Membership Information

A clear difference exists in the operation of an organization when the customers are also the owners. This difference is what sets Taylor Electric Cooperative apart and gives the cooperative the ability to look out for you – the members. The cooperative exists to meet the member’s needs.

The Cooperative Difference

The operations at Taylor Electric are overseen by an elected Board of Directors. The seven directors meet monthly and work hand in hand with the CEO to provide efficient service and reliability to the membership. 

All directors are required to attend trainings and receive certifications to further their cooperative knowledge of local, state and federal energy issues. Training also ensures all directors are competent to understand and work within the national energy market. These representatives commit to spend several hours a month and many days a year ensuring that the cooperative continually seeks to improve members lives. 

Nominees are presented to a formal nomination committee for interview and consideration each February prior to the annual meeting. Members vote on the selected candidates during the annual membership meeting in April. 

The Taylor Electric service area is divided into three service zones by county for equal representation as noted:
Zone 1: Taylor
Zone 2: Callahan, Eastland, Jones, Shackelford
Zone 3: Coke, Fisher, Nolan 

Each zone is represented by two directors in addition to one at-large director. Directors server staggered three-year terms. 

The Taylor Electric headquarter office is located between Merkel and Tye, Texas. A second office is located in south Abilene. All employees live and work in the area allowing for superior customer service. 

Have a question but want to speak to someone in person? We have two office locations for  your in-person needs:
Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. 
Merkel – 226 CR 287, Merkel 79536
Abilene – 7966 Highway 83, Abilene 79602

The cooperative manages all billing in-house. 

Taylor Electric monitors the service area at all times and remains ready to respond if outages occur. 

Joining Taylor Electric means you have joined the only business in the area that offers both electricity and fiber internet.

The cooperative’s exclusive member internet offers three speeds to meet your business or residential needs. Ready to receive the best internet in town? Click here to view the fiber availability map and request service. 

As a member of an electric cooperative, you receive not only a needed service, but a return on your investment. This happens through something known as capital credits. 

Capital credits come from the money left over (margins) after all expenses are paid in a given year. If margins are available, that money is returned to you. Assigning capital credits to members, instead of paying dividends to distant stockholders, is just part of the difference Taylor Electric offers you. 

When funds are available, capital credits are distributed at annual meeting each April. 

For a small monthly fee, Taylor Electric members can have access to immediate help when they need it most. The Air Evac Lifeteam has a network of 75 bases across 12 states that can life flight members to the nearest medical facility. For additional information or to sign up contact a member service representative at (325) 793-8500

Energy efficiency is a priority at Taylor Electric Cooperative. We are happy to provide yearly home energy audits to members free of charge. To schedule a home audit contact a member service representative at (325) 793-8500

Similar to a shareholders meeting, the Taylor Electric annual meeting is attended by the members who have a “share” in the cooperative. By attending, members receive front-row access to pertinent business information and have an opportunity to make informed decisions that will guide the co-op into new ventures. 

Each annual meeting, management updates the membership on co-op performance and the membership elects their board of directors. To effectively understand the need of the membership, the cooperative needs to hear your voice; exercising your right to vote is the easiest way to accomplish this. The cooperative’s budgets, staffing decisions and goals for the next year are all approved by your board of directors and passed along to the staff who act upon those decisions. 

Board members review the operations of the cooperative, present membership desires and guides the cooperative in the implementation of those recommendations. So, when we say member owned and operated, we mean it!

For updates regarding the next annual meeting, visit the annual meeting page. 

Operation Round-Up is a donation fund created to benefit the local volunteer fire departments. The voluntary program is created by rounding up member’s monthly bills to the nearest dollar. The additional change is then placed in the Operation Round-Up donation account. 

Each April checks from the round-up fund are presented to area volunteer fire departments during the annual membership meeting. To learn more and see the list of recipients, visit Operation Round-Up

Taylor Electric believes in local students who have big dreams. That’s why the cooperative partners with Texas Electric Cooperatives and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association to send four young leaders on the Government-in-Action Youth Tour each June. Youth Tour is a week long trip to the nation’s capital where top high school students from across the country get the opportunity to visit historic sites and improve leadership skills. 

For more information and how to apply, visit the Youth Tour page. 

Each year, the Taylor Electric scholarship program provides $1,000 scholarships to local students. Learn more about the program and how to apply here

Taylor Electric prides itself on supporting education in the service area. Each fall the cooperative provides member schools with a hot lunch and a token of appreciation during teach inservice week to thank teachers and staff for all they do for the students. Member schools include Abilene Christian Schools, Hawley ISD, Merkel ISD, Trent ISD and Wylie ISD. 

Each year Taylor Electric sponsors local charitable organizations and educational events because the cooperative believes in helping the communities it serves. 

A perk of being a member of Taylor Electric Cooperative is receiving the monthly magazine, Texas Co-op Power. It is a free publication which includes local pages of information with updates from your co-op. Make sure you read each month to engage in upcoming events, receive news updates and learn the latest energy saving tips. 

Missed an issue or looking for an article? Click here to view past local pages.