SEMO Electric Cooperative began in 1938 in Mississippi County of Southeast Missouri when a group of farmers banded together in late 1937 to form a cooperative to meet the electrical needs of the rural areas. This small band of futuristic farmers and area business men received help from the newly formed Rural Electrification Administration to provide electrical service to the rural areas of Southeast Missouri. The Cooperative was formerly incorporated in January of 1938 and the first lines were energized that summer.

(Semo Electric Lineman at the old location on Malone Avenue in Sikeston)

This Cooperative has continued to grow through the last 71 years from originally serving the counties of Scott, New Madrid, and Mississippi to include the counties of Stoddard, Bollinger and Cape Girardeau. Its service area encompasses an area of 75 miles from north to south and east to west. From its humble beginnings of a few lights on a farm homestead, the Cooperative expanded to serve not only the agricultural base of our area but also the industrial and residential needs of our expanding industrial area. From large mining processing plants, motels, restaurants and small towns, the Cooperative has grown to provide the quality electrical services to its member-owners.

Changes along the way have been office facilities located in the City of Sikeston at 1505 South Main and a branch office located at 101 North Highway 25 in Bloomfield, Missouri. Financing for the continuing construction of lines and updates of existing lines has always been one of the prime needs of the Cooperative. In 1996, the Cooperative refinanced away from government loans to private financing. In May of 2000, the Cooperative changed its name from Scott-New Madrid-Mississippi Electric Cooperative as it was originally incorporated in 1938 to a name more representative of the area served, SEMO Electric Cooperative.

(One of the early annual meetings held at the Sikeston Armory)

The power distributed by SEMO Electric Cooperative is received from Associated Electric Cooperative located in Springfield, Missouri with power production plants in New Madrid, Clifton Hill, Glennonville, Shamois, Unionville, Essex and plants in Vanita, Oklahoma. SEMO Electric Cooperative is one of the 50 distribution co-ops that are served as part of the Associated Electric Cooperative family with transmission services being provided by M & A Power Cooperative located in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

The Cooperative’s purpose is to provide quality electrical service to our members at an economical price. We continue to strive to serve and meet the needs of our member-owners in every possible way.