckham counties in Oklahoma and Hardeman & Childress counties in Texas.
Founded in 1937, Heart of Texas Electric Cooperative serves seven different counties in Central Texas, including, Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Hamilton, McLennan and Milam.
Founded in 1937, HILCO serves Hill, Johnson, McLennan, Ellis, and Dallas Counties with over 2,800+ miles of overhead and underground distribution lines.
Houston County Electric Cooperative is an electric distribution cooperative serving the following nine counties in East Texas.
J-A-C Electric Cooperative is located northwest of Fort Worth and based in Henrietta, TX.
On March 28th, 1939, Jackson Electric Cooperative was officially organized in LaWard, Texa. Over the years, the permanent organization was formed to be known as the Jackson Electric Cooperative (JEC) to expand over the whole of Jackson Co. and portions of Calhoun and Matagorda Counties.
Jasper-Newton EC serves more than 18,500 members and maintains 3,285 miles of line in five counties - Jasper, Newton, Orange, Angelina, and Sabine.
Karnes Electric Cooperative serves 12 South Texas and Coastal Bend counties located between San Antonio and Corpus Christi, Texas: Atascosa, Bee, Bexar, DeWitt, Frio, Goliad, Karnes, La Salle, Live Oak, McMullen, Medina, and Wilson.
Lamar County Electric Cooperative is located in Blossom, TX which is located northwest of Dallas.
Lamb County Electric Cooperative is located in Littlefield, TX and it's service area extends through Lamb, Hockley, Castro, Bailey, Hale, and Cochran counties.
Lea County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LCEC) was incorporated in 1949 and energizes over 16,000 meters in areas of Southeastern New Mexico and West Texas in portions of six (6) counties: Chaves, Eddy and Lea Counties in New Mexico and Cochran, Gaines and Yoakum counties in Texas.
In 1978, Hall County Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Memphis, Texas, merged with Lighthouse, forming a new cooperative which now operates 4,300 miles of line, serving 8,900 meters in parts of 12 Texas counties including Hale, Floyd, Swisher, Briscoe, Hall, Crosby, Dickens, Motley, Donley, Childress, Collingsworth, and Cottle.
Lighthouse Electric Cooperative
Lyntegar provides electricity to all or part of eleven counties, serving more than 5,400 members and more than 22,000 meters. Over the years Lyntegar has added three branch offices in Sundown, Lamesa and Seagraves to better serve our members.
Magic Valley experienced significant growth in the commercial and residential area of our business. By 2009 MVEC had grown to over 92,000 meters.
Medina Electric Cooperative is located in Hondo, TX and spans 17 counties west and south of San Antonio. The service territory covers the following counties: Atascosa, Brooks, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, Frio, Jim Hogg, Kinney, La Salle, McMullen, Medina, Real, Starr, Uvalde, Webb, Zapata, Zavala.
Medina Electric Cooperative
Headquartered in Navasota, MidSouth Electric Co-op has district offices in Montgomery and Huntsville. The cooperative serves members in Grimes, Montgomery, Madison, Walker, Brazos and Waller counties.
Navarro County Electric Cooperative is a non-profit electric utility company serving portions of Ellis, Navarro, Freestone Hill and Limestone Counties in Texas.
Navasota Electric Cooperative was founded in 1941 and serves Robertson, Leon, Freestone, Limestone, Brazos, Falls, Madison, Hill and McLennan counties.
The first service area included Hansford, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, and Ochiltree counties and the following men were elected trustees to promote and try to charter the North Plains Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Founded in 1938, Nueces Electric Cooperative serves over 19,000 electric meters for members in eight South Texas counties surrounding the beautiful Texas Gulf Coast.
Panola Harrison Electric Cooperative is a member-owned cooperative that believes in providing affordable electrical power to its members. We serve Harrison and Panola counties in Texas and Caddo and DeSoto parishes in Louisiana.
For 80 years, we have been proud to serve our members, power the Texas Hill Country and empower our community. As a PEC member, you are an owner of this organization, its history and its future.
Originating on June 7, 1938, with 98 members, PenTex Energy now serves over 10,000 members in Cooke, Montague, Grayson, Wise and Denton counties.
PenTex Energy Cooperative
The Rita Blanca Electric Cooperative has an area that is 85 miles wide and 60 miles long, which is a total of 5,100 square miles. In this service area are 3,205 total miles of lines to be maintained.
Rio Grande Electric Cooperative maintains offices in Alpine, Brackettville, Carrizo Springs, Dell City, El Paso, and Fort Stockton, with the Brackettville office serving as corporate headquarters.
Headquartered in Henderson Texas, Rusk County Electric is a member-owned cooperative. Providing reliable, efficient, and economical services for our customers in Rusk, Gregg, Panola, Nacogdoches, and Shelby County that enhance their quality of life.
Rusk County Electric
Sam Houston Electric Cooperative is headquartered in Livingston and serves 10 counties north and east of Houston.
Currently, San Bernard Electric has approximately 3,900 miles of line serving approximately 28,000 meters in 8 Texas counties – Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Grimes, Harris, Lavaca, Montgomery and Waller.
San Bernard Electric Cooperative
San Patricio Electric Cooperative provides electric distribution for more than 7,650 members across nine counties: Aransas, Bee, Goliad, Jim Wells, Live Oak, McMullen, Nueces, Refugio and San Patricio.
South Plains Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization providing electric service to its members. We are owned and controlled by the members we serve in the counties of: Childress, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Floyd, Foard, Garza, Hale, Hall, Hardeman, Hockley, Kent, King, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Motley and Stonewall.
Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative (REA) is a non-profit Corporation headquartered in Texarkana, Ark. District offices are located in DeQueen, Nashville, and Bradley Arkansas.
