Co-op/customer-owned distributors were formed by individual rural electric distribution cooperatives. These cooperatives were tired of operating in a discriminatory marketplace and went on the offensive to assure themselves a dependable source of electrical materials at a fair price.

The only leverage that small rural utilities had years ago was to join together and form a buying cooperative.

That is the story behind Arkansas Electric Co-op, Inc., CEEUS, General Pacific, Inc., GRESCO, RESCO, TEC, TEMA, United Utility Supply, and Western United Electric Supply Corporation.

The electric utility industry is currently in an interesting phase of its life cycle. We are hearing terms like “Alliance, Partnering, Share Groups, and Joint Buying Groups” to name a few.

These terms and ideas are nothing new. As a matter of fact, they are the simple reason that co-op/customer-owned distributors were formed many years ago. So why reinvent a wheel that has been revolving smoothly for decades.

Co-op/customer-owned distributors are, and will always be, a “yardstick” for industry price, availability, and service.

The nine EUDA members have combined inventories representing over $775 million and $3.4 billion in annual sales.

EUDA members have a lifelong reputation for assisting rural electric cooperatives during natural disasters and emergency situations.