CEMC is a nonprofit electric cooperative regulated by TVA and governed by a member elected board of directors. We are committed to meeting the needs of our membership by delivering safe, affordable and reliable services the cooperative way.
From booming suburbs to remote rural communities, America’s electric cooperatives are energy providers and engines of economic development. Electric cooperatives play a vital role in transforming communities.
CEMC provides safe, affordable, and reliable services the cooperative way by maintaining a dedicated, highly skilled workforce guided by cooperative values and principles, and a commitment to excellence.
Our vision is to empower our members to achieve their best lives by serving as their trusted provider of safe, affordable, reliable services while fostering meaningful connections within our community. We are committed to delivering innovative solutions that enable our members and our employees to thrive and lead fulfilling lives. Our dedication to the cooperative way means that we prioritize the needs of our members, working together to achieve our shared goals. We believe that by connecting our members and our employees to their best lives, we can create a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
On April 20, 1938, the State of Tennessee granted Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation a charter to construct, maintain and operate a rural electric distribution system. Funds were to be borrowed from the REA, which at that time was only three years old.
In December of that year, CEMC purchased rural lines in Montgomery County from the Kentucky-Tennessee Light and Power Company for $90,480. In April of 1939, rural lines in the Gallatin area were secured from the same company, and in August, lines in the Portland district were bought from the Tennessee Light and Power Company.
Other purchases included the Springfield area in 1941, followed by Ashland City, Dover and Erin. Erin and Houston County lines were later sold to the Meriwether-Lewis Electric Membership Corporation, leaving CEMC to serve all or part of five counties — Cheatham, Montgomery, Robertson, Stewart and Sumner.
Many people were instrumental in organizing Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation. Of the more active ones, M.C. Northington and W.D. Hudson of Montgomery County and W.C. Jackson of Cheatham County furnished leadership in the early days. Mr. Northington served as Manager of CEMC from 1938 until he retired in 1959.
In 1938, there were only 610 members and 100 miles of line compared to a membership of 110,408 and over 8,323 miles of line in 2023. By the end of the Cooperative’s first year, CEMC was valued at $508,128. Today, the plant value of Cumberland Electric is over $559 million. In the first year of operation 3,562,177 kilowatt hours of electricity were sold to members; during 2022, sales totaled over 2.83 billion kilowatt hours.
CEMC + Cumberland Connect
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Proud members of the White House and Robertson County Chambers of Commerce.
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