PICKENS — Today, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative celebrates 85 years of powering rural communities through quality service and reliability. Over the next year, the co-op will reinvest in our local community by supporting public school teachers and launching an energy efficiency grant program to benefit residential members.

Under the “Built on Service. Wired to Deliver.” campaign banner, the co-op will also share legacy stories of employees and historical moments across social media. Members will have the opportunity to win energy-efficient programmable thermostats and other prizes through targeted events.

On January 7, 1941, Blue Ridge energized its first section of power line. The co-op served 1,680 members and 486 miles of power lines at the time. Today, the co-op serves over 74,000 meters and maintains 7,500 miles of power lines. Blue Ridge employs 178 people who support the greater community through volunteerism and philanthropy. Nearly 40 have been with the co-op for more than 25 years.

“Our future is bright thanks to the decades of service from our former and current employees, as well as our growing membership in a community that continues to expand,” President and CEO Jim Lovinggood said. “We’re excited about the year ahead as we begin a new chapter.”

Blue Ridge provides power to communities in Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg counties. The co-op remains committed to its mission of “service second only to safety.”

For more information about Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, visit BlueRidge.coop.

The Co-op’s Definitive Historical Timeline:

• May 11, 1935: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Executive Order No. 7037 to establish the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) to “initiate, formulate, administer and supervise a program of approved projects with respect to the generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy in rural areas.” At the time, fewer than three out of 100 residents in rural South Carolina enjoyed central-station electricity.
• May 20, 1936: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 is enacted, providing federal loans for the installation of electrical distribution systems in rural areas of the United States. South Carolina’s State REA hired A.J. Hurt, a young engineer who would help pioneer the promotion of power to the darkest corners of rural South Carolina.
• August 14, 1940: Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative (BREC), named after the Blue Ridge Mountains situated within the northern region of the co-op’s five-county area, is officially chartered. A.J. Hurt is named the first general manager of the co-op.
• January 7, 1941: BREC energizes its first section of power line. The co-op inherited 1,680 members and 486 miles of power lines from REA. Growth happened thanks to a loan from the REA for $417,000 to construct more power lines.
• 1950: BREC reaches 8,127 members with over 1,500 miles of power lines. BREC also joins the state’s other electric cooperatives in chartering the South Carolina Electric Cooperatives Association to coordinate efforts on safety, legislative affairs, public relations and other business functions.
• 1953: Construction begins on the co-op’s Pickens office, where its headquarters are located today. The famous Deodar Cedar Tree outside the building has remained there since its construction, serving as the official Christmas Tree for BREC for over 60 years.
• 1969: The South Carolina General Assembly passes legislation guiding the assignment of territory amongst power providers.
• 1970: The co-op serves 19,337 members across 3,121 miles of powerline and 13 substations.
• 1972: BREC and Duke Power complete negotiations on territory assignments.
• 1979: Kathleen Bolt becomes the first woman to serve on the Blue Ridge Board of Directors. She filled her husband’s seat after his death. Grady Bolt served on the board for 29 years and was president at the time of his death.
• July 21, 1982: A.J. Hurt retires as general manager. Charles Dalton, a local businessman, is named general manager. He would serve in that role until 2018.
• October 27, 1984: BREC holds an open house for its new Oconee County office in the Richland community. The previous office, built in 1955, was located in downtown Westminster.
• 1995: The co-op establishes Blue Ridge Security Systems, offering various security products and services.
• 1996: The South Carolina General Assembly passes the Rural Development Act, allowing tax-paying utilities to defer funds for improvements at the local level. Economic development remains a focus for BREC. The co-op’s security business is renamed Blue Ridge Security Solutions, setting up its headquarters in Anderson. The company was eventually sold in late 2017.
• 1998: The inaugural Blue Ridge Fest is held in downtown Pickens. The charity fundraiser brought in over $3 million for local assistance charities with beach music and a cruise-in car show until its final gathering in 2019.
• 2000: At the start of the 21st century, BREC serves 53,800 members along 5,726 miles of distribution lines powered by 20 substations.
• December 2005: An unforgettable ice storm hits the BREC system and takes service offline for 85 percent of all members and shatters 276 poles. Five days and over 350 linemen later, BREC restores power to all of its members.
• April 2018: Jim Lovinggood is named president and CEO of the co-op. He most recently served as the vice president of engineering and held several other positions in the co-op in his 36 years of service.
• 2020: Blue Ridge establishes a formal partnership with West Carolina Telephone Cooperative (WCTEL). Under WCTEL’s subsidiary company WCFiber, a partnership is formed to serve our five-county territory with fiber-based broadband internet access through Upcountry Fiber. Today, 25,000 customers are served through Upcountry Fiber.
• September 2022: Upcountry Fiber establishes its philanthropic arm, Upcountry Fiber Foundation, which will help fund local nonprofit organizations serving the Blue Ridge and Upcountry Fiber territories. Grant applications opened in the beginning of 2023. As of June 2025, the foundation has donated $159,820 to 34 grant applicants that provide education, youth, cultural, and health and human services to those in our community.
• September 2024: The Blue Ridge system sustains its worst storm damage in 84 years of existence due to Hurricane Helene. Nearly 65,000 members – 90 percent of the membership – are initially without power, 1,020 poles are broken and it takes two weeks for all service to be restored thanks to over 800 field personnel. Helene becomes the deadliest hurricane to hit the continental United States since Katrina in 2005, recording over 250 deaths.
• August 14, 2025: BREC celebrates 85 Years of Service with Commitment to Future in “Built on Service. Wired to Deliver.” campaign.