Southwest Rural Electric is an electric cooperative headquartered in Tipton, Oklahoma. SWRE's service area includes 3,103 miles of power line and 7,610 active meters in 6,000 square miles across southwest Oklahoma and north central Texas.
Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative is a member owned electric utility that serves all or parts of Schleicher, Sutton, Menard, Tom Green, Irion, Reagan, Upton, Crockett, Pecos, Val Verde, Concho, and Edwards counties.
Swisher Electric Cooperative serves members in over 1,800 square miles in parts of six counties (Swisher, Briscoe, Hale, Castro, Armstrong, & Randall) in the Texas Panhandle.
Taylor Electric Cooperative has been serving the Abilene, Texas area for over 80 years. After large, investor-owned companies refused to build to rural areas, community members joined together to bring electricity to their neighbors. Today, Taylor Electric Cooperative is still owned by the members it serves- still neighbors working for neighbors.
Tri-County Electric Cooperative's service territory includes 16 counties, more than 9,660 miles of distribution line, more than 103,800 member-owners and over 131,100 meters on North Texas.
By 2022, TVEC operated more than 8,000 miles of line to more than 55,000 members. With rapid growth coming from the D/FW Metroplex and farmland turning to housing developments, the importance of safe and reliable rural electricity has never been greater.
United Cooperative Services mainly concentrates on distribution of electricity to approximately 86,000 different locations spread across parts of 14 different counties in North Texas.
Since Upshur Rural’s beginning on October 25, 1937, they have strived to provide safe, reliable and affordable power to our member-owners and serve over 46,000 meters covering a ten county area.
Victoria Electrical Cooperative serves over 15,000 members with nearly 3,000 miles of line mapped across six counties serving homes, businesses, and farms.
WCEC's service territory extends through Colorado, Wharton, Jackson, and Matagorda counties. We serve primarily rural areas surrounding the communities of El Campo, Louise, Hillje, Plainview, Danevang, Taiton, Nada, Garwood, Crescent, Mackey, Clemville, and Midfield. Currently, WCEC maintains 1,270 miles of power lines and serves 4,126 members. For a detailed map of our service territory.
Wise County's service area now extends to seven counties: Clay, Cooke, Denton, Jack, Parker, Montague and Wise. With over 13,000 members, Wise Electric delivers electricity to over 3,200 miles of energized line and 50 miles of underground line.
Wood County Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a not-for-profit cooperative with the mission of providing its member-customers reliable electric service at a reasonable rate.
Generation & Transmission Cooperatives
Generation and Transmission cooperatives were formed to sell power to member cooperatives at a price that was lower than each individual cooperative could obtain on its own. The G&T cooperatives provide wholesale power to their member-owners either by purchasing and delivering power from public or investor-owned power plants, or by generating electricity themselves.
Brazos Electric is a 4,000 megawatt transmission cooperative whose members' service territory extends across 68 counties from the Texas Panhandle to Houston. Organized in 1941, Brazos Electric was the first cooperative formed in the Lone Star state for the purpose of generating and supplying electrical power. Today, it is the largest generation and transmission cooperative in Texas. Brazos Electric is the wholesale power supplier for its 16 member-owner distribution cooperatives. Owned by its member cooperatives, the Brazos Electric board of directors is comprised of one representative from each of these 16 members.
ETEC is a private, independent electric cooperative owned by the members we serve. Since 1987, we have made it possible for thousands of residents and businesses to take advantage of the lowest-cost, most reliable energy available in East Texas.
Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative organized in 1984 to provide low-cost reliable electric power and energy to its 16 Member cooperatives. Golden Spread’s Members provide electric service to approximately 308,000 electric meters serving member consumers located in the Panhandle, South Plains and Edwards Plateau regions of Texas, an area covering 24 percent of the Texas land mass, and in the Oklahoma Panhandle, Southwest Kansas and Southern Colorado.
Northeast Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. (NTEC) Located in the heart of East Texas Piney Woods is a Generation and Transmission (G&T) Electric Cooperative headquartered in Longview TX. NTEC serves six distribution cooperative members located in 20 counties in TX and two parishes in LA. NTEC serves those six members through a blend of owned resources and contracts with various power suppliers.
Rayburn serves four Member owned distribution electric cooperatives: Fannin County Electric Cooperative, Farmers Electric Cooperative, Grayson-Collin Electric Cooperative, and Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative. Rayburn is governed by its Board of Directors, which is comprised of the General Manager and a Director from each Member cooperative.
San Miguel is a member-owned electric cooperative providing safe, reliable power to hundreds of thousands of Texans. We do this through a Wholesale Power Contract with our member customer, South Texas Electric Cooperative.
In operation for over 75 years, STEC is a Generation and Transmission Cooperative serving 9 member cooperatives of South Texas.
The Sam Rayburn facility is located on seventy-five acres in Nursery, Texas. Official commissioning of G1 and G2 occurred in 1964. STEC’s headquarters was moved from Foster Field (by the airport) to the Nursery location in 1981. In October 2003, the 186 MW combined cycle plant began operations.
STEC's mission is to provide the infrastructure and services to deliver reliable and economical electric power to a diversified membership.
WFEC's generating facilities are located at Mooreland, Anadarko and Hugo, Oklahoma and Lovington, New Mexico. WFEC has a total power capacity of more than 2,400 MW when purchased hydropower is included. The G&T owns and maintains more than 3,800 miles of transmission line to more than 330 sub and switch stations. Members consist of 21 distribution cooperatives, located in Oklahoma and New Mexico, with their service territories covering parts of the two states, in addition to portions of Texas and Kansas. WFEC also serves Altus Air Force Base.
