Northwestern REC is an electric distribution cooperative that was organized by local farmers in 1935. The co-op was incorporated on February 13, 1936 - the first electric distribution cooperative in Pennsylvania. First energized on May 19, 1937, Northwestern REC now serves 20,000 members in Crawford, Erie, Venango, Mercer and Warren Counties in Pennsylvania.
Electric cooperatives were established to provide electricity to rural America, and now make up the largest electric utility network in the nation. Touchstone Energy is the national brand identity for that network.
Did you know Electric Cooperatives ...
- Are located in 80% of the nation’s counties
- Are the largest electric utility network in the nation
- Total more than 900 local systems in 47 states
- Have 42 million member-owners
- Distribute power over 2.5 million miles of line
- Serve 75% of the U.S. land mass
- Own $130 billion in generation, transmission, and distribution assets
- More than 88% of all local electric co-ops offer electricity generated from renewable sources.
What Makes Our Cooperatives Different
Touchstone Energy co-ops are owned by the members they serve and are committed to providing reliable electricity at the lowest price possible. In short, co-ops “look out” for the members they serve.
Touchstone Energy co-ops provide high standards of service according to their four core values: integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community.
Touchstone Energy co-ops rank well ahead of their industry counterparts when it comes to customer satisfaction. Recent data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), one the nation’s most recognized measures of customer satisfaction, gives Touchstone Energy cooperatives an average score of “83” out of a possible 100, outclassing utility industry satisfaction score of “77.”