Empowering Communities: How Electric Cooperatives Transformed Rural South Carolina

For-profit companies initially brought electricity to cities, while rural areas remained in the dark. The 1930s saw the introduction of publicly owned electric cooperatives, which today serve more than a quarter of South Carolina's citizens and seventy percent of the state's land area, bringing power and high-speed broadband to rural communities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 238 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2022
Publisher: University of South Carolina Press

In the early 20th century, a significant shift occurred in South Carolina's energy landscape as for-profit companies like Duke Power and South Carolina Electric and Gas expanded their services to urban areas, bringing electricity to the bustling cities and towns. However, rural regions remained largely in the dark, lacking access to this essential amenity. It wasn't until the 1930s that a transformative change emerged with the introduction of publicly owned electric cooperatives. These cooperatives, driven by a mission to serve the needs of their members and the communities they represented, began to extend the reach of electricity to the rural areas of South Carolina.

Over time, electric cooperatives have grown in significance, serving more than a quarter of South Carolina's citizens and covering over seventy percent of the state's land area. Beyond providing power, they have also played a pivotal role in bridging the digital divide by bringing high-speed broadband to rural communities. This remarkable expansion has been a result of a complex saga that encompasses politics, law, finance, and rural economic development.

In Empowering Communities, we delve into the profound impact of electric cooperatives on the lives of rural people in South Carolina. This comprehensive book explores how the cooperatives have transformed communities, providing access to light, improving healthcare, and fostering economic growth. James E. Clyburn, the majority whip of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina, provides a foreword, highlighting the importance of public power and the role that electric cooperatives have played in shaping the state's energy landscape.

Electric cooperatives have emerged as a powerful force for positive change in rural South Carolina. By empowering their members and communities, they have helped bridge the gap between urban and rural areas, promoting economic development, improving quality of life, and fostering a sense of belonging. This book serves as a testament to the resilience and determination of rural people, as well as the transformative power of public power.

Weight: 334g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781643362694