SEPTEMBER 2026
country living FOR MEMBERS OF EAST CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
Your Power Source A Cooperative Approach to Power East Central Electric Cooperative is one of only two Oklahoma distribution cooperatives that receive power through their membership with two separate generation and transmission cooperatives. Of the 24 substations that power our distribution grid:
20 served by
4 served by
a transmission co-op powered by
The power you receive is generated by a mix of resources. Using a weighted average of fuel mixes from both entities, the power East Central Electric Cooperative members receive is approximately: 48.8% - Coal 22.2% - Natural Gas 16.3% - Wind 6.6% - Purchased Power from Regional Markets 5.9% - Hydro 0.2% - Solar
Power Source, Cont. on Page 3
2 | country living Lowell Hobbs, District 2 President
notes from the chair
Jim Hall, District 6 Vice President Dwight Luther, District 7 Secretary / Treasurer
A Half Dollar
Michael Vernnon, District 4 Assistant Sec. / Treasurer Clark Whitaker, District 1 James Allred, District 3 Jay Emerson, District 5
By Lowell Hobbs, President, East Central Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees We had a day of orientation for the two new directors, then a few days later a full board meeting. The longest in my memory—I got home at 6 pm. It was a good start for the new board members. I encourage you to read all the pages related to East Central Electric in the July Oklahoma Living magazine. The article written by the OAEC staff was also worth your time to read. This warm weather in July will bring our kilowatt hour sales up and will really benefit our cash status. Thanks for all that attended the annual meeting and your response to our survey. We use those comments as a tool to make or annual meeting and our operation in general more informative for you. Many years have gone by since I started playing golf with 2 men in my Sunday School class. At the same time period my favorite gas station
installed the first 25 cent car wash in Haskell. Our golf playing after church was at a 9-hole course east of Porter and consisted of two par 3 holes.
“We use those comments as a tool to make or annual meeting and our operation in general more informative for you.” - LOWELL HOBBS
We had an understanding that whoever hit closest to the hole (on the 2 par 3 holes) collected 25 cents per hole from the other players. I had just begun the game, so I always had
To learn more about your elected trustees, or to view a district map, please visit ecoec.com. To contact your trustee, please call 918-756-0833.
to give one of the other two 25 cents. Generally 50 cents to the same guy. This particular day I lost and was to pay “Monk” 50 cents; however, I had no change and Monk kept saying he wanted my half dollar. After mentioning this several times I took out my billfold, took out a one dollar bill, tore it in half and said ‘here’s your half dollar.” Later in the week I went by our new 25 cent car wash without any change and asked the owner if he would give me 2 quarters for a half dollar. He said, knowing you I’ll have to think about it, then put 2 quarters on the counter. I took the 2 quarters and handed him the other half of the torn dollar from my golf game. Lowell Hobbs represents ECE District 2. To reach him, please call his cellphone at 918-695-5289.
country living | 3
Power Source Continued from Cover
KAMO Power, headquartered in Vinita, Oklahoma, serves 17 member distribution cooperatives across northeast Oklahoma, northwest Arkansas, and southwest Missouri.
WFEC, headquartered in Anadarko, Oklahoma, serves 21 member distribution cooperatives across Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. Electric co-ops provide power to
1 in 8 Americans or 42 million people across 56% of the nation’s landmass. They own and maintain 2.7 million miles, or 42% of the nation’s electric distribution lines and serve large, sparsely populated areas. Many cooperative members are among those least able to afford higher electric rates. Electric co-ops serve 92% of persistent poverty counties in the United States.
1 in 4 Oklahomans receive power from electric co-ops, and co-ops cover 93% of the state’s landmass.
Part of Bigger System Our generation & transmission cooperatives (G&Ts) are member-owned and controlled. For KAMO Power and Associated Electric Cooperative Inc., this cooperative structure means they are able to serve as their own balancing authority. Balancing authorities are responsible for maintaining operating conditions under mandatory reliability standards issued by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). However, for Western Farmer’s Electric Cooperative, they exist under the regulation of a regional transmission organization that does this work across a 14-state system, known as the Southwest Power Pool (SPP).
4 | country living
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SEPTEMBER 1
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PO Box 1178 2001 S. Wood Drive Okmulgee, Oklahoma 74447-1178 (918) 756-0833 www.ecoec.com
Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8 am - 4:30 pm. COUNTRY LIVING IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC., 2001 S. WOOD DRIVE, OKMULGEE, OKLAHOMA 74447. THIS INSTITUTION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER, VETERAN/DISABLED.