Continental Divide Electric Cooperative

Headquartered in Grants, New Mexico, CDEC is a non-profit, member-owned electric distribution co-op providing service to about 23,790 meters throughout Cibola and parts of McKinley, Sandoval, Bernalillo and Valencia counties. CDEC does not own or control any electric generation resources and is an all-requirements purchaser of electric energy from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. CDEC owns about 4,000 miles of primary and secondary distribution and transmission lines and has invested $78 million over the years to serve its members and consumers.

At Continental Divide Electric Cooperative, our aim is to make electric energy available and reliable to consumers and members at the lowest cost, consistent with sound economy and good management.

Continental Divide Electric Co-op is dedicated to the mission of providing reliable, affordable electricity and staying true to our founding philosophy of serving those who would otherwise not be served.

This cooperative is a success because of the dedication of its board members and employees who focus on excellence and the continuous effort of improving service to our members and consumers.

I encourage CDEC members to take an active part in the co-op's affairs, as we are always looking for direction from those we serve. Stop by or call anytime.

Please look around and discover all the things this co-op has to offer. Can't find what you are looking for or have a question? Contact us, we'll be happy to help.

Continental Divide Electric Cooperative is governed by a board of directors from our service area's 8 districts and an at-large board representative.

Because CDEC is wholly owned by the members it serves, directors are voted on and elected by our member-owners. CDEC's governing board meets on the second Thursday of each month.

Continental Divide Electric Cooperative renders a bill each month to its members. CDEC bills all of its residential members in different cycles on, or about the same day, each month. If CDEC significantly alters a billing cycle, the co-op will notify those affected. At times, it may be necessary for CDEC to render an estimated bill. When that occurs, CDEC will explain why the estimate occurred and will 'true-up' a member's bill the following month.

Our History

Continental Divide Electric Cooperative's roots can be traced back to Aug. 23, 1945 and a meeting held in the Grants High School gymnasium to organize a Rural Electric Association (REA) cooperative.

At this meeting, nine committee members were selected from various locations within the proposed REA project to organize and incorporate. The committee is considered the co-op's first board of trustees.

Committee members were Peter T. Mocho, Golden P. Roundey, Mrs. Tom Elkins, Barton Davis, Bernard Vanderwagen, Homer C. Jones, Dean Kirk, Eddie Freas and Don Smouse.