History of Slash Pine EMC
In 1939, individuals in several counties in Southeast Georgia partnered together to take part in the new rural electricity movement. Through their cooperation, these leaders created The Slash Pine Electric Membership Corporation, a not-for-profit electric membership cooperative. Since its inception, Slash Pine EMC has grown to meet the needs of its eight-county service area. The Board of Directors and employees of Slash Pine EMC are reminded of the founding partnerships with people in local communities as they constantly strive to meet the ever-changing needs of its members.
In the beginning, the service area was that area not wanted or needed by other rural electric cooperatives or private investment power utilities. Our territory consisted of sparsely populated areas of deep South Georgia, including small family farms and pine trees. There was little cash money in the area, and many of the first memberships were paid for in farm produce. The “Doubting Thomas’s”, Bankers, REA Officials and Politicians all agreed that Slash Pine EMC was just a dream that could never become reality. The main obstacle to Slash Pine’s success was too many miles of electric line for too few meters. The issue of acquiring the proper right of way for the construction of the electric lines through forest lands from which people depended on for the livelihood was also a contributing factor for failure. But the courage of nine men who would become Slash Pine EMC’s first Board of Directors believed in their dream of a better way of life for themselves and their neighbors.
The original petition of incorporation was filed in Clinch County, Georgia on December 28, 1939. The nine men had each paid a five dollar membership fee. The first bill paid was to The Clinch County News in the amount of $44 for legal advertising for the incorporation of Slash Pine Electric Membership Corporation. The first original Charter was granted on December 1, 1940. The first meeting of the corporation and directors of Slash Pine EMC was held in the main court room at the court house in the town of Homerville, Georgia at 3 p.m., February 10, 1940. There was one dollar in the cooperative’s bank account.
The Directors would meet weekly until March 20, 1904 when the first mortgage note to the Rural Electrification Administration was submitted in the amount of $152,000 for the purpose of furnishing electric energy to approximately 549 members.
The first electric lines were energized on December 8, 1940. There were 290 members receiving electric power in Clinch, Lanier, and Ware Counties. In February 1941, the average consumption for the entire project was 33 kilowatt hours. The longest electric line was approximately 100 miles, beginning in Clinch County and running into Lanier County to serve 102 members. Today Slash Pine EMC has over 1900 miles of electric line serving 6,000 members, with an annual consumption in excess of 170,000,000 kilowatt hours.
As a result of more than six decades of dedicated effort to improve the quality of life in rural South Georgia, Slash Pine EMC recognizes the value of the communities in which we serve that goes beyond our ability to simply provide reliable electric power at reasonable rates. Our communities depend on us as a partner in their economic development initiatives, their civic leadership, and their commitment to local job creation.
Affiliate Organizations
Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (GEMC) - GEMC is a cooperative owned by Georgia's 42 EMCs. Services include producing publications for EMC members such as Georgia Magazine, acting as a liaison for the electric cooperatives with state and federal officials and providing training for employees of EMCs. Direction is received from a board of directors made up of one representative from each EMC.
The National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) - Middle Georgia currently obtains financing funds from CFC. This entity is a private, nonprofit, financing cooperative established by the nation's EMCs.
Rural Utilities Service (RUS) - Formerly the Rural Electrification Administration (REA). Middle Georgia obtains most of its financing from RUS, a part of the U. S. Department of Agriculture which provides loans to rural electric cooperatives.
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) - The NRECA is the service organization dedicated to representing the national interests of consumer-owned cooperative electric utilities and the consumers they serve. The association provides national leadership and member assistance through legislative representation before the U. S. Congress and the Executive Branch and representation in legal and regulatory proceedings affecting electric service and the environment. Also they provide education and training programs for cooperative's directors, managers and employees.
National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) - The NRTC represents the advanced telecommunications and information technology interests of more than 1000 utilities and affiliates in 46 states. They help rural electric and telephone utilities strengthen their businesses with solutions uniquely suited to the needs of rural consumers.
Oglethorpe Power Corporation - OPC is a not-for-profit power supplier serving 39 of Georgia’s 42 customer-owned Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs). OPC is owned by its 39 Member Systems. Formed in 1974, OPC is one of Georgia's largest privately owned corporations. OPC is headquarters are on the northeast side of Atlanta near the DeKalb County town of Tucker, GA.
