Membership in Eastern Illini is a powerful thing.

It means you have an energy source you can trust to look out for you and the community where you live and work. EIEC is owned by you, our members. You have a say in how the cooperative is run, because membership also equals ownership. Being locally owned, operated and democratically run means we focus on member’s needs and local priorities.

Each October, we take time to celebrate the power of cooperatives. It is a time for cooperatives to reflect on our shared principles and recognize the many ways cooperatives help to build stronger communities and a stronger economy.

EIEC is a large employer in east central Illinois, with a workforce of over 55 people. Through the real estate, sales and payroll taxes, Eastern Illini is a major contributor to the tax base of local governments, helping to support schools, police and fire protection and vital community infrastructure.
We also take part in community events and programs, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to benefit from the cooperative experience.

Members of Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative control the cooperative by electing fellow members to the democratically elected board of directors.

Eastern Illini strives to adhere to seven key cooperative principles, which combine to help build trust between the co-op, its members, and the community.

EIEC works for the sustainable development of the communities we serve. We do this through employee involvement in local organizations, through charitable contributions to community efforts, and through grants, scholarships and support for students and schools in the Eastern Illini service territory.

The history of electric cooperatives dates back to the 1930s when most of rural America did not have electricity. It was only through cooperatives that electricity was provided to the nation’s farmers, their families, and rural businesses.

By the 1930s nearly 90 percent of U.S. urban dwellers had electricity, but 90 percent of rural homes were without power. Electric co-ops changed the landscape of rural America.

As part of Roosevelt’s New Deal, and in the face of significant opposition, the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was created in 1935.

REA drafted the Electric Cooperative Corporation Act in 1937. By 1939, the REA had helped establish 417 rural electric cooperatives that served 288,000 households.

January 1940: Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Hayes enjoy electricity in East Lynn, Illinois A few years ago a picture like this would be impossible except in a very few farm homes. Today, about 40 percent of farm homes are electrified due to the efforts of farm leaders such as Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Hayes, East Lynn, shown above. The same picture could now be taken in many farm homes. Comfort, a radio, good lights, and other conveniences that electricity provides are now available for many farmers. Mr. Hayes is secretary of the Eastern Illinois Power Cooperative which February 20, 1940, will hold its annual meeting in Paxton. The electric cooperative Mr. Hayes reports, began operating at a profit last month. There are 500 farmers in the territory being serviced by the company’s lines who could very easily be connected.