Mission Statement
Providing safe and reliable electric service while improving our communities where we live and serve.
Values Statement:
We provide service excellence to our members and our employees by:
Operating with respect, integrity, ethics, and fairness in all areas.
Communicating openly and honestly.
Nurturing continuous improvement.
Caring for the communities we serve.
We’ve been bringing electric power to our corner of East Texas since 1938. We’re proud of our history as one of Texas’ first electric cooperatives, and we’re grateful to continue to be of service to our good neighbors in East Texas today.
History
It may be something we take for granted now, but in 1938 electric power was only a dream for most people in the farming communities and rural areas of Texas. So, back then, a group of local leaders joined together to form Wood County Electric Cooperative. The purpose of the non-profit cooperative was straight forward, simply to bring power to residents, at a price they could afford to pay.
Taking advantage of funding and other resources from the federal government’s Rural Electrification Agency, those early Quitman leaders signed up 1,100 Wood County Electric Cooperative members at five dollars each, and then constructed the first 100 miles of lines to deliver electricity.
Current Facts
At that time, the average electricity user was then able to power one radio, five lights, an electric fan, a water pump and an iron. WOW! Times have really changed! Today, in addition to heating and cooling, the average home employs well over 50 electronic appliances ranging from that big screen TV, to an electric toothbrush, and all types of appliances in-between. Electricity has not only come to power our conveniences, but the necessities of our lives.
Residential and Business Service
The co-op serves both long-time residents who’ve lived here for decades, as well as those with vacation homes who come to enjoy activities on area lakes. Additionally, the cooperative provides power for a myriad of businesses and industries including those in hospitality, retail, farming, oil, medical, municipal and manufacturing.
Member-Owned and Operated
Wood County Electric Cooperative is owned by the people it serves. Rates are set to operate and maintain the system – not to make a profit. The co-op’s operations are governed by a seven-member board elected from and by the members. The general manager who oversees day-to-day activities is appointed by the board.