Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative is a non-profit, member