On this page you will find:

About Us | Who is KEC
Board of Directors | Community Services
Other Services | Annual Membership Meeting
Cooperative Principles | History

Karnes Electric is governed by a seven member Board of Directors elected from the cooperative membership. Karnes Electric Cooperative, Inc. is managed by Mr. Leroy T. Skloss of Karnes City, Texas. Mr. Skloss became the fifth Manager of Karnes Electric Cooperative in 1990.

The Cooperative receives the vast majority of its electric distribution power from South Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. in Nursery, Texas and from San Miguel Electric Cooperative, Inc. in Christine, Texas. Other power sources include the hydroelectric facilities at Amistad and Falcon Reservoirs along the Rio Grande River and the open power market.

Karnes Electric Cooperative was founded to serve our communities. That service doesn't stop at 5:00 p.m.

As a locally owned and operated utility, the Cooperative is active in our communities and encourages employees to do the same.

Karnes Electric employees are Volunteer Firemen and elected officials. Our employees are serving (or have served) on a number of local, state, and national Boards and Committees supporting Economic Development, Veterans Groups, the Chamber of Commerce, Youth Athletics, various Fair and Livestock Show Boards, and numerous charitable and faith based organizations.

Safety Demonstrations: Karnes Electric Cooperative offers free Electric Safety demonstrations to schools and community organizations within the Karnes Electric Cooperative service area.

Science Field Trips: Karnes Electric can coordinate free field trips to the San Miguel Lignite Plant or to the Sam Rayburn Combined Cycle Power Plant for local schools.

Scholarships: The Cooperative awards a number of scholarships annually to the dependents of Cooperative Members. These scholarships are used to assist with the rising costs of academic, technical and vocational higher education.

Youth Tour: The Cooperative is proud to participate in the NRECA Government in Action Youth Tour Program. This scholarship program allows Karnes Electric to award local High School Students the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. for 10 days to meet their legislator, visit historic sites, and generally learn more about the United States of America and the importance of rural electrification. Contact Member Services for more information.

The Karnes Electric Cooperative held its first Annual Membership Meeting on March 1, 1939 at the Karnes City High School. The Cooperative has held an annual meeting every since except for 1943 through 1945 when the meeting was cancelled due to World War II.

Today, the Cooperative hosts the Annual Membership Meeting in Karnes City, Texas during the month of June. It is an opportunity for cooperative Members to recognize youth achievement, employee longevity, and to vote for Board members. The Annual Membership Meeting also gives the general membership information about the financial performance of the Cooperative and any critical issues that may affect it.

Cooperative corporations are a uniquely democratic form of business. Cooperatives members elect a Board of Directors that govern the business of the Cooperative. Board Members are elected from the general membership on the basis of "One Member, One Vote". The Karnes Electric Cooperative Board of Directors is comprised of:

Mr. Arlon Retzloff, President, Whitsett, Texas
Mr. Martin R. Harris, Jr., Vice-President, Tilden, Texas
Mr. Larry R. Schendel, Secretary-Treasurer, Runge, Texas
Mr. Alfred Moczygemba, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer,          Hobson, Texas
Mr. David C. Davidson, Poteet, Texas
Mr. Frank A. Geyer, Jr., Jourdanton, Texas
Mrs. Shirley Hofmann, Runge, Texas

Karnes Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a Touchstone Energy ® Cooperative ( touchstoneenergy.com ). Touchstone Energy is a national alliance of local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives providing high standards of service to customers large and small.

More than 600 Touchstone Energy cooperatives in 44 states are delivering energy and energy solutions to more than 17 million customers every day. Touchstone Energy cooperatives serve their members with integrity, accountability, innovation and a longstanding commitment to communities.

Touchstone Energy cooperatives are local, active members of their communities dedicated to serving commercial, industrial, agricultural and residential customers with integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community.

The Cooperative is also a member of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association ( nreca.org ). NRECA has nearly 1,000 member cooperatives that serve 36 million people in 47 states. Most of the 875 distribution systems are consumer-owned cooperatives; however some are public power districts.

Karnes Electric Cooperative has received the NRECA Safety Accreditation five times and was honored with the NRECA International Service Award in 2000 for significant contributions to developing electrification programs in third world countries.

Karnes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (KEC) was incorporated on Oct. 24, 1938 to bring electric light, power and heat to rural areas the Investor Owned Utilities refused to serve. Neighbors joined together and, with the assistance of the Rural Electrification Administration, formed a Member-Owned, not-for-profit, electric distribution utility to be locally owned and operated. On April 10, 1939, the Members of the newly formed Karnes Electric Cooperative hired A. L. Stegner as resident engineer and leased an office and warehouse in Karnes City, Texas. The coop was awarded its first contract to build 232 miles of line on May 9, 1939.

Hundreds watched as the Coop energized its first lines at 12 noon, February 1, 1940 bringing the miracle of electric light and power to South Texas. As of March 1945 the coop had 345 members. Dewitt Electric Coop (now part of Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative) originally supplied KEC with its wholesale power until August 1, 1940. Central Power and Light (now part  of American Electric Power), supplied wholesale power to KEC from 1940 until August 15, 1960 when a group of distribution cooperatives formed South Texas Electric Cooperative.

Today, Karnes Electric continues to receive wholesale power from South Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. (STEC), in Nursery, Texas.

STEC is a "Cooperative of Cooperatives" wholly owned by eight electric distribution coops covering the vast majority of south Texas.   These are: Jackson EC (Edna), Karnes EC (Karnes City), Magic Valley EC (Mercedes), Medina EC (Hondo), Nueces EC (Robstown), San Patricio EC (Sinton), Victoria EC (Victoria), and Wharton County EC (El Campo).