Florida Keys Electric Cooperative Association Inc

Welcome to Florida Keys Electric Cooperative (FKEC), a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility serving the Upper and Middle Keys. By establishing electric service with FKEC, you have become a member-owner of your home-town Cooperative

Carved out of the coral rock that our community is built on, and with a vision as clear as the water surrounding us, Florida Keys Electric Cooperative will be a progressive employer and influential community partner that sets the benchmark in providing high quality, environmentally sensitive, and safe electrical power.

FKEC Mission Statement

FKEC is a member-owned electric utility committed to delivering high quality, competitively priced energy and services for our community.

• Every day we will be guided by integrity, innovation and a commitment to excellence.
• Every day we will consider our employees and members as individuals, respect their dignity and recognize their merit.
• Every day we will strive to better ourselves, assist our co-workers, improve our company and serve our members efficiently and effectively in an environmentally responsible manner.

Elected by our members, FKEC's Board of Directors represents power consumers in four voting districts from Marathon to Key Largo. The Board has the authority to establish policies and review operational procedures to promote a progressive, financially-sound utility. The Board has nine seats, and each director must be a member in his or her voting district. Directors must be nominated and elected by their home district's members according to FKEC bylaws. Directors serve three-year terms.

Overview:

Florida Keys Electric Co-op was formed in 1940 as a rural electric cooperative. As a cooperative, FKEC is owned by the customers it serves. Having a meter installed in one's name is all it takes to become a member-owner. A nine-member Board of Directors, elected by the member-owners of the cooperative, oversees operations.

In the 1930's, there were only a few fishing camps and small communities scattered throughout the Keys. The generating plants that existed at that time were unreliable. Power was supplied for only a few hours a day, and even that was subject to frequent shortages and outages.

FKEC was formed to bring reliable, centralized electric service to an area of the Keys extending from the Dade/Monroe County line to the Seven Mile Bridge at the south end of Marathon. During FKEC's early years, power was supplied to the upper Keys by a small generating plant in Tavernier. The Marathon area was supplied by two 50 kilowatt portable generating units. By the mid-1940s, a line had been extended from the upper Keys to Marathon and the Tavernier plant supplied all needed power.

By the early 1950's, power demands exceeded the capacity of the Tavernier plant. A distribution line was built to the mainland connecting Tavernier with the City of Homestead's plant. The Tavernier generating plant was retired. The Marathon generating plant was constructed in the early 1950s and by the mid-1950s was producing power from two 1,000 kilowatt generators. By the late 1950's, a 69,000 volt transmission line was built, connecting FKEC to Florida Power and Light (FPL). FKEC's arrangement with the City of Homestead was terminated and FKEC began purchasing wholesale power from FPL.

Population in the Keys grew steadily through the years and along with it grew FKEC. Capacity in the Marathon plant increased from 2,000 kilowatts to 18,000 kilowatts. A 138,000 volt transmission line was built in the mid-1970's that allowed FKEC to purchase greater amounts of power from FPL. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew destroyed the 69,000 volt transmission line that was built in the 1950's. It was replaced with a new 138,000 volt transmission line. 

To Report a Power Outage

If you are currently without power or see a hazardous condition involving power lines or equipment, call FKEC immediately at 305-852-2431 or in an emergency 911.

Outage Texting:

FKEC members who have a mobile phone equipped for sending/receiving text messages and have that phone number registered on their FKEC account can utilize Outage Texting.

Before an Outage Occurs: 

Before an outage occurs, verify FKEC has all of your current phone numbers, including cell phone numbers. Doing so allows FKEC’s phone system to automatically match your phone number to your electrical equipment and determine the cause of the outage faster and more accurately

Decrease Outage Time by Following These Steps:
If you experience a power outage, please check your fuse box or breaker panel before calling FKEC. Approximately 33% of power outages are breaker issues and should be solved by the homeowner. By checking your breaker panel first, you can minimize your outage time and avoid a possible “false outage call” service fee.

1. Check your breaker panel or fuse box. A blown fuse or tripped breaker can be the cause of the outage.

2. If your fuses and circuit breakers are fine and it is possible, see if your neighbors are also without power. This will help our linemen know if it is just your service or perhaps a main breaker.

3. If you cannot restore your power by resetting the circuit breaker, call us at 305-852-2431, 1-800-858-8845 or via text.

4. FKEC restores power as quickly and as safely as possible.