Lee County Electric Cooperative

Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) is a member-owned electric utility headquartered in North Fort Myers, Florida, serving Southwest Florida. It traces its origins to 1940, when orange grove owner George Judd sold the North Fort Myers Mariana Grove power plant to the members who lived in North Fort Myers. Homer T. Welch became the cooperative's first member of management. LCEC began operations with 15 miles of distribution line and 158 members — roughly one percent of Lee County's population at the time. Within its first year, it extended service to Pine Island, Sanibel and Captiva. In 1941, LCEC retired the Mariana Grove generating plant and signed a wholesale power purchase contract with Florida Power & Light. World War II halted further expansion, but after the war LCEC purchased a surplus transmission line from Buckingham Air Force Base. By 1951 service reached as far south as Chokoloskee Island. In 1953 LCEC acquired the Everglades City Power Plant from Collier County and retired it once a new distribution line was built; a new line was also extended from Carnestown to serve Marco Island. In 1955 members in Lehigh Acres began purchasing power from LCEC, and in 1958 power was connected to the first six model homes in Cape Coral. No new service territory was added from the late 1950s until 1986, when LCEC extended power to a rural section of Golden Gate Estates, followed in 1987 by lines along a revitalized section of Alligator Alley. Today LCEC is one of the largest cooperatives in the United States, with more than 250,000 customers and more than 8,000 miles of energized line. As a cooperative, it is owned by its members rather than shareholders, and it offers products and services such as GenerLink, Security Lights and surgeSENSE, along with energy savings programs, a storm center and online account tools through its SmartHub portal. LCEC also engages with the community through events, environmental funding distributions and infrastructure projects, including a new West Cape Coral Service Center.

Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) has served Southwest Florida's energy needs since 1940, when orange grove owner George Judd sold the North Fort Myers Mariana Grove power plant to the members who lived in North Fort Myers. Homer T. Welch was the company's first member of management when LCEC began with 15 miles of distribution line and 158 members, about one percent of Lee County's population at the time. Within its first year of operation, LCEC offered service to Pine Island, Sanibel and Captiva. In 1941, LCEC retired the Mariana Grove generating plant and signed a contract with Florida Power & Light to purchase power for members at a wholesale rate. World War II prevented further expansion, but following the war, LCEC purchased the surplus transmission line running from Buckingham Air Force Base. By 1951, service had been extended as far south as Chokoloskee Island. In 1953, LCEC acquired the Everglades City Power Plant from Collier County, and then retired the plant when a new distribution line was built to serve the city. In the same period, a new line was extended from Carnestown to serve Marco Island. In 1955, members from Lehigh Acres began purchasing power from LCEC and in 1958, power was connected to the first six model homes in Cape Coral. No new service territory was added from the late 1950s until 1986, when LCEC extended power to a rural section of Golden Gate Estates, and 1987, when lines were constructed along a revitalized section of Alligator Alley. Today, LCEC is one of the largest cooperatives in the United States with more than 250,000 customers and more than 8,000 miles of energized line.

• 1987

  Lines are constructed along a revitalized section of Alligator Alley.

• 1986

  LCEC extends power to a rural section of Golden Gate Estates.

• 1958

  Power is connected to the first six model homes in Cape Coral.

• 1955

  Members from Lehigh Acres begin purchasing power from LCEC.

• 1953

  LCEC acquires the Everglades City Power Plant from Collier County and retires it after building a new distribution line; a new line from Carnestown serves Marco Island.

• 1951

  Service is extended as far south as Chokoloskee Island.

• 1941

  LCEC retires the Mariana Grove generating plant and signs a wholesale power purchase contract with Florida Power & Light.

• 1940

  George Judd sells the North Fort Myers Mariana Grove power plant to local members; LCEC begins with 15 miles of line and 158 members; Homer T. Welch becomes first management member.

• 1940

  Within the first year, service is offered to Pine Island, Sanibel and Captiva.

• After World War II, LCEC purchases the surplus transmission line from Buckingham Air Force Base.

Member-owned electric cooperative focused on reliable, safe and affordable power for Southwest Florida communities.

• GenerLink

  A transfer switch offered by LCEC that eliminates the use of extension cords and other hazardous connections by providing a safe connection from the electric meter directly to the generator. Not installed in multi-unit buildings or where an interconnected renewable generation system (solar) is present.

• Security Lights

  Outdoor security lighting product offered by LCEC.

• surgeSENSE

  Surge protection product offered by LCEC.

1. 1LCEC - Lee County Electric Cooperative - People. Power. Possibilities.lcec.net
2. 2Our History - Lee County Electric Cooperativelcec.net
3. 3Products - Lee County Electric Cooperativelcec.net
4. 4GenerLink - Lee County Electric Cooperativelcec.net
5. 5Lee County Electric Cooperative - Wikidatawikidata.org