San Bernard Electric Coop., Inc.
UtilitiesTexas, United States51-200 Employees
San Bernard Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a mid-sized distribution utility based in Bellville, Texas. It does not own or operate electric generation; instead, it purchases power from the South Texas Electric Cooperative and delivers electricity to its members. The cooperative maintains more than 3,900 miles of distribution line serving about 30,000 meters across eight Texas counties. SBEC traces its origins to 1939 when leaders from Austin and Colorado Counties sought rural electric service and it was incorporated in November of that year. The name derives from the San Bernard River, which forms the boundary between the two counties; its first 89 miles of power lines were built in 1940 and energized at year end to serve 141 members in rural areas of Colorado and Austin Counties. Today, the service area encompasses parts of eight Texas counties: Austin, Colorado, Lavaca, Waller, Montgomery, Harris, Grimes, and Fayette.