Peninsula Light Company was founded in July of 1925 as a member-owned cooperative. Anyone that lives in the PenLight territory, and pays the $100 membership fee upon connection, is part owner of the utility. In December of 1926, PenLight was first energized from neighbor, Tacoma City Light’s (now known as Tacoma Public Utilities) power supply.
Currently, PenLight serves over 30,000 member homes and businesses, covering 112 square miles throughout Gig Harbor, the Key Peninsulas and Fox Island. PenLight is a full requirements utility of the Bonneville Power Administration, meaning the utility uses BPA and Tacoma transmission to provide power to the PenLight territory. PenLight also provides water services to over 3,000 members.
As a cooperative, PenLight is locally governed by a Board of nine directors whose duty it is to set policy and strategic direction. The Board members are elected from the cooperative membership at large to serve three-year terms.
As a locally-owned, non-profit cooperative, PenLight focuses on objectives that benefits members including: Safety, System Reliability, Affordability, Member Services, Financial Strength, Government and Industry, Community Involvement, Power Resources, Employee Relations, Technology Advancements, Management and Board Relationship and Conservation & Energy and abides to the core purpose of: Helping our members satisfy the human demand for continually improving their quality of life.