Central Rural Electric Cooperative has been powering rural central Oklahoma for decades, bringing electricity to areas that larger utilities overlooked. But how does electricity make its way from power generation to members’ homes? 

Electricity starts at the source - power generation. Central is one of 51 electric cooperatives that receive power from Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI), a generation cooperative headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. AECI produces electricity from a variety of sources including coal, wind, natural gas and hydroelectric plants. 

Once energy is generated, the electricity travels over high-voltage transmission lines. Central’s transmission lines are owned by KAMO Power located in Vinita. These lines connect power plants to the 22 substations located throughout Central’s service area. 

After transmission lines bring the high-voltage power to substations, where it is stepped down to a voltage suitable for distribution, it’s Central’s time to shine! The electricity is sent out through smaller, local lines directly to Central’s members. These distribution lines, often spanning rural roads and farms, are the backbone of Central’s infrastructure. 

The final destination of the electricity is the member’s meter to power homes and farms. Each member pays for the electricity they consume, and any margins—what a for-profit utility would call profits—are reinvested into the cooperative or returned to members as capital credits.

Similar to how Central is owned by our members, KAMO Power and AECI are also cooperatives owned by their memberships. This cooperative model ensures that the needs of members dictate energy production. 

In the world of electric cooperatives, one thing is clear, cooperation among cooperatives is key to success.