Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative

We work hard at PSREC to provide you, our member-owner, with low-cost, reliable electric power. Our high level of commitment to you means that we never stop striving to bring you better service. We are a 6,600 member electric cooperative serving the northeastern areas of northern California and northwestern portion of Nevada.

PSREC History

The following contains excerpts from an article written by Pam Blair for the Ruralite in October 2001.

Prior to 1935, life in rural America generally started at sunrise and ended at sunset. That’s because nine out of 10 rural homes had no electric service.
While it was technically possible to deliver electricity to rural areas, it was not deemed necessary or economically feasible by the power companies.
Rural residents close to a power company’s line were required to pay the full cost of connecting their homes to the system. In many cases, that fee was nearly twice the annual farm income.
Once that initial investment was made, rural consumers discovered they would have to pay 10 to 12 cents a kilowatt-hour (kWh)—double the rate for urban customers. In some cases, the charge was as high as 40 cents per kWh.

That essentially ensured rural America remained in the dark. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s rural electrification program changed that, transforming the country through federal low-interest loans designed to electrify all of America.

Most of the loan recipients were newly formed rural electric cooperatives. Today, nearly a thousand locally owned co-ops provide power to 35 million people—11 percent of the nation—in 46 states.
But electrifying the country wasn’t easy. For years, power companies ignored rural areas—except those heavily populated, easy to reach and well off economically. That assured them of maximizing their profits.
Even with federal money available, most for-profit investor-owned utilities (IOUs) weren’t interested in extending service to rural areas. If rural America were to have access to electricity, rural residents would have to make it happen. Working together for the common good was not a new concept for farmers, who had organized agriculture- oriented co-ops.

Now hungry for electricity, rural Americans journeyed up and down country roads seeking support for development of electric cooperatives. By and large, they were successful. Today, electricity is available to more than 99 percent of the nation’s rural residents—mostly through electric co-ops.
To perform their mission, electric cooperatives own and maintain 2.3 million miles—44 percent— of the nation’s electric distribution lines, covering three quarters of the nation’s land mass. Their assets top $70 billion. And they provide electrical service in a way far different than IOUs.

Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative was founded in 1937 to bring power to Plumas, Lassen, and Sierra counties.  We are committed to improving the quality of life of our member-owners and our local communities.  Below you’ll enjoy hearing our own members tell the story of our rich history in their own words. 

Why We're Different

PSREC is consumer-owned and not-for-profit.  That means any revenue above expenses is eventually returned to the member in the form of capital credit payments.  We are committed to providing the best possible service at the lowest possible cost.

We take pride in our cooperative – a grassroots system of service started by pioneers like those who settled this area. Keeping the cost of electricity affordable helps to keep local businesses competitive, while preserving our rural heritage and standard of living.

Local Control

Plumas-Sierra is controlled by a seven person Board of directors elected on a rotating basis for 3 year terms. We follow the Rochdale Principles. Our goal is to provide utility services with a high level of reliability for fair and reasonable costs. We are also dedicated to improving the quality of life of our member-owners and our local communities.

Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications

Plumas-Sierra REC also owns Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications (PST), which offers high-speed Internet services to the region.  PST is run by a seven person board, appointed by the electric cooperative board.

Our subsidiary has a dual role. It reduces the costs of electricity while providing vital services.