Celebrating the cooperative difference

October 1, 2026

When you hear the word cooperative, what comes to mind? As your local electric cooperative, we hope you think of Palmetto Electric.

While cooperatives serve many different purposes, they all share one important characteristic—they’re owned by the people they serve. That simple idea shapes every decision we make and is what makes Palmetto Electric Cooperative different.

Cooperatives come in all forms. Credit unions help members save and borrow money. Agricultural cooperatives help farmers bring products to market. Electric cooperatives, including Palmetto Electric, provide reliable electricity while putting the needs of their members and communities first.

Unlike for-profit utilities that answer to outside investors, Palmetto Electric is owned by the members we serve across southern Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties. Our focus isn’t on maximizing profits. Instead, we work every day to provide safe, reliable and affordable electric service while investing in the communities we call home.

That commitment has guided us from the beginning. In 1940, neighbors came together to form Palmetto Electric Cooperative in response to the refusal of investor-owned utilities to serve rural areas. Within two years, Palmetto Electric delivered electricity to Hampton County, and shortly thereafter, to rural Jasper County. In 1950, lines to Hilton Head Island were energized, setting the stage for our service area’s future growth.

Today, while technology and energy needs have changed, our purpose remains the same: serving our members and strengthening the communities where we live and work. 

Being locally owned means we can focus on the things that matter most to our members. We invest in maintaining and improving our electric system, offer programs to help members save energy and money, support economic growth, promote electrical safety, and give back through programs such as Operation Round Up.

You’ll also find the cooperative difference in the people of Palmetto Electric. It’s our dedicated team of employees working behind the scenes and out in the field to provide reliable power, answer members’ questions, solve problems and deliver the service our members have come to expect and deserve. And it’s our Board of Directors, elected by the members, helping to lead and guide the cooperative’s future.

At Palmetto Electric, we’re more than your electric provider. We’re your neighbors, your community partners and fellow members of the communities we serve.

This October, during National Co-op Month, we celebrate what makes cooperatives unique: local ownership, democratic governance and a commitment to serving people over profits. We also celebrate you, because Palmetto Electric belongs to its members.

Cooperatives demonstrate the power of people working together to meet a common need, and your membership is what makes our mission possible. It’s why every decision we make at Palmetto Electric Cooperative is focused on providing value, service and reliability for generations to come.

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A. Berl Davis Jr.

President and CEO