Georgia Systems Operations Corporation - GSOC is an independent not-for-profit corporation owned by 39 of the Electric Membership Cooperatives in the state of Georgia. They are a systems operations company - an operating agent. GSOC enable the energy market in Georgia and the Southeast by providing a range of operations services that allow market participants (buyers and sellers) to transact, optimize, and account for their business.
Georgia Transmission Corporation - GTC is a not-for-profit cooperative owned by 39 Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) in Georgia. Their purpose is to provide reliable and competitively priced transmission and associated services to all of its customers.
Georgia Magazine - Georgia Magazine, published by Georgia Membership Corporation for consumers of Georgia's electric cooperatives, celebrates the Georgia lifestyle with articles about interesting people, places and events around the state. Middle Georgia EMC mails this publication to our members free every month. Our monthly newsletter is inserted into the middle of the magazine.
CoBank - CoBank offers a broad range of flexible loan programs, specially tailored financial services and leasing services to agribusinesses, rural communications and energy systems, and Farm Credit associations. The bank operates on a cooperative basis and is owned by its customer-owners.
Georgia's EMC's
Altamaha EMC
P. O. Box 346
Lyons, GA 30436-0346
912-526-8181
Counties served: Toombs, Montgomery, Emanuel, Treutlen, Laurens, Johnson and Tattnall
Amicalola EMC
544 Highway 515 South
Jasper, GA 30143
770-692-6471
Counties served: Bartow, Cherokee, Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Gordon, Lumpkin, Murray and Pickens
Canoochee EMC
P. O. Box 497
Reidsville, GA 30453-0497
912-557-4391
Counties served: Tattnall, Evans, Bryan, Chatham, Toombs, Long, Liberty, Emanuel and Bulloch
Carroll EMC
P. O. Box 629
Carrollton, GA 30117-0629
770-832-3552
Counties served: Carroll, Floyd, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk and Troup
Central Georgia EMC
923 South Mulberry St.
Jackson, GA 30233
770-775-7857
Counties served: Bibb, Butts, Clayton, Fayette, Henry, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Pike, Putnam and Spalding
Coastal EMC
P. O. Box 109
Midway, GA 31320-0109
912-884-3311
Counties served: Bryan, Liberty, Long and McIntosh
Cobb EMC
P. O. Box 369
Marietta, GA 30061-0369
770-429-2100
Counties served: Bartow, Cobb, Cherokee, Fulton and Paulding
Colquitt EMC
P. O. Box 3608
Moultrie, GA 31776-0400
912-985-3620
Counties served: Berrien, Brooks, Colquitt, Cook, Lowndes, Tift and Worth
Coweta-Fayette EMC
P. O. Box 488
Newnan, GA 30264-0488
770-502-0226
Counties served: Clayton, Coweta, Fayette, Fulton, Heard, Meriwether, Spalding and Troup
Diverse Power
P. O. Box 160
LaGrange, GA 30241-0160
706-845-2000
Counties served: Troup, Harris, Heard, Coweta, Meriwether and Muscogee in Georgia, Chambers in Alabama
Excelsior EMC
P. O. Box 297
Metter, GA 30439-0297
912-685-2115
Counties served: Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Jenkins and Tattnall
Flint Energies
P. O. Box 308
Reynolds, GA 31076-0308
912-847-3415
Counties served: Bibb, Chattahoochee, Crawford, Dooly, Harris, Houston, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Muscogee, Peach, Schley, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor and Upson
Grady EMC
P. O. Box 270
Cairo, GA 31728-0270
912-377-4182
Counties served: Brooks, Colquitt, Decatur, Grady, Mitchell and Thomas
GreyStone Power Corporation
P. O. Box 897
Douglasville, GA 30133-0897
770-942-6576
Counties served: Bartow, Carroll, Cobb, Coweta, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton and Paulding
