A BRIEF HISTORY

 

              We, as citizens of the United States, think of our nation being the world leader in most areas of accomplishment.  In 1935, the United States was by no means the leading nation in rural electrification.  Nations that we often think of as being small as world powers were far ahead of us.  While we had 10% rural electrification, Sweden had 65%, Denmark had 85%, Japan had 90%, Germany had 90%, France had 95%, and the Netherlands had almost 100%.  With these eminent facts, it was long overdue that America be electrified.

 

            Rural citizens of America were rightfully seeking to obtain electric service in order that they might receive benefits and conveniences that their city cousins had enjoyed for years.  To help rural people acquire electricity, the Rural Electric Administration (REA) was created on May 11, 1935 by an executive order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  The purpose of the Rural Electric Administration was to make long-term, low-interest rate loans to existing electric utility companies to construct lines into rural areas to supply the vitally needed electric power.

 

            When rural people talked to the existing electric companies, however, their request for electric service fell on deaf ears.  (These large power companies said it was too costly and too dangerous and farmers would not be able to pay their electric bills, and the cost of extending electric lines into the rural areas would be prohibitive.)  Because no one else was willing to serve rural people with electricity these diligent rural leaders organized their own cooperative organizations and served themselves.

 

            The adversities of farm life and work (severe weather, faltering economics, awesome distances, extreme isolation) had made rural Americans at once natural and necessary cooperators.  From barn raisings, threshing bees and quilting bees to co-op creameries and grain elevators, they joined to accomplish what one could not do alone but what many could do together.  In spite of the enormity and the complexity of it all, the co-op idea (in partnership with REA) became the dynamic force which carried rural America out of the darkness.

 

            On April 7, 1938 a small group of rural leaders from Graves County met at the Stovall Building in Mayfield and officially organized the West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation for the purpose of making electricity available in the surrounding rural area.  At that time, less that 3% of the farms in Kentucky had electricity.  West Kentucky RECC received its initial approval from the Rural Electric Administration to build 198 miles of line and serve less than 400 members in that area.  From these humble beginnings, the Cooperative has grown tremendously to serve over 35,000 members in a six-county area with almost 3800 miles of line.

 

            The first lines in West Kentucky RECC’s service area were energized on July 18, 1939 at the Farmington substation after a year of diligent effort to get enough people to sign up for service so REA would lend the money to finance the project.  The Cooperative borrowed money with interest to be paid back over a 35 year period from REA to construct lines.  Those original consumers used approximately 40 kilowatt hours per month and paid an average monthly bill of $2.77 at a rate of about six cents per kilowatt hour.  (At those rates every member of the family felt a responsibility for watching the meter to be sure it didn’t run too much.)

           

            By comparison, twenty-five years later in 1963, the Cooperative’s assets had grown to $6.7 million  with 2035 miles of line serving 15,527 members using an average of 822 kilowatt hours per residential member per month with a rate of about one cent per kilowatt hour.  Since 1963, the Cooperative has had a number of rate increases including restructuring of rates.  Currently the Cooperative’s assets are 77.9 million with 3790 miles of line serving 35504 consumers using an average of 1202 kilowatt hours per  residential member per month and paying a little over six cents per kilowatt hour.  In February, 1963 the Cooperative had sold to its members a total of 189,631,799 kilowatt hours for the twelve preceding months.  In December, 1999 the Cooperative had sold its members a total of 807,226,709 kilowatt hours of electricity for the twelve preceding months.

 

            The tremendous growth of West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation has been due to a number of factors.  First, the Rural Electric Administration has been very helpful and has always stood by to loan money as it was needed.  Secondly, one of the greatest factors has been the availability of dependable low cost power from the Tennessee Valley Authority since 1942.  Finally the Cooperative has grown as a result of the cooperation and support of the members, employees, management, and the Board of Directors.

 

            West Kentucky RECC was organized to provide the best possible service to all members at the lowest possible cost consistent with sound business principles.  This continues to be the objective of the Cooperative today.

 

            The day of the kerosene lamp, the wood cook-stove, and the washboard has passed, thanks to the efforts of that small group of rural people working together for their own and the common good to make a better life for themselves and their neighbors.