We serve parts of 11-counties across southeastern Illinois, including portions of Wayne, White, Hamilton, Jefferson, Clay, Edwards, Richland, Franklin, Marion, Gallatin, and Wabash counties, shown in black. Other electric cooperatives in the state are also depicted on the map.
Founded in 1937, Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative (WWCEC) has a mission to serve our member-owners with excellent electric service, superior customer service, and other services and products that improve their quality of life, at fair and affordable prices.
As a unique “non-profit” cooperative, we are owned by the members we serve.
With offices in Fairfield and Enfield, Wayne-White Electric Cooperative currently provides service to over 14,200 meters in southeastern Illinois.
Wayne-White maintains over 3,300 miles of energized power lines, with roughly 4.14 consumers per mile of line.
WWCEC currently operates with a total of 51 employees, which includes 5 employees at Wayne-White Propane.
Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives
Wayne-White is affiliated with the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives (AIEC) which provides services and programs such as:
Ongoing safety training exercises for our linemen
The annual Youth to Washington Tour
The annual Scholarship program (Which benefits 14 students statewide with college scholarships valued at $2,000 each)
Applications for the annual scholarships have a deadline of December 31 each school year.
Hoosier Energy
The other 17 member cooperatives of Hoosier Energy located on the map along with many of the power plants and other generation resources that we co-own with the other member cooperatives.
We are a member-owner of Hoosier Energy, as 1 of the 18 electric cooperative member-owners.
Hoosier Energy is based in Bloomington, Indiana and is the 12th largest G&T electric cooperative in the nation.
Each of the other 17 distribution electric cooperatives that make up Hoosier Energy, are located in Indiana.
Our portfolio of generated energy on the grid comes from a variety of sources including Natural Gas, Coal, Hydro, Wind, and Solar.
Our co-ownership in Hoosier Energy gives us more rate stability in uncertain times and a wealth of services that enables us to better serve our distribution member-customers with dependable electric service while assisting with energy efficiency initiatives, rebate programs, and products.
7 Cooperative Principles
The national map above indicates the saturation of over 950 Electric Cooperatives throughout the United States.
Open Membership
Democratic Member Control
Members’ Economic Participation
Autonomy and Independence
Education, Training and Information
Cooperation Among Cooperatives
Concern for Community
Mission Statement
Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative is dedicated to serving our member-owners by providing excellent electric service, superior customer service, and other services that improve their quality of life, at fair and affordable prices.
History of Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative
This is Where the Planning all Began
G.O. Deem is shown standing in the rear of his store in Geff, Illinois where the Village Council held their monthly meetings back in 1936. It was here where discussions led to steps resulting in calling of REA fieldmen to help create a rural electric cooperative. At that time, Geff did not have electric lights, being one of thousands of villages in the United States lacking electricity until REA-financed electric cooperatives brought light and power to them. On September 14, 1936, the nine men named as original directors of the Cooperative were named as incorporators of the Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Setting the First Pole
When the first pole was set on the Wayne-White Counties “A” system on April 11, 1937, near Fairfield, this group was present for the event. Standing, from left: Frank C. Gray, Sims; Edgar Amrine, Fairfield, Wayne County farm adviser; C.W. McCullough, Fairfield, project superintendent; Irvin Yohe, Mt. Erie; L.W. Springer, Springerton; Clarence Haegele, president of the Wayne County Farm Bureau; Jerd Smith, mayor of Fairfield; L.W. King, Mill Shoals; Mrs. Bertha Waterman, the Cooperative’s first secretary; Ted Smith, C.R. Cento, Decatur contractor who built the first section; E.R. Martin, Burnt Prarie, president of the Cooperative; H.G. French, Mill Shoals, and two unidentified persons. Kneeling: Hugh Dobbs, Springfield lawyer who served as the Cooperative’s first attorney, and an unidentified person.
Growth of Membership from 1938 through 1944
When the 1945 annual meeting was held, Manager O.J. Chaney presented his report showing there were 4,111 member-owners in 1944. The cardboard chart shows the growth of Wayne-White membership from 1938 through 1944.
Groundbreaking of the Fairfield Office
Harold Shepherd of Albion, president of WWCEC, is shown wielding a shovel during the ground-breaking ceremony for the new headquarters building in December, 1952. The group consisted of the following persons, from left: Frank C. Gray, Mr. Shepherd, Evan Williams, L.M. King, L.P. Dolan, G.O. Deem, Tom Marshall, attorney for the Cooperative; Willard Bannon, Bill Allen of Carlinville, architect’s engineer; O.J. Chaney, manager; Dale Warren, S.J. Miller, construction superintendent; Jesse Baker, Mrs. Alice Jones, Mrs. Alice Vaughn Mugrage, Mrs. Arlene Atteberry Dunningan, Mrs. Lucille Smith, Mrs. Evelyn Edwards, Mrs. Margo Kincart, and Mrs. Doris Grimes.
Old Certificate of Membership…
This is a copy of an original certificate of membership in the Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative issued in April of 1937.
