Our Story
NOT-FOR-PROFIT | MEMBER-OWNED | MEMBER-LED
Glades Electric Cooperative proudly serves portions of Glades, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee counties, bringing reliable power to Florida’s Heartland.
A Legacy of Community and Cooperation
In the early 1940s, investor-owned utilities were unable to extend electricity to Florida’s rural communities, leaving many residents without power. The passage of the Rural Electrification Act in 1936 made it possible for these communities to take matters into their own hands, forming electric cooperatives with the help of federal loans.
Determined to bring electricity to their homes and farms, local residents joined forces in the fall of 1944. They went door to door collecting membership applications, and on January 25, 1945, they gathered on the steps of the Moore Haven courthouse to officially establish Glades Electric Cooperative.
Serving Rural Communities Then and Now
Even today, Glades Electric serves more sparsely populated areas than neighboring investor-owned utilities (IOUs), with an average of just seven meters per mile of service line—compared to 63 and 78 meters per mile for nearby IOUs. (Source: Florida PSC, 2022)
Despite these challenges, Glades Electric continues to grow and innovate. Today, we power more than 19,000 accounts across 2,600 miles of line, with headquarters in Moore Haven and a satellite office in Lake Placid.
Watch our 80th anniversary video from 2025 to learn more.
Member-Owned, Member-Led
As a not-for-profit cooperative, we are owned by the very people we serve. Our Board of Trustees, elected by cooperative members, ensures we stay true to our mission of delivering reliable and affordable service. To learn more about the Board of Trustees election process, visit our Board of Trustees page.
Bringing High-Speed Internet to Florida’s Heartland
Recognizing the growing need for internet access, Glades Electric Cooperative partnered with Conexon in 2022 to build a high-speed fiber network for our members. At the time, 21% of cooperative members had no internet access, and only 39% had high-speed service. By tmid-2026, this project will be complete, ensuring world-class connectivity for all Glades Electric members and closing the digital divide in our region.
As a locally owned and community-driven cooperative, we are committed to more than just electricity. Whether it’s powering homes, supporting schools, or expanding broadband access, we continue to put our members first—because at Glades Electric Cooperative, we are Neighbors Helping Neighbors.
Glades Electric Cooperative Fact Sheet
Our Power Provider
As a distribution cooperative, Glades Electric Cooperative does not generate our own electricity. We purchase wholesale electricity from Seminole Electric Cooperative headquartered in Tampa.
We’re proud to be a Seminole Electric Cooperative member. Seminole maintains a diversified portfolio of resources for electric generation for its member distribution cooperatives and is committed to maintaining affordable and reliable energy, while reducing their carbon footprint..
Not-For-Profit with Member Ownership
Unlike investor-owned utilities, Glades Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit corporation operating on an at-cost basis. Rates are set to generate revenue to pay operating costs, make loan payments, and provide an emergency reserve. At the end of each year, operating expenses are subtracted from operating revenue. The balance is called an operating margin. Margins are allocated to members as capital credits based upon the amount of power the member purchased. Later, as financial conditions permit, these allocated amounts—capital credits—are retired. Capital credits represent the most significant source of equity for Glades Electric Cooperative.
Since a cooperative’s members are also the people the co-op serves, capital credits reflect each member’s ownership in and contribution of capital to the cooperative. This differs from dividends that investor-owned utilities pay shareholders, who may or may not be customers.
Glades Electric Cooperative Purpose Statement
WHAT WE DO: Provide safe reliable, and affordable power to our members and communities with exceptional service.
HOW WE DO IT: By deploying innovative technology and utilizing a responsive, dedicated team of skilled, collaborative, knowledgeable employees.
WHAT DRIVES US: To be the trusted energy provider for our members.
WHAT WE VALUE: Member satisfaction, our dedicated employees, and commitment to excellence.