Welcome to Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation!

<CENTER> <BR> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="400"> <TR ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP> <TD ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP> (Our site is best viewed with a browser capable of handling frames.)<BR> <BR> At BEMC, we aren't a big electric company. We are an electric cooperative, which means each and every member is an owner. We believe this arrangement foster a different type of relationship than that of an electric company and its consumer. Instead, we care about our members, your families and your lives.<BR> <BR> <BR> <B>History of Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation</B><BR> <BR> The Certificate of Incorporation for Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC) was filed with the Secretary of the State of North Carolina on March 9, 1939. In August, 1939, a contract with Melvin F. Burgess of Boone was approved for the initial construction of 138 miles of line, 113 in Brunswick County and 25 in Columbus. A metering point was established with Tidewater Power Company at Belville and 3 - 50 KVA transformers were installed for a substation. The first lines of BEMC were energized in Brunswick County in December, 1939 and in Columbus County in the early part of 1940. These lines served a total of approximately 588 members in both counties.<BR> <BR> In 1960, BEMC was in its 21st year of operation with over 10,000 member/consumers. A new 10,000 KVA sub-station was installed in 1961 to supply power over the 69 KV transmission line to Shallotte and Midway. A new 3,750 KVA sub-station was installed in Columbus County in 1964 bringing the number of sub-stations owned by BEMC to 10.<BR> <BR> The new Oak Island Branch office was opened in 1968, the same year CP&L announced their proposed nuclear generating plant to be located in Brunswick County. The following year BEMC purchased all electrical facilities on Caswell Beach.<BR> <BR> BEMC expanded the meter reading program to 100% of the membership in 1981. The first Load Management Switch, which allows BEMC to monitor the amount of power being used and work at maxium efficiency, was installed in the service area on Sunset Beach in May 1984. The Rural Consumer Service Corporation, a subsidiary of BEMC was established in 1986. Brunswick EMC recognized the need for a stronger economic development program for Brunswick and Columbus Counties as a result began the Business Incubator program in 1989 to facilitate new and expanding businesses. There are now three incubator locations: Whiteville, Tabor City and Winnabow.<BR> <BR> June of 1991 was another milestone with the "Bringing on Line" of the Bricklanding Substation, the first built by BEMC employees. BEMC is now served by 32 sub-stations, 7 transmission and 25 distribution stations.<BR> <BR> Growth has been continuous for BEMC especially in the coastal resort areas of Brunswick County. The influx of retired and second home families has perpetuated BEMC as one of the fastest growing electric cooperatives in North Carolina.<BR> <BR> As of May, 1999, BEMC serves 57,000 location in the counties of Brunswick, Columbus, Robeson and Bladen. It is the third largest electric cooperative in the state of North Carolina.<BR> <BR> <BR> <A HREF="bemc_about_us.html" TARGET="main">About Us</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_whats_new.html" TARGET="main">What's New?</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_products.html" TARGET="main">Products for Sale</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_storm_room.html" TARGET="main">Storm Room</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_rts_pay_svs.html" TARGET="main">Rates and Pay Services</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_programs.html" TARGET="main">BEMC Programs</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_cmmnty_svs.html" TARGET="main">Community Services</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_touchstone.html" TARGET="main">Touchstone Energy</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_annl.html" TARGET="main">Annual Report</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_links.html" TARGET="main">Links Pages</A><BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </CENTER> <CENTER> <BR> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="400"> <TR ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP> <TD ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP> (Our site is best viewed with a browser capable of handling frames.)<BR> <BR> At BEMC, we aren't a big electric company. We are an electric cooperative, which means each and every member is an owner. We believe this arrangement foster a different type of relationship than that of an electric company and its consumer. Instead, we care about our members, your families and your lives.<BR> <BR> <BR> <B>History of Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation</B><BR> <BR> The Certificate of Incorporation for Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC) was filed with the Secretary of the State of North Carolina on March 9, 1939. In August, 1939, a contract with Melvin F. Burgess of Boone was approved for the initial construction of 138 miles of line, 113 in Brunswick County and 25 in Columbus. A metering point was established with Tidewater Power Company at Belville and 3 - 50 KVA transformers were installed for a substation. The first lines of BEMC were energized in Brunswick County in December, 1939 and in Columbus County in the early part of 1940. These lines served a total of approximately 588 members in both counties.<BR> <BR> In 1960, BEMC was in its 21st year of operation with over 10,000 member/consumers. A new 10,000 KVA sub-station was installed in 1961 to supply power over the 69 KV transmission line to Shallotte and Midway. A new 3,750 KVA sub-station was installed in Columbus County in 1964 bringing the number of sub-stations owned by BEMC to 10.<BR> <BR> The new Oak Island Branch office was opened in 1968, the same year CP&L announced their proposed nuclear generating plant to be located in Brunswick County. The following year BEMC purchased all electrical facilities on Caswell Beach.<BR> <BR> BEMC expanded the meter reading program to 100% of the membership in 1981. The first Load Management Switch, which allows BEMC to monitor the amount of power being used and work at maxium efficiency, was installed in the service area on Sunset Beach in May 1984. The Rural Consumer Service Corporation, a subsidiary of BEMC was established in 1986. Brunswick EMC recognized the need for a stronger economic development program for Brunswick and Columbus Counties as a result began the Business Incubator program in 1989 to facilitate new and expanding businesses. There are now three incubator locations: Whiteville, Tabor City and Winnabow.<BR> <BR> June of 1991 was another milestone with the "Bringing on Line" of the Bricklanding Substation, the first built by BEMC employees. BEMC is now served by 32 sub-stations, 7 transmission and 25 distribution stations.<BR> <BR> Growth has been continuous for BEMC especially in the coastal resort areas of Brunswick County. The influx of retired and second home families has perpetuated BEMC as one of the fastest growing electric cooperatives in North Carolina.<BR> <BR> As of May, 1999, BEMC serves 57,000 location in the counties of Brunswick, Columbus, Robeson and Bladen. It is the third largest electric cooperative in the state of North Carolina.<BR> <BR> <BR> <A HREF="bemc_about_us.html" TARGET="main">About Us</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_whats_new.html" TARGET="main">What's New?</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_products.html" TARGET="main">Products for Sale</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_storm_room.html" TARGET="main">Storm Room</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_rts_pay_svs.html" TARGET="main">Rates and Pay Services</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_programs.html" TARGET="main">BEMC Programs</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_cmmnty_svs.html" TARGET="main">Community Services</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_touchstone.html" TARGET="main">Touchstone Energy</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_annl.html" TARGET="main">Annual Report</A><BR> <A HREF="bemc_links.html" TARGET="main">Links Pages</A><BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </CENTER>