Vermont Electric Cooperative

The Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) is a consumer-owned electric distribution cooperative headquartered in Johnson, Vermont.

In 2008 VEC served about 34,000 member-customers in 74 towns in northern Vermont, including Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, and Orleans counties.

VEC was founded in 1938 in Eden Mills to serve residents in parts of rural Lamoille County who had been bypassed by investor-owned utilities. The Rural Electrification Act financed most of the growth in the early years.

Early service was extended into Chittenden and Franklin counties. From the 1940s until the early 1960s, the territory it served expanded in northern Vermont through the construction of new lines and the acquisition of small private companies. In 1969, VEC expanded into southern Vermont by merging with Halifax Electric Cooperative. In 1970, VEC acquired the International Electric Company serving Derby Line.

In 2004, VEC acquired Citizens Communications Company's Vermont Electric Division. This more than doubled the membership-base. In 2006 VEC sold its Southern District in Windham and Windsor counties to Central Vermont Public Service (CVPS), reducing its membership by 2,770.

In 2008 VEC sought a 9.2% rate increase from the Vermont Public Service Board. It estimates that the rise in rates from transmission rates from ISO New England will increase its transmission costs by $1.5 million to $6 million total. About 30% of the increase is due to this increased transmission costs.

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