We Are OTEC
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) is one of Oregon's largest distribution cooperatives. Headquartered in Baker City, Oregon, with district offices in La Grande, John Day, and Burns, OTEC serves approximately 32,000 meters and nearly 60,000 residents in Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties with a network of overhead and underground lines over 3,000 miles long. OTEC's distribution system represents an investment of more than $204 million. A story that began with 700 pennies and a hope for the future continues to flourish in beautiful eastern Oregon.
Northeastern Oregon boasts the stunning Blue Mountains, which attract outdoor enthusiasts for year-round recreational opportunities including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, skiing, snowboarding and more! The diverse landscape includes high alpine slopes covered in fir trees and valleys adorned with sagebrush.
In former frontier towns such as Baker City, traditional ranchers and cowboys mix with a rising number of artisans and craftsmen.
Heading towards Burns, sprawling scrubby ranchlands boast a beauty of their own here in the high desert country. Stunning vistas and unexpected river canyons dominate the landscape that harkens back to the early days of settlers and gold-mining. There are wonderful camp sites, hot springs and little towns bursting with hospitality throughout the region.
OTEC is a member-owned cooperative. Its policies are established by a nine-person Board of Directors - each board member is a bill-paying, residential member-owner elected by fellow member-owners.
Member Statistics
Image
23863
Members
Image
32825
Meters
Image
11
Members per line mile
Our History
Can you really start an electric cooperative with seven hundred pennies? That's what three Baker City residents did in 1987. At the time, this part of northeastern Oregon was served by an investor-owned utility, CP National Corporation. This multi-state conglomerate was looking to unload its dilapidated system and to get out of the not-so-lucrative rural electric utility business. When several attempted purchases failed, Dick Haynes along with Peggi and Glenn Timm brought forward the notion of forming a cooperative to own and operate the utility locally. Thus in 1987, Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative was born.
To demonstrate community support for the cooperative, the trio collected a penny from each of 700 citizens, and secured a $33 million loan from the Cooperative Finance Corporation. A year later, the citizens of Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties began operation of OTEC - one of the largest electric cooperatives in Oregon. Foremost among the challenges facing the fledgling cooperative was the need to upgrade a rundown electrical system long overdue for an overhaul. As poles and wires were replaced and substations rebuilt, local residents began to enjoy a service level previously unknown in this part of the state.
OTEC is a living tribute to three amazing community leaders with a dream and 700 pennies.
Image
Our Misson
is to provide safe, reliable electricity and services that support the
economy and quality of life of OTEC Member-Owners based on the cooperative principles.
Our Values
Safety
Reliability
Integrity
Adaptability
Commitment to Community Members
Commitment to Employees
Economic Stewardship
Environmental Stewardship
Board of Directors
Your leadership team is comprised of the OTEC Board of Directors, which is voted in by the cooperative's member-owners, and the executive team. Together, they work to ensure the health and stability of the cooperative so we can continue to put our energy to work for you.
