Our History

In the early 1900s, electricity was transforming life in America’s cities while rural communities were largely left behind. By 1925, only half of U.S. homes and businesses had electricity, and despite progress in the 1930s, nine out of ten rural residents were still without power. Private electric companies focused on urban areas, where profits were higher, and saw little incentive to serve more remote regions.

That began to change with the election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. Support for federal assistance to bring electricity to rural America grew quickly, leading to the passage of the Rural Electrification Act in 1936. The Act established the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), a lending program designed to help rural communities build their own electric systems. One year later, the REA introduced the Electric Cooperative Corporation Act- a model law that allowed states to form not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives.

The Birth of Oneida-Madison Electric Cooperative

On July 19, 1941, community members gathered in Clinton, New York, for the first meeting to establish what would become Oneida-Madison Electric Cooperative. Less than a year later, on May 5, 1942, the Cooperative was officially born.

Initially serving the townships of Nelson, Fenner, Smithfield, Marshall, Hamilton, Eaton, Lebanon, Kirkland, Madison, and Brookfield across Madison and Oneida counties, the Cooperative began with 32 miles of service line and 466 members. As of April 2025, Oneida-Madison Electric Cooperative has grown to over 265 miles of line and serves almost 2,100 meters.

A Member-Owned Cooperative

Today, more than 900 rural electric cooperatives operate nationwide, and Oneida-Madison is proud to be one of only four in New York State. Like all cooperatives, we are locally owned and operated under New York State law. Our consumers are also our members, sharing both the responsibility and the benefits of ownership.

What sets Oneida-Madison apart is our democratic structure. Each member has the opportunity to attend the Annual Meeting, vote in Board of Director elections, and participate in decisions that shape the Cooperative’s future. Members also receive ownership equity through capital credits, which are returned to members as cash repayments on a rotating basis.

Governance & Leadership

Oneida-Madison Electric Cooperative is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors that meets on the last Tuesday of each month. All board members live within the Cooperative’s service area, ensuring decisions reflect the needs and realities of our members and communities.

Our office is located at 6630 State Route 20 in Bouckville, New York. We are supported by a dedicated team of eight full-time employees, including our CEO and Manager, Brian Bell, a 25-year veteran of Oneida-Madison Electric Cooperative.

Our Mission

For more than 80 years, our mission has remained unchanged:
to provide affordable, reliable, sustainable electricity to rural residents across Madison and Oneida counties.