President Roosevelt signs executive order 7037, establishing the Rural Electrification Act. The REA would act as banker for all responsible organizations willing to extend their power lines into rural America.
Oklahoma farmers formed an ad hoc committee and collected 700 signatures to establish a cooperative franchise.
On October 1st, 1936, the committee submitted their application for an REA loan.
The Oklahoma Inter-County Electric Cooperative was duly incorporated in Norman, OK.
Our first member/employees:
- E.E. “Doc” Hardin, President
- Henry C. Sheff, Vice President, Board member
- Ben Huey, Attorney
- Horace Sheff, Secretary, Treasurer, Office manager
- Paul Fontenier
- George Nemecek, Board Member, Project Superintendent
- M.D. Sewell
- Herbert H. Smith, Board Member
- B.I. Poe
- J. Harold Redman
- Dr. D.B.R. Johnson, Dean of OU School of Pharmacy, Notable Newcastle Farmer
- Allen Moore, REA Counselor from Washington D.C.
The First light bulb on OEC power is lit at a "turning on party" at the E.E. Hardin farm west of Norman.
Mr. Hardin himself threw the switch on the first electric light bulb. It was a single 500 watt bulb.
OEC holds first annual meeting.
Nearly 500 attend OEC's first annual meeting at McFarlin Memorial Methodist Church in Norman.
The Oklahoma Inter-County Electric Cooperative changes name to Oklahoma Electric Cooperative.
Representatives from 9 Co-ops meet at the Biltmore hotel in Oklahoma City to establish a generation cooperative known as Western Electric Cooperative.
This cooperative would be purpose built to generate electricity for area distribution cooperatives.
Later known as Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, they would go on to serve over 21 cooperatives in both Oklahoma and New Mexico.
America’s electric cooperatives formed the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) to provide a unified voice for cooperatives and to represent their interests in Washington, DC.
Today, NRECA represents more than 900 consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives, public power districts, and public utility districts in the United States.
OEC moves to new headquarters in downtown Norman, OK.
"The officers and directors of the Oklahoma Electric Cooperative can well be proud of their new headquarters building in Norman. A significant milestone in the Cooperative's program of extending farm electric service direct to the farms of the area."
- Public Service Company of Oklahoma (our first electricity supplier)
The Oklahoma Electric Cooperative opens a new warehouse and construction building at 242 24th avenue.
This would eventually expand into the present day headquarters of OEC.
The Territory Protection Act passes which results in allocated territories for all electric utilities.
Oklahoma Electric Cooperative opens new headquarters at 242 NW 24th Ave. with direct access to I-35.
Initial construction begins for OEC Fiber.
OEC Fiber service launched publicly to first zone.
OEC Fiber has it's largest single day subscriber sign up with 366 subscribers.
We launched a new fiber zone in Pink, OK.
OEC Fiber hits 5,000 subscribers.
OEC Fiber launches TV and Phone services officially.