Golden State Power Co-op (GSPC) was established in 1999 through a joint effort of the state's three rural distribution cooperatives, Anza, Plumas-Sierra and Surprise Valley, plus two of the new electricity aggregation co-ops, California Oil Producers (COPE) and California Electric Users (CEUC). Golden State Power replaces the California Rural Electric Co-op Association, the former statewide association for electric cooperatives. Aaron Jones was hired to head the association in June, 2002. He has over 30 years experience working for electric co-ops in the Pacific Northwest and California.

GSPC will continue to function as a traditional statewide association, a business model that has been successful in the 48 states that benefit from rural electric co-op service. It will work with other statewide associations across America and with the other state, regional and national associations that represent electric co-op members in the worlds of power supply, banking, economic development, energy policy, politics and many other areas of constant concern to co-op members (click on the "Links" button on this website to connect to some of our business partners). The association's vision is clear...using the non-profit cooperative business model to help existing and future electric co-op members benefit from affordable, reliable electric service through local ownership and control. But the agenda and work plan is broad, from promoting renewable energy development to political action at the state, regional and national levels.

While the three distribution co-ops have been serving several counties in Northern California and Southern California for over 60 years, the two aggregation co-ops emerged during California's brief attempt to deregulate the electricity industry. Both aggregation co-ops purchased bulk wholesale electricity for their members, including many of the largest oil producers and agricultural operations in the state. When retail competition ended, the two aggregation co-ops shifted their focus from buying blocks of wholesale electricity to focusing on demand reduction programs for their members, conservation services, renewable energy projects and other ways to assure their members have access to affordable, reliable energy services. Their strategy is to emulate the success of the distribution co-ops, which have enjoyed steady growth over the years, both in numbers of members served and also the number of services provided. While the three distribution co-ops all serve low density rural areas, each offers a unique menu of services to meet the needs of their communities.

Anza:

For Anza Electric Co-op, the primary benefit members have grown accustomed to is affordable, stable rates. Due to its long-term wholesale power contract with Arizona Electric Power Co-op, a generation and transmission co-op owned by electric co-ops in several states, Anza has been able to offer its members prices 10 to 20 percent below the average prices charged by the giant, for-profit companies that serve most of California. Anza's service territory is 500 square miles of high desert, located almost an equal distance from Palm Desert, Hemet and Temecula in Riverside County. The elevation is roughly 4,000 feet so winter weather can be a challenge. The co-op, with headquarters in Anza, California, was founded in 1951 and energized in 1955. The community of Anza, located 32 miles south of Palm Desert, is the largest unincorporated area in Riverside County. The co-op serves over 3,600 homes and small businesses, a dozen or so large accounts plus 20 irrigation loads, making rural economic development a reality throughout its service area. Click on "Links" to see Anza's website.

Plumas-Sierra:

At Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Co-op, wholesale power supply is also the core issue, and one reason for its success, but certainly not the only one. Plumas-Sierra provides a multitude of services to its members, from satellite TV (Direct-TV) to Internet services. In fact, Plumas has more members who receive satellite and Internet services than electric accounts. While it serves well over 7,000 electric meters, the co-op has over 15,000 satellite and Internet accounts and counting! It's safe to say that this co-op has become somewhat of a legend in Plumas, Sierra and neighboring counties, due not only to its tradition of exceptional utility services but also to its devotion to rural economic development. Even its annual meeting, held in the co-op's operation center in Portola, is considered the social event of the year. It attracts upwards of 1,000 members and guests for an almost all-day affair, which includes door prize drawings for retired co-op vehicles as-well-as more conventional prizes. Plumas-Sierra is also a leader among co-ops nationwide in the development of farm-based renewable energy, including wind, geothermal, small hydro and solar. The co-op was founded in 1937 and energized the following year. Click on "Links" to visit Plumas-Sierra's website.

Surprise Valley:

Surprise Valley Electrification Corporation is headquartered at Alturas, California and serves in both Northern California and Southern Oregon. Like Plumas-Sierra, it was founded in 1937 and energized in 1938. That same year it obtained a franchise to provide electric service in Lake County, Oregon. Because its service area is located within the service boundary of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Surprise Valley is the only California co-op that can purchase wholesale electricity from that federal power agency. Historically BPA's rates have been extremely low, thanks mainly to the abundance of low-cost hydro electric power from major Columbia River hydro projects. However, in recent years BPA's rates have dramatically increased, placing Surprise Valley and other BPA customers in a challenging position relative to future power supply and wholesale power prices. But despite the unfortunate wholesale power rate increases, Surprise Valley continues to provide competitive rates and exceptional service to its over 3,500 members. When it celebrated its 60th anniversary in 1997, the co-op was serving 5,222 meters over 2,071 miles of line (that's far short of three meters per mile!), but its per kWh charge was only 5.4-cents, or about one-half of the state average at that time (state average much higher today). Like the almost 1,000 rural electric co-ops nationwide, Surprise Valley is the perfect reflection of the wants and needs of its members. Because it serves a unique agricultural area, the co-op provides a number of special services to its members, from irrigation pump testing to conservation services. Local control and non-profit service-at-cost are two things this co-op takes great pride in. With over 65 years of steady growth and success, those basic principles are paying great dividends to all co-op members.

California Electric Users Co-op:

"CEUC" was the first functioning retail aggregation electric co-op in the United States after retail competition began in the mid-1990s. It consists of 17 agricultural cooperatives and a sub-cooperative of 440 grower-owners from across the state. With the suspension of Direct Access in California the CEUC is now focusing on energy services, distributed generation, demand reduction and other methods to help its members cope with higher electricity prices. Fielding Thompson, from Fruit Growers Supply (Sunkist) is Chairman of the Board of Directors.

California Oil Producers Electric Co-op:

"COPE" is one of the most unique electric co-ops in America. It was formed by leaders of independent oil companies during the late 1990s when it appeared that California's electricity marketplace would be restructured. But COPE has enjoyed a full agenda of energy projects during the post-deregulation era. From Demand Relief to conservation and renewable energy, it has served the oil companies well in their attempts to reduce energy usage and improve the environment. One of COPE's main projects utilizes the new "flex" microturbine to produce electricity from off-gases (lower btu gases that would normally be flared or re-injected into the ground). Members of COPE have over 400 megawatts of pumping load spread across California. Their combined conservation efforts have reduced demand by over 20 percent in recent years. Bob Fickes is President of COPE and Don MacPherson is the Board Chairman.