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Co-op History

Historic Photo of Linemen


In 1935, the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was established by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order No. 7037 for the purpose of promoting rural electrification. At that time, only a small percentage of American farms had electricity because power companies located in the city found the cost too high to construct lines to sparsely populated areas. The REA was established to provide low-interest loans and technical assistance to cooperatives. Because of the REA program, DMEA was incorporated in August 1938 and originally named Delta-Montrose Rural Power Lines Association.

Electricity first flowed through Delta-Montrose Rural Power Lines Association's distribution system in May 1939, serving 250 members in the Pea Green area near Delta. Members in the Delta, Hotchkiss, and Paonia areas were added in the following years.

Western Colorado Power Company (WCPC), an investor-owned utility, also provided electricity to the same territory as Delta-Montrose Rural Power Lines Association. Frequently, the Delta-Montrose Rural Power Lines Association and WCPC power lines ran parallel to one another.

In 1971, the Public Utilities Commission of Colorado ordered an exchange of customers to correct this situation and consolidated certain areas. Two thousand customers were affected in this consolidation.

In May 1975, Delta-Montrose Rural Power Lines Association purchased a portion of the territory being served by WCPC, adding approximately 10,000 members and 730 miles of line to their system. Because Delta-Montrose Rural Power Lines Association no longer served just rural areas, the "Rural Power Lines" changed, and the cooperative became Delta-Montrose Electric Association.

 

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©2023 Delta-Montrose Electric Assn.. A Touchstone Energy Cooperative

  • Account Services
    • My Account
    • Payment & Billing Options
    • Financial Aid
    • Rates
    • Start/Stop Electric Service
    • Time-of-Use
    • New Construction Information
    • Unclaimed Capital Credits Search
  • News & Publications
    • Press Releases
    • Newsletters
    • Industry News
    • Annual Report
    • Position Papers
    • Member Handbook
  • About Us
    • About DMEA
    • Contact Us
    • Annual Meeting and Elections
      • DMEA Board Candidate Self Nomination
    • Board of Directors
      • Service Area
      • District 4 Vacant Seat
    • Capital Credits
    • Co-op History
    • Financial Statements
    • Bylaws
    • Meeting & Events
    • Leadership Team
  • Efficiency
    • Home Energy Evaluation
    • Free Home Weatherization
    • Home Energy Audits
    • Home Energy Monitors
  • Renewables
    • Garnet Mesa Solar
    • South Canal Project
    • Community Solar Array
    • Net Metering
    • Qualifying Facilities Information
  • Community
    • Operation Round Up
    • Scholarships
    • Youth Leadership Programs
    • Educational Services
    • Community Sponsorships
  • Safety
    • Outages
    • Call Before You Dig
    • Trees & Your Power
    • Education
    • Play It Safe
    • Spring Burning
    • Kid's Safety
  • Careers
    • Current Job Listings
  • High Speed Internet
    • About Elevate
    • Elevate For Business
    • Elevate Home Phone
    • Elevate Internet