Habersham EMC
P. O. Box 25
Clarkesville, GA 30523-0025
706-754-2114
Counties served: Habersham, White, Rabun, Stephens, Lumpkin and Hall
Hart EMC
P. O. Box 250
Hartwell, GA 30643-0250
706-376-4714
Counties served: Hart, Franklin, Stephens, Elbert and Madison
Irwin EMC
P. O. Box 125
Ocilla, GA 31774-0125
912-468-7415
Counties served: Ben Hill, Berrien, Irwin, Tift, Turner and Wilcox
Jackson EMC
P. O. Box 38
Jefferson, GA 30549-0038
770-367-5281
Counties served: Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin and Madison
Jefferson Energy Cooperative
P. O. Box 312
Louisville, GA 30434-0312
912-625-7265
Counties served: Burke, Columbia, Emanuel, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, McDuffie, Richmond, Warren and Washington
Little Ocmulgee Georgia EMC
P. O. Box 150
Alamo, GA 30411-0150
912-568-7171
Counties served: Wheeler, Telfair, parts of Laurens, Dodge and Montgomery
Middle Georgia EMC
P. O. Box 190
Vienna, GA 31092-0157
912-268-2671
Counties served: Dooly, Pulaski, Wilcox, Houston, Turner and Macon
Mitchell EMC
P. O. Box 409
Camilla, GA 31730-0409
912-336-5221
Counties served: Miller, Baker, Worth, Dougherty, Early, Decatur, Turner, Mitchell, Tift, Thomas, Calhoun, Lee, Colquitt and Grady
Ocmulgee EMC
P. O. Box 669
Eastman, GA 31023-0669
912-374-7001
Counties served: Dodge, Bleckley, Pulaski, Laurens and Telfair
Oconee EMC
P. O. Box 37
Dudley, GA 31022-0037
912-676-3191
Counties served: Baldwin, Bibb, Bleckley, Dodge, Laurens, Twiggs and Wilkinson
Okefenoke Rural EMC
P. O. Box 602
Nahunta, GA 31553-0602
912-462-5131
Counties served: Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Glynn, Ware and Wayne in Georgia; Baker and Nassau in Florida
Pataula EMC
P. O. Box 289
Cuthbert, GA 31740-0289
912-732-3171
Counties served: Randolph, Calhoun, Quitman and Clay
Planters EMC
P. O. Box 979
Millen, GA 30442-0979
912-982-4722
Counties served: Burke, Jenkins, Screven, Bulloch, Effingham, Emanuel and Richmond
Rayle EMC
P. O. Box 1090
Washington, GA 30673-0250
706-678-2116
Counties served: Clarke, Hancock, Lincoln, Morgan, Madison, Greene, Oglethorpe, Taliaferro, Wilkes and Oconee
The Satilla Rural EMC
P. O. Box 906
Alma, GA 31510-1006
912-632-7222
Counties served: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Coffee, Jeff Davis, Pierce, Ware and Wayne
The Satilla Rural EMC Web Site
Sawnee EMC
P. O. Box 266
Cumming, GA 30028
770-887-2363
Counties served: Forsyth, Fulton, Cherokee, Hall, Dawson, Gwinnett and Lumpkin
Slash Pine EMC
P. O. Box 356
Homerville, GA 31634-0356
912-487-5201
Counties served: Atkinson, Clinch, Lanier, Echols, Ware, Berrien, Lowndes and Charlton
Snapping Shoals EMC
P. O. Box 509
Covington, GA 30015-0509
770-786-3484
Counties served: Newton, Rockdale, Henry, DeKalb, Butts, Walton, Jasper and Morgan
Sumter EMC
P. O. Box 1048
Americus, GA 31709-1048
912-924-8041
Counties served: Chattahoochee, Sumter, Webster, Randolph, Terrell, Stewart, Lee, Marion, Schley, Quitman and Dougherty
Three Notch EMC
P. O. Box 367
Donalsonville, GA 31745-0367
912-524-5377
Counties served: Decatur, Early, Miller, Seminole, Clay and Baker
Tri-County
P. O. Box 487
Gray, GA 31032-0487
912-986-3134
Counties served: Baldwin, Bibb, Jasper, Jones, Morgan, Putnam, Twiggs and Wilkinson
Upson EMC
P. O. Box 31
Thomaston, GA 30286-0031
706-647-5475
Counties served: Upson, Pike, Talbot, Meriwether, Crawford and Taylor
Walton EMC
P. O. Box 260
Monroe, GA 30655-0260
770-267-2505
Counties served: Walton, Gwinnett, Greene, DeKalb, Oconee, Newton, Morgan, Barrow, Clarke and Rockdale
Washington EMC
P. O. Box 598
Sandersville, GA 31082-0598
912-552-2577
Counties served: Washington, Johnson, Emanuel, Laurens, Baldwin, Hancock, Warren, Glascock, Jefferson and Wilkinson