Meeker Cooperative marks 90 years of progress, service, and connection

From rural electrification to fiber broadband, the Cooperative continues to power what matters most.

Ninety years ago, Meeker Cooperative turned the lights on for rural families across Meeker County. Today, it’s helping those same residents connect to a faster, brighter future: delivering not just electricity, but fiber internet and innovative solutions that empower life in our world today.

Founded in 1935, Meeker Cooperative has grown from a grassroots effort to electrify rural farms into a trusted utility serving more than 8,000 members. With a legacy built on reliability, innovation, and community spirit, the Cooperative is proudly celebrating nine decades of powering progress.

Lighting the way: From kerosene to kilowatts

In the 1930s, much of Meeker County was left in the dark – literally. While urban areas embraced electric power, rural residents relied on kerosene lamps and hand tools. That began to change in 1935, when local farmers and area leaders formed Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association. With funding from the newly passed Rural Electrification Act, the first lines were built, and by the end of 1936, electricity was flowing to 300 farms over 175 miles of line.

Electricity brought more than convenience; it transformed rural life. Farms gained access to modern equipment, and homes became safer and more comfortable.

Expanding services and embracing innovation

Over the decades, Meeker Cooperative has continued to evolve. The Cooperative introduced underground lines in the 1960s, implemented energy efficiency programs in the 1980s, and launched Operation Round Up^® in the 1990s – contributing more than $1 million to local nonprofits, projects, and scholarships.

In 2018, recognizing that internet access was now just as essential as electricity, the Co-op launched Vibrant Broadband, its own internet service designed for rural communities. Since then, the Cooperative has secured more than $32 million in state and federal grants to expand broadband access – bringing high-speed connectivity to homes, farms, and small businesses that had long been left behind.

“We’ve always believed that rural residents and communities deserve the same opportunities as anyone else,” said Luke Johnson, CEO of Meeker Cooperative. “From the first lightbulb switched on in 1936 to the high-speed internet connections we’re delivering today, our mission has never wavered – serve our members, invest in our communities, and adapt to their changing needs. And we’re just getting started.”

A future rooted in service

Today, Meeker Cooperative continues to power homes and fuel progress through reliable electricity, broadband, and energy innovation. It remains deeply committed to the cooperative values it was built on: member ownership, local leadership, and long-term community investment.

To the members who’ve trusted Meeker Cooperative for generations: thank you. We are proud to partner with you in the next chapter of powering progress. Together we make a difference.

For more information, please contact Shane Zeppelin, Marketing & Communications Specialist, (320) 693-3231, szeppelin@meeker.coop.

Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association is an 8,000-member-strong rural electric cooperative that supplies our -members with electricity and other value-added services since 1935.