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Investor Spotlight – Surry Yadkin Electric

Did you know that Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation was founded in 1940 by a group of local farmers?

Four years after President Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act, they noticed that electricity helped many families get out of poverty. It created demand for new jobs and products, and enabled farmers to make efficiency upgrades that resulted in crops being produced and sold more quickly.  

Just seven months after Surry-Yadkin EMC closed on their first loan from the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), they energized their first lines on Feb. 22, 1941.  

Today, their service area spans 5 counties and over 27,000 members who own and govern the co-op. As a result, they are involved in many local initiatives like Bright Ideas grants for schools, local food assistance programs and a wide variety of community partnerships and events.  

Recently, SYEMC and Hollar and Greene Produce launched an innovative and collaborative project to convert refrigeration units from diesel to electric powered cold-storage shipping units while in staging, referred to as eTRU technology. In addition to being a more energy efficient way to transport produce, this “first of its kind for NC” technology provides a reduction in both carbon dioxide emissions, fuel costs and noise pollution. This project will serve as a scalable model for future electrification projects. The program was recently featured in BusinessNC

 An important member of the Surry County community, with staff in leadership on many local boards and organizations, they are part of what helps make Surry County a special place to live and do business.