Union Electric Membership Cooperation (EMC) grew tremendously from our beginnings in 1939, then serving 1,279 members and 512 miles of line, to 7,958 members with 1,790 miles of line by 1960.

The 1960s was a decade full of growth and system improvements for the cooperative and its members. Union EMC upgraded three substations and increased transformer sizes to accommodate the load growth in Union County.

The largest single project to this point began in 1961, which consisted of a substation and transmission line to serve the general area between Albemarle, Aquadale, and Oakboro in Stanly County. Rights-of-way for the line and a site for the substation were secured. The transmission line was seven and one-half miles in length over all types of terrain, which took a little over a year to complete. During this project, the cooperative authorized the purchase of an International 4-wheel-drive truck and a highway, heavy-duty digger. The new equipment helped the men dig holes for the poles instead of digging by hand. This purchase benefited the cooperative because our construction crew could build more lines per day.

In 1967, Union EMC constructed another new substation in the Marvin area of Union County. Building a transmission line connecting the new substation and upgrading the existing line was also a part of this project. A new substation in Stanly County, built to serve areas of Oakboro and Stanfield, was completed in 1967. These system improvements were needed to serve the increased load in those respective areas.

Rounding out the decade in 1969, the Carolina Farmer changed its name to what we now know as Carolina Country magazine. The publication changed its name to better represent all the people of many occupations and interests served by North Carolina’s electric membership cooperatives.

Stay tuned for more articles recapping Union Power’s 84 years of history!