A cooperative is a group of people joining together to do something for the group that cannot be done individually (in this case, provide electric energy). It is a business enterprise, which is jointly owned and equally controlled by those who use it. During the 1930’s, the clear majority of rural America did not have electricity. The existing providers of electric energy felt it was not feasible or profitable to run electric lines into the rural areas to provide electric service. In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt created the Rural Electrification Act, which provided money in the form of loans to electrify rural America. Rural Americans joined together and formed cooperatives that could borrow money from the REA to build an electric system.
To that end, Central Missouri Electric Cooperative began business in 1938. Today, your non-profit, member-owned cooperative serves over 8,600 farms, residences, schools and industries in rural, central Missouri. The counties of Pettis, Benton and Saline are served by over 2,350 miles of electric line. Your board of directors is elected from the membership, by the membership, and governs the cooperative. They employ a general manager who is responsible for day-to-day operations of the system. The general manager employs and oversees the staff as they perform all duties necessary to provide rural electric service.
You are a member-owner of the cooperative that serves you and we believe in putting Members 1st!