What are Electric Cooperatives?
Hi there, Power Pals! The Cooperative Gang is here to guide you through the world of electric cooperatives. Have you ever wondered where the electricity for your lights, video games, and computers comes from? For many communities, it comes from an electric cooperative.
Come along as we explore what electric cooperatives do, how they work, and why they are so important for keeping communities powered.
Who are we?
We are your local electric cooperatives that power life in Mississippi.
- Coahoma Electric Power Association
- Coast Electric
- Delta Electric Power Association
- Dixie Electric
- Magnolia Electric Power
- Pearl River Valley Electric
- Singing River Electric
- Southern Pine Electric Cooperative
- Southwest Electric
- Twin County Electric Power Association
- Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association
You may know one of these local electric cooperatives – known as an electric distribution cooperative – from your hometown. They may even power your home! Their job is to make sure everyone gets electricity at the flip of a switch.
Cooperative Energy serves these 11 local electric teams in Mississippi. Cooperative Energy – known as a generation and transmission cooperative – makes electricity at power plants around the state and sends it along giant power lines to the 11 electric distribution cooperatives. Then, those local cooperatives deliver the electricity to homes, schools, businesses, and other places where people use it every day.
When all 12 cooperatives work together as one big team, we can share power in a way that makes electricity more dependable and less expensive for more than 1 million Mississippians.
What is an electric cooperative?
An electric cooperative (or co-op for short) is a special kind of power company that provides electricity to homes, schools, and businesses. But, here’s the cool part: instead of being owned by just one person or a group of people looking to make money, a co-op is owned by the people who use it – the members! That means families, neighbors, and friends all work together to make sure everyone has the power they need.
Where did electric cooperatives come from?
A long time ago, people who lived on farms and in the country (like many of us) did not have electricity. That meant no lights at night, no refrigerators, and no way to plug things in. So, farmers and neighbors decided to team up and help each other.
In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt started a program called the Rural Electrification Administration (REA for short). The REA loaned money to groups of people who wanted to bring electricity to their towns.
Families put their money together to create special groups called “electric co-ops.” These co-ops did not worry about making a profit. Instead, they wanted to help everyone. With their pooled money, they built poles and wires that carried electricity across the country. Soon, lights shone in farmhouses, machines made work easier, and life in rural towns became brighter and better!
Fast Fact: Your power company
What’s the name of the electric company or cooperative that powers your home? (Ask your family - it’s fun to know!)
Looking for more? The Cooperative Gang is here with powerful and fun resources just for you. You’ll find coloring sheets, puzzles, crossword games, exciting experiments, and more to make learning about electricity extra fun.
