History

Central Lincoln People’s Utility District: A Brief History

Central Lincoln began operations on May 5, 1943, focusing on providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity. Like other public power utilities, Central Lincoln emphasizes local control, transparency, and service to the community rather than profit.

At its inception, Central Lincoln’s electric system relied on two primary power sources to serve the area from Depoe Bay to Coos Bay: the C.D. Johnson Lumber Company generating facilities in Toledo and Mountain States Power Company near Coos Bay. These sources were limited, leading to high costs and limited capacity for expansion.

Through local people working on behalf of Central Lincoln, low-cost power from BPA was obtained in 1946, with the completion of a 115,000-volt line from Albany to Toledo. This marked the beginning of several BPA projects that expanded Central Lincoln’s capacity, including lines into Mapleton, Reedsport, Florence, and Glasgow.

For more than 80 years, Central Lincoln has proudly served our communities, growing from just under 5,000 customers in 1943 to nearly 60,000 today. Back then, our average rate was 3.039¢ per kilowatt-hour (kWh), and even as we’ve expanded our services and workforce—now with 130 dedicated employees—our rates have only modestly increased to 8.28¢ per kWh. This minimal increase over eight decades reflects our unwavering commitment to providing affordable, reliable power to our customers. As a public power utility, our mission has always been to prioritize your needs, ensuring that we continue to deliver exceptional value at some of the lowest rates in the region.