Local electric co-op reaches milestone

BUDA, Texas (KXAN) – Pedernales Electric Cooperative said Tuesday it reached a milestone by placing its 400,000th meter at a new Buda fire station.

The nation's largest electric co-op serves the Texas Hill Country. PEC said it has experienced massive growth across its service area as many areas, including sections of Hays County, have urbanized. Hays is one of the fastest growing counties in the country, with a growth rate of 5.14% between 2021 and 2022.

In 1938, PEC incorporated with 3,000 paid memberships. According to co-op, it took more than 60 years to reach 200,000 meters in 2005.

The co-op had 300,000 meters by 2018 but only needed five years to reach the 400,000 mark. By contrast, Austin Energy served 520,757 customers in 2021.

“As we look ahead, we are deeply focused on meeting the needs of all our growing communities that depend on the member-focused service we’ve provided over the past 85 years," said PEC CEO Julie C. Parsley in a statement to KXAN.

PEC said it will continue to expand operations as more meters are added. It said crews built more than 580 miles of new line in 2022, which is enough to reach from Austin to El Paso.

According to the co-op, more than 100 apprentices are working toward their journeyworker designation through the PEC’s Department of Labor-recognized training program.

PEC set the meter at the Buda Fire Department's Station 1 on FM 2770, which according to the announcement, is the site of a new fire and EMS station, training facility and administrative offices.

“The unprecedented growth in Northern Hays County and the Buda area has significantly heightened the demand for essential services, and we’ve faced an increasing need for expanded capabilities,” Buda Fire Chief Clay Huckaby said in the statement. “The realization of this new facility stands as a testament to the commitment of the Buda Fire Department to meet the evolving needs of the community."