First Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative. As a cooperative, we operate by these seven cooperative principles:

1. VOLUNTARY AND OPEN MEMBERSHIP

Cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.

2. DEMOCRATIC MEMBER CONTROL

Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership. In primary cooperatives, members have equal voting rights – one member, one vote – and cooperatives at other levels are organized in a democratic manner.

3. MEMBERS’ ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION

Members contribute equally to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the cooperative. They usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing the cooperative, possibly by setting up reserves, part of which at least would be indivisible; benefiting members in proportion to their transactions with the cooperative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership.

4. AUTONOMY AND INDEPENDENCE

Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.

5. EDUCATION, TRAINING AND INFORMATION

Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives. They inform the general public – particularly young people and opinion leaders – about the nature and benefits of cooperation.

6. COOPERATION AMONG COOPERATIVES

Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.

7. CONCERN FOR COMMUNITY

While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.

Mission Statement & History

Mission Statement:

"First Electric, improving quality of life."

Cooperative History:

First Electric Cooperative Corporation is a not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative that was incorporated April 26, 1937, as the first electric cooperative in Arkansas under the direction of the Rural Electrification Act as signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

First Electric energized its first power lines April 15, 1938, near Jacksonville, Ark., with three employees and served 150 members.

Today, First Electric serves more than 91,000 member accounts throughout parts of 17 counties in central and southeast Arkansas. The cooperative's headquarters is located in Jacksonville, Ark., with four full-service offices in Benton, Heber Springs, Perryville and Stuttgart, Ark.

First Electric owns and maintains more than 9,600 miles of distribution power lines and 43 substations. First Electric is the second largest distribution cooperative in Arkansas and one of the 30 largest of the nation's more than 900 electric cooperatives.

The member account base is 95 percent residential, 3 percent commercial and industrial and 2 percent agricultural. First Electric is organized as a not-for-profit business and returns capital credits to members on a recurring basis. With the 2013 capital credit refund of $6.5 million, the total amount refunded to members is now more than $67 million.