Grady Electric Membership Corporation

A MEMBER OWNED ENERGY PROVIDER

Grady EMC is an electrical distribution cooperative located in Southwest Georgia. The office complex is located in Cairo Georgia, approximately thirty miles due north of Tallahassee Florida, and approximately two hundred fifty miles south of Atlanta, Georgia. The Cooperative is bound on the west by the Flint River and Lake Seminole, on the south by the Georgia / Florida State line, on the east roughly by the western Brooks County line, and on the north roughly by the southern Mitchell and Colquitt County lines.

The majority of Grady EMC customers are within three counties.

1) Decatur County          

Exception: Georgia Power Co. provides power to the Cities of Attapulgus, Bainbridge, Climax and portions of Decatur County.

2) Thomas County          

Exception: Ga. Power Co. provides power to the Cities of Ochlocknee, Meigs, Pavo, Coolidge, Boston, and portions of Thomas County.     

Exception: Thomasville municipal system serves               Thomasville, Ga. and portions of Thomas County.

3) Grady County               

Exception: Cairo municipal system serves Cairo, Ga. and portions of Grady County.                                        

Exception: Whigham municipal system serves Whigham, Ga.                

Exception: Thomasville municipal system serves a small portion of Grady County.

SERVICE TERRITORY CHARACTERISTICS

The service area of Grady EMC is geographically diverse. The Pelham escarpment divides the service area into two distinct land areas. West of the rift is mainly sand with a limestone base, while east of the escarpment is dominated by heavy soils with a clay base. Both land formations influence the electric system of Grady EMC. Fairly steep hills dominate the southwest service territory along the Flint River and Lake Seminole. The eastern service area is less hilly, and the northwest section is mostly flat.

The service area west of the Pelham escarpment is very similar to the vegetable growing areas of both Florida and California. This area has seen an increase in vegetable farming and irrigation use recently, with the corresponding electric growth.

Grady EMC's service area is located in the slash pine belt. This area has a species of pine unique to South Georgia, North Florida and Southeast Alabama. This growing area is approximately 60 miles wide and 200 miles long with 80% of the area located in South Georgia.

The southern border of Grady EMC's service territory is positioned along the Ga./Fla. State line. The mid-point of this border is approximately seven miles north of the city limits of Tallahassee, Florida.

The geographic location of Grady EMC is forty-five miles north of the Gulf of Mexico. The climate of the service area is greatly influenced by the gulf with approximately 78 thunderstorm days per year and high humidity.

Due to the location, the service area of Grady EMC has a nine-month growing season. This area is ideal for vegetables and other specialty crops with many crops able to reach maturity three times a year. Several winter crops are being raised with farm production continuing twelve months a year.