The History of Douglas Electric Cooperative
Douglas Electric Cooperative (DEC) is a private, not-for-profit
electric utility owned by the members it serves. It was established to
provide its members with the most reliable electric service at the
lowest possible cost. DEC's service area covers 2200 square miles in
western and northern Douglas County, with small portions in northeast
and southeast Coos County and south Lane County. City of Drain is not
within DEC's boundaries.
A seven member Board of Directors governing the cooperative is elected
by and from its membership; therefore, the members ultimately control
the cooperative. The Board meets monthly to set policies and review
the operations of DEC. Its directors are elected at the Annual Meeting
held each year on the first Saturday in April. Each director serves,
without salary, a three year term. Nominations for election to the
Board of Directors from each respective district are made by petition
signed by 15 or more members who reside in that district and must be
filed in DEC's headquarters at least 60 days prior to the Member
Meeting.
While each member owns the cooperative, no member shall be
individually liable or responsible for any debts or liabilities of the
cooperative.
Why Electric Cooperatives?
In the early 1930's, prior to the establishment of electric
cooperatives such as Douglas Electric, rural America was almost in
total darkness. Nearly 90 percent of our nation's rural areas were
without electricity.
In 1936, Congress acted to remove rural areas from the "Dark Ages" by
creating the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), formerly the Rural
Electrification Administration (REA). Initially, low-interest REA
loans were made available to commercial power companies for the
purpose of electrifying rural areas.
Why Douglas Electric Cooperative?
When the power companies failed to take advantage of REA loans, the
agency turned to providing loans to locally-owned electric
cooperatives.
On September 7, 1939, West Douglas Electric Cooperative began
supplying power to 209 members. On July 15, 1941, North Douglas
Electric Cooperative began supplying power to 125 members. A merger of
the two young cooperatives was ratified on June 30, 1942, to form the
present day Douglas Electric Cooperative.
Electric cooperatives have helped to bring rural America out of the
"Dark Ages." Obviously, so important a job is never completely done.
