In 1924, when Tacoma Power was building a transmission line through the peninsulas to deliver power from its hydro project at Lake Cushman on Hood Canal, our community members came together to form an electric utility. October is national cooperative month, a good time each year to reflect on our commitment to Gig Harbor and the Peninsula.
The founders of Peninsula Light chose the co-op model because many farmers in the area were already familiar with how it worked. PenLight’s first Articles of Incorporation were adopted in July 1925, and power was energized on the peninsulas in December 1926. Today, there are more than 900 electric co-ops nationwide and, like ours, most began with the purpose of serving rural areas. PenLight has grown as the community has grown, and we now serve more than 34,000 electric meters, making us the second largest co-op in the state. We cover 112 square miles throughout Gig Harbor, the Key Peninsulas, Fox Island, Herron Island, Raft Island and some of Olalla, and 75% of our service is residential.
As a member of our co-op, you own a stake in our business at Peninsula Light. You have a vote during our election process each year to decide who will represent the membership on our board of directors. And you can choose to donate money through your electric or water bill to provide assistance to those who are less fortunate in our community through Project Help.
While innovation has changed much of the business of energy, as a cooperative we’ve remained a constant over the past century. Our core purpose will be to continually improve the quality of life in Gig Harbor and the Peninsula. And, we will continue to be stewards of your member dollars by providing reliable power at low rates.
