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Power to the People Co-ops Celebrate 75 Years


Pioneers pulling wires, working toward electrifi cation of rural Oklahoma. Photo courtesy of Indian Electric Cooperative T


Early linemen bringing electricity to western Oklahoma. Photo courtesy of Northfork Electric Cooperative


he 1930s were challenging as Oklahomans recovered from the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Investor- owned utilties were not interested in electrifying sparsely populated areas. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt brought ‘light’ to rural America by establishing the Rural Electrifi cation Administration (REA) in 1935. In


Oklahoma, community leaders, farmers and their families came together to bring light to farms and towns. Today, 28 distribution electric cooperatives serve the state’s 77 counties. The year of 2014 marks the 75th anniversary of three of the distribution electric cooperatives that were incorporated in 1939. In honor of such a milestone, OKL is providing a brief history of each of these cooperatives. Through the summaries and the testimonies contained in this feature, it becomes clear that rural electrifi cation was—indeed—the “next greatest thing.”


“I appreciated the electric water heater and submersible water well pump the most.” Donna Batson, Indian Electric Cooperative member


Indian Electric Cooperative Date of Incorporation: August 1, 1939


In Cleveland, Okla., on April 10, 1939, farmers, oilfi eld camp residents and business leaders began


Early co-op pioneers in southeastern Oklahoma. Photo courtesy of Southeastern Electric Cooperative


organizing Indian Electric Cooperative (IEC). Seven hundred twenty-eight days later, electricity became reality. IEC president, Charles Green announced on August 10, 1940, the approval for funding from the REA of $140,000 for line construction. April 7, 1941 at 2:15 p.m. the 90 miles of lines were ener- gized during the fi rst membership meeting held at the substation near Morrison. Amplifi ed sound during this meeting was the fi rst member benefi t of electricity. Following the meeting, attendees visited J.D. Reaves’ home to experience marvelous electric appliances and congratulate the family as IEC’s fi rst residence to receive electricity. Today, IEC serves 19,125 meters over 3,540 miles of line in portions of Pawnee, Osage, Creek, Payne, Noble, Tulsa and Kay counties.


✓ The level of economic growth ✓ Variations in winter and summer weather


✓ Competition with other fuel sources (coal, nuclear, renewables)


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