Celebrating over 80 years of Columbia Basin Electric: Powering our communities

As Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative members gather this week for the annual meeting at the Condon Elks Lodge, they will celebrate the coop's eighth decade in operation.

September 18, 1940, marked a significant milestone for residents across our rural communities. On that day, the Directors of Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative, Inc. gathered to sign the Articles of Association, laying the foundation for an essential new service: electric power in our homes, farms, and businesses. Their hard work and dedication paid off nine years later, on October 14, 1949, when the first electric service was provided to the Ralph Potter farm. This was the beginning of a transformation in rural living, made possible by people who knew that to bring electricity to our area, they needed to work together.

Offices were established in Heppner and Condon, and soon, members, employees, and leaders of the Cooperative joined forces to make rural electric service a reality. This effort provided thousands of work hours and opportunities for people from all walks of life. Over time, Columbia Basin Electric brought the pleasures and convenience of electricity to our homes, farms, and businesses. It also helped to secure favorable rates and maintained the cooperative model that Franklin D. Roosevelt pioneered during the New Deal.

Beginning in 1935, Roosevelt established the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) through Executive Order No. 7037. The REA was a public-private partnership that provided loans to farmer-based cooperatives to build electric infrastructure in rural areas.

While many of the New Deal programs have since fallen by the wayside, electric cooperatives have grown in popularity over the past 30 years - from 27% of utilities in 1990 to 39% in 2019.

According to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), cooperatives control 56% of the United States electric system.

One of the unique aspects of Columbia Basin Electric is its structure as a Cooperative. This means it's a member-owned, non-profit organization where excess revenue is returned to members as "capital credits." Members benefit from affordable electric service and have a say in how the Cooperative is managed, which keeps the focus on providing reliable service at the lowest possible cost.

The dedication of the Cooperative's Directors has stood the test of time. Their hard work established the policies and principles that have guided Columbia Basin Electric for decades, allowing it to thrive and grow from an initial membership of about 400 to nearly 4,000 members today. The Cooperative now employs 17 local people and is part of a network of Rural Utility Service-financed cooperatives serving 8 million Americans. Locally, Columbia Basin Electric serves a wide range of customers across 3,000 square miles and five counties, delivering power to homes, farms, businesses, and irrigation systems.

Through the vision of community founders and the ongoing support of its members, Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative has grown and continues to serve as a vital force in our rural communities.

To celebrate the 80th Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting and Dinner, come to the Elks Lodge in Condon at noon on Thursday, November 7th.