Ocmulgee Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) History
Powering Rural Progress
Ocmulgee EMC is proud to be part of the nationwide network of electric cooperatives organized under the Rural Electrification Administration (REA).
In 1930, most rural Americans had no electric power because it cost more than what profit-minded, investor-owned electric companies would pay to construct lines so far to serve so few.
The improving standard of living enjoyed by city dwellers never reached beyond the city limits.
A little-known federal program—the Rural Electrification Administration—changed that, paving the way for rural Americans to build their own utilities.
Unlike investor-owned utilities, REA-financed cooperatives were owned by the people they served and operated on a nonprofit basis.
The Founding of Ocmulgee EMC
Ocmulgee Electric Membership Corporation traces its beginnings to the New Deal’s rural electrification movement of the 1930s. With the Rural Electrification Administration made permanent in 1936 and Georgia’s passage of the Electric Membership Corporation Act in 1937, rural residents were finally empowered to form nonprofit cooperatives and secure federal loans to bring electricity to underserved communities.
Citizens gathered at the Dodge County Courthouse, where they authorized H. H. Burch, J. W. Studstill, W. H. Mullis, Jack Jones, Eugene Wilcox, Mrs. A. J. Lowery, and Mrs. E. M. Harrington to lead the effort and apply to the REA for funds to construct an electric distribution system.
Organizers formally petitioned the Dodge County Superior Court on March 29, 1938, and the cooperative’s charter was granted on May 9, 1938. 2 days later, the first organizational meeting was held in the Bank of Eastman building, where bylaws were adopted and the original board of directors elected—officially establishing Ocmulgee EMC to provide reliable electric service to rural communities across Bleckley, Dodge, and surrounding counties.
The Charter & First Board of Directors
The petition for incorporation was presented to Judge Eschol Graham on March 29, 1938, and the charter was granted on May 9, 1938.
At the first board meeting 2 days later, bylaws were adopted, and the following members were elected as the cooperative’s first directors:
H. H. Burch
Jack Jones
J. G. NeSmith
J. W. Studstill
Eugene Wilcox
Mrs. E. M.
Harrington
W. H. Mullis
J. W. Studstill
W. F. Daniels
The First Officers & Early Engineering Work
The first officers included:
President: H. H. Burch
Vice President: J. W. Studstill
Secretary: Mrs. A. J. Lowery
Treasurer: W. H. Mullis
The J. B. McCrary Engineering Company of Atlanta was hired to stake lines in Dodge, Bleckley, and Pulaski Counties and draw the maps for the new system.
Membership & Early Challenges
From the beginning, the cooperative relied on member participation.
Easements and membership applications were solicited with a $5 fee—significant in 1938.
Many residents were skeptical or fearful of electricity.
Others worried that the collected funds would disappear in administrative costs.
Despite these doubts, local leaders persevered.
Applying for the First Loan
The original application for a loan, along with maps showing the location of the lines to be constructed, was carried to the REA in Washington in an automobile at the expense of Dodge County.
The County Commissioner, W. D. McCranie, was always interested in progressive programs on behalf of the people in the county. His son, W. C. (Bill), drove the car and was accompanied by J. W. Studstill, Will Ed Smith, and H. H. Burch to Washington.
The First REA Loan & Construction Work
At the second meeting of the incorporators and directors held on July 29th, 1938, it was announced that an allotment of a loan of $163,000 would be made by the REA to the cooperative for the purpose of constructing approximately 157 miles of line in Dodge, Bleckley, and Pulaski Counties.
2.73%
Interest rate carried on the 25-year loan
$81500
Awarded to Coffee Construction Company of Eastman, Georgia
Energizing the First Lines
The months seemed to drag by, but finally poles and wire were strung across the countryside.
On December 24, 1938, Ocmulgee EMC energized 12 miles of power lines connecting 24 rural homes and farms, forever changing the lives of rural families in middle Georgia.
The Legacy of Progress
Thanks to the vision of its founders and the perseverance of its members, Ocmulgee EMC has continued to grow and serve.
1938
Founded
12
Miles of First Energized Lines
24
Members With First Energized Lines
8215
Members Today
1954
Miles of Line Today
Ocmulgee EMC remains dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural families—just as it did from the very beginning.
Service Territory
Dodge
Bleckley
Pulaski
Laurens
Telfair
Career Opportunities
Interested in a career at Ocmlgee EMC? Visit our Careers page for details and information on current openings.
Visit Careers
Capital Credits
At Ocmulgee EMC, you’re not just a customer—you’re an owner. When revenues exceed the cost of providing service, those margins are allocated to members as capital credits based on each member’s annual electricity purchases and accumulated over time. As the Board authorizes retirements, these credits are paid back to eligible members in cash while helping keep rates stable and the system strong.
More on Capital Credits
Operation Round Up
Since 1938, Ocmulgee EMC has been committed to serving the people who call our communities home. Beyond providing affordable and reliable electricity, we take pride in supporting local causes that make a real difference. Through Operation Round Up, our members have the power to turn spare change into meaningful change—helping neighbors, funding local programs, and strengthening the heart of our service area.
More on Operation Round Up