District #1 | West
John Hester - President
Bradyn Bruegger
AW Manning
District #2 | Central
J.D. Wasserburger - Vice President and WREA Director
Andy Barnette
Neal Wurdeman
District #3 | East
David Keener - Treasurer/Secretary and NREA Director
Jim Dunn
William Wilson - Tri-State G&T Director
July 18, 1941
NEA recorded its first meeting on July 18, 1941. Mr. T. C. Ferrel, REA Field Representative, explained the first steps to be taken to form a rural electric cooperative. Mr. Francis McVay acted as temporary secretary for this meeting. The first Board of Directors, elected at this meeting, were:
Coy Jennewein, President
F. W. Reed, Vice President
H. E. Sabin, Secretery-Treasurer
Harlan Zerbe, Director
Arthur Thompson, Director
Beryl Fullerton, Director
Guy Mosier, Director
Some of these board members were replaced not more than three weeks after that first meeting.
October 24, 1941
NEA was officially incorporated on October 24, 1941
November 17, 1941
The meeting was held at the Court House in Lusk, Wyoming.
May 15, 1946
The first Annual Meeting was held on May 15, 1946 in the Niobrara County Court Room with 63 members present and 38 represented by proxy.
June 28, 1946
On June 28, 1946 the first loan was executed to NEA in the amount of $421,000.00. The early development stages of the cooperative required tireless effort by men of vision who were not easily discouraged. Most of these men served for little or no pay, and they traveled up and down the rural roads signing up their neighbors for a rural electrification project that many people believed never could become a reality.
1949
The first line was energized.
January 1950
The first operating report showed 43 customers and a revenue of $217.04.
May, 1950
Harrison, Nebraska was energized
June 1950
By June, 1951 NEA was in dealings to extend their power lines to all of Sioux County, NE and Niobrara County, WY, as well as parts of Goshen and Platte counties in Wyoming. This project would include around 742 miles of new line.
August 1954
NEA moved to their new location 1 1/2 miles West of Lusk.
December 1954
Substation was built at the new location west of Lusk. This substation was built to serve all rural and industrial needs in Niobrara county and those in parts of Goshen, Platte, and Converse counties.
Today
NEA has 1,163 members serving 3,116 meters with 2,282 miles of line, which translates to 1.26 consumers per mile of line. Don't let the sparse population of the area and Niobrara Electric's small size fool you though. Niobrara Electric's board of directors and employees are committed to our member/consumers, by providing the best electric service possible, as well as many value added services, at fair, stable rates.