79 Years of Making Lives Better with Affordable, Reliable Electricity

Cooperatives - the Early Years

In the early thirties, cooperatives were founded for one purpose: to improve life for their members. Nearly eighty years later, that purpose remains the same. America’s electric cooperatives played a crucial role in revolutionizing the way rural Americans live, work and play.

A century ago, as the first homes and businesses began using electricity, it became clear that access to affordable, reliable power would vastly improve people’s lives. It began with such innovations as electric lights, motors and refrigeration, and soon lit a short fuse to revolutions in transportation, manufacturing, communications, health care, computing and many, many other areas. “R.E.C.C. has played its role in the social transformation of America’s rural scene. This cooperative has provided hundreds of benefits, both social and economic, to the people in this area.” (The Anderson News, December 12, 1963).

By the late 1930’s, nine out of 10 rural homes in Kentucky were still in the dark. Faced with the prospect of spending lots of money to build facilities to serve relatively few customers, most utilities didn’t want to extend their power lines beyond cities, towns and major roadways.

But farmers and rural residents saw how electricity improved the lives of their city brethren. They were willing to put up their own money to gain access to it. They took advantage of Roosevelt’s New Deal government programs to start member-owned electric cooperatives and build power lines to their homes and farms.

Purpose

Making life better, the cooperative way.

Mission

Provide safe, reliable, affordable energy services, while improving the quality of life for our members.

Values

Accountability, Commitment, Integrity, Respect & Unity