Peninsula Light Company is deeply committed to our consumer members, and we’re glad you are part of the electric cooperative community.
This month, more than 30,000 cooperatives across celebrating National Co-op Month. It’s a time to reflect on all the aspects that set cooperatives apart from other types of businesses, but more importantly, it’s a time to celebrate the power of co-op membership.
As not-for-profit utilities, electric cooperatives are built by the communities they serve. For PenLight, our mission has always been to provide you with safe, reliable power. We care about your quality of life, and because we are locally operated, we’re uniquely suited to meet our members’ evolving energy needs.
Beyond the business of electricity, our employees and directors are equally invested in our local community. Why? Because we live here, too. That’s why we work hard to support local economic development projects, youth programs and scholarships, charitable giving initiatives, and additional programs that make our community a better place to call home. 66076
All co-ops, including PenLight, are guided by 7 cooperative principles that embody the values and spirit of the cooperative movement. These 7 principles are a framework to help all co-ops navigate challenges and opportunities while remaining true to our purpose:
- Voluntary and Open Membership
- Democratic Member Control
- Members’ Economic Participation
- Autonomy and Independence
- Education, Training, and Information
- Cooperation Among Cooperatives
- Concern For Community
This October, as we celebrate National Co-op Month and the power of membership, we hope you will recognize the many aspects that set electric cooperatives apart. Our mission is reliable power. Our purpose is people—the local communities we’re proud to serve.
In 1924, when the Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula communities were planning to bring power to the area, they decided that the cooperative model used for farming and fishing was well suited for a power company. Nearly 100 years later, we still operate as a member-owned cooperative and enjoy the company of over 900 electric cooperatives nationwide.
“Every day, PenLight works to demonstrate that cooperative enterprises build a better world,” CEO Jafar Taghavi says. “We not only provide electricity and water, but we work to improve the quality of life in our community. You can find us supporting education, youth athletics, community events, and civic organizations. We hope our members and the members of our community at large join us in celebrating a business model that puts people first.”
Today, PenLight is the second-largest co-op in the state. As is has been for 99 years, our core purpose is to improve our members’ quality of life. We feel that we have lived up to the vision of our founding members, who created a successful and innovative electric co-op. As we celebrate National Cooperative Month let’s not forget the efforts of those local community members who started something great almost 100 years ago.