1935

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs an executive order creating Rural Electrification Administration (REA).

1936

Congress passes Rural Electrification Act of 1936.

1937

Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC), originally called The Missouri State Rural Electrification Association, forms on Feb. 11, 1937.

1941

KAMO Power forms.

Representatives of 26 cooperatives create Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative.

1943

Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA) created.

1948

M&A Electric Power Cooperative incorporates.

Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative forms.

1949

Central Electric Power Cooperative forms.

NW Electric Power Cooperative Inc. forms.

1952

M&A Electric Power Cooperative begins operations with the building of 10-megawatt Green Forest Power Plant.

1961, February 6

Fifteen incorporators sign articles of incorporation to create Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. Two days later, attorney Gene Andereck travels to the statehouse to file articles of incorporation and obtain a charter for the cooperative.

1962, March 28

During a ceremony in Springfield, draft contracts between the soon-to-be Associated Electric Cooperative and three western Missouri investor-owned utilities are signed.

1962, May 28

Neil L. Adams is hired as Associated's first general manager (serving in that position until June 1971).

1962, July 25

The Department of the Interior grants final approval to form Associated Electric Cooperative Inc.

1962, August 1

After approval from the REA and the Department of the Interior, Associated officially begins operations.

1965

Associated builds its first transmission line, a 1.5-mile tie line between M&A Electric Power Cooperative and Union Electric. This is the first of many interconnections with other utilities for Associated.

1966

Associated's first big power plant, Thomas Hill Unit 1 at 180 MW, begins operating.

1968

Associated, the city of New Madrid and Noranda Aluminum Inc. work together to clinch a deal that would bring the aluminum smelter to New Madrid.

1969

Thomas Hill Unit 2 goes on line, adding 303 MW.

1970

Associated begins serving the largest single industrial load in the state, Noranda Aluminum Inc., which it serves for the next 33 years.

1972

New Madrid Power Plant's first unit of 600 MW goes on line.

1973

Gerald F. Diddle becomes Associated's general manager (serving until February 1992).

1974

Associated agrees to become a partner in the Black Fox Nuclear Project.

1976

Board authorizes construction of Thomas Hill Unit 3.

1977, June 1

New Madrid Power Plant Unit 2 goes on line.

1978

Associated enters the coal business, buying Bee Veer and Prairie Hill mines near Thomas Hill Power Plant from the Peabody Coal Co. and begins operations in 1980.

1980, January

The Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission, commonly called the Municipal Pooling Commission, begins operating with the signing of a joint contract by six charter members.

1982

Thomas Hill Unit 3, a 670-MW unit, goes on line.

Associated terminates the Black Fox Nuclear Project following the incident at Three Mile Island nuclear station that changes the feasibility of building a nuclear plant in the United States.

1989

Associated forms its Clean Air Act contingency fund to help pay for changes at its power plants required by the 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act.

House Bill 813 allows private power companies and local cooperatives to adjust their service territory boundaries.

1991

James J. Jura becomes general manager.

1992

Following the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, cooperatives work with state authorities to enact Clean Air Act compliance legislation, effective in 1992.

1992, October

The Comprehensive National Energy Policy Act is approved.

1993, February

Associated exits the coal business, closing its mines.

1995, December

The conversion to low-sulfur coal at both Thomas Hill and New Madrid power plants is completed, reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide 90 percent and allowing Associated to implement an average overall rate reduction of 17 percent.

Associated's rates for wholesale electricity rank as second lowest in the nation.

1996, October

Associated announces a partnership with PanEnergy (later purchased by Duke Energy) to construct a 250-MW, gas-based power generation facility known as the St. Francis Power Plant. Construction begins in fall 1997.

1997, November

KAMO Power selects AECI as the power supplier for its nine electric cooperatives in northeast Oklahoma.

1999

The first units of a 1,633-MW construction phase of gas-based generation come on line to meet members' peak demand needs. Intermediate and peaking power plants that begin operations in the next four years are:

• The Essex (107 MW) and Nodaway (182 MW) power plants begin operations in June 1999.
• The 250-MW St. Francis Unit 1 is dedicated in September 1999.
• The 522-MW combined-cycle Chouteau Power Plant begins operations in June 2000.
• St. Francis Unit 2 (251 MW) is completed in March 2001.
• The 321-MW Holden Power Plant comes on line to meet peak demands in May 2002.

2000, February

Selective catalytic reduction equipment, designed to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides by about 93 percent, on New Madrid Unit 2 becomes operational.

2002, January

Selective catalytic reduction equipment on New Madrid Unit 1 becomes operational, making New Madrid one of the cleanest coal-based plants in the country with cyclone burners.

2003, May 31

Associated's contract ends with Noranda Aluminum. Noranda chose not to renew its power supply contract with Associated, ending a mutually beneficial relationship of more than 30 years.

2003, December

Associated's board of directors approves a rate plan after engaging in a yearlong process of informing and listening to member systems. The plan includes a wholesale power supply rate increase in 2006 - Associated's first wholesale rate increase in 20 years - that will help the cooperative meet a projected $1.7 billion in capital costs for new generation and environmental controls on existing coal-based generation.

2004, December

Associated completes mine amortization of $342 million in costs 11 years ahead of schedule - further strengthening the cooperative's competitive position. Associated closed its Missouri mine in 1993 and converted its coal-based units to burn low-sulfur coal in 1994. This conversion allowed the cooperative to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions and comply with the 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act.

2005, April 1

Associated announces it is proceeding with plans to build a coal-based generating plant to meet members' growing energy needs. Carroll County is the proposed site, along with Holt County as an alternative location.

2005, Aug. 15

Associated purchases 580-megawatt, combined-cycle natural gas-based power plant in Dell, Ark., to meet members' growing energy needs. Construction begins in spring 2006 to finish the plant, which is 65 percent complete, for commercial operation by spring 2007.

2006, Jan. 31

Associated Electric Cooperative announces plans to purchase energy from Missouri's first utility-scale wind farm, which is being developed by Wind Capital Group and John Deere Wind Energy. Associated will purchase all the power produced by the 50-megawatt Bluegrass Ridge wind farm near King City, Mo., to help serve member systems.