The Nebraska Rural Electric Association (NREA) is the private non-profit trade association for 35 rural electric systems that provide electric service to consumers in most of the rural areas and many of the small towns in the great State of Nebraska. Together, the more than 1,000 dedicated employees of our member-systems serve over 283,000 meters across more than 97,000 miles of line.
In the 1930s, rural leaders took on the enormous task of building the electric utility infrastructure in Nebraska that would provide themselves and their neighbors with reliable and affordable electricity. The Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was created by executive order of President Roosevelt on May 11, 1935 and NREA was formed in October of that year to help these early leaders deal with problems of standardizing line construction and obtaining wholesale power supplies.
Over the years, NREA's mission has evolved to include a broad range of activities to assist our member-systems as they face the many challenges of providing low-cost, reliable electric service to the rural regions of Nebraska.
Today, the quality of electric service in the most remote areas of the state equals or exceeds the electric service available in our largest communities. This achievement continues to be a source of pride for the directors, managers, and other employees of our member-systems.
This accomplishment has not been without its challenges, and as we work through the 21st century and the challenges posed by rising wholesale power costs and possible climate change legislation, we will face many new technical, economic and political challenges in the future.
Nebraska's rural electric leaders will meet these challenges and will continue to be guided by their customer's desire for reliable, high-quality electric service at affordable rates. We are confident that Nebraskans will continue to see the value in maintaining their locally-owned, controlled, and operated rural public power districts and electric cooperatives.