Electric Co-op Today

There is little argument that from their humble beginnings, electric cooperatives have helped enhance the quality of life in rural and suburban areas, not only in Oklahoma, but nationwide.

Chris Meyers

And it’s not just the direct benefits of having the electricity that cooperatives provide.

One other such positive enhancement is the economic impact an electric cooperative has on the area in or around which it provides service. Communities are strengthened by the presence of an electric cooperative, as are the many homes, businesses or industrial parks that may be served by the local co-op.

In these recessionary times, electric co-ops are often the bright spots in local economies because they offer diverse, yet stable job opportunities.

And as we all know, jobs support local economies. In many cases, jobs at a local co-op are among the best that can be found in a community.

Nationally, more than 42 million people are served by electric cooperatives. Nearly 80 percent of the counties across the United States have electric co-op service and infrastructure within them.

In Oklahoma, electric cooperatives are the only utility entity that has infrastructure in all 77 counties, and the only collective entity that provides gross receipts taxes to all 527 school districts across the state.

Here are a few other statistics about the 30 member systems that comprise the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives:

• They collectively employ more than 2,500 full-time employees, and many part-time employees;

• Their total annual payroll exceeds $163 million;

• They have more than 745,000 total services in place;

• Collectively, they have built and maintain more than 114,675 miles of electric distribution line, and operate more than 6,665 miles of high-voltage transmission line;

• Member systems—28 distribution and two generation-transmission cooperatives—have invested more than $4.8 billion in electric utility plant located in rural and suburban areas. This includes electric generation, transmission, distribution, communication and fiber optic facilities.

The average electric cooperative has 48 employees, with the largest single group usually being highly skilled and trained lineworkers, followed by professional engineering and operations staff, and administrative personnel.

In our state and elsewhere, electric co-ops are indeed powering the needs of a new generation, and they continue to improve the quality of life for the people and communities they serve.

Chris Meyers is general manager of the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives.

Tags: Co-op Voices