Lighting The Way: Wiregrass Electric's Journey In Rural Electrification

Webwiregrass electric cooperative, formerly the rural electric cooperative association, or rea, played a pivotal role in illuminating geneva’s farming families.

Webin the still, dark hours before dawn, there's a group of people already up and working every day to ensure our lights stay on.

Webthey obtained their electrification data from both administrative sources and satellite imaging of nighttime brightness, which serves as a proxy for electricity.

Webrural communities came together and demanded access to the same technology their urban counterparts enjoyed.

And running water and indoor bathrooms were impossible without powered pumping.

Webthe cooperative didn’t just bring electricity to the region, it helped bridge the divide between urban and rural areas, strengthened our agricultural economy, ignited.

Wiregrass Electric Inaugurates Groundbreaking Solar Community Program

They formed a cooperative — wiregrass.

Webby 1930 more than 90 percent of rural homes still used kerosene lamps for lighting;

Webfederal aid is crucial to electric cooperatives trying to repair their systems after disaster strikes, but key programs need to be streamlined to help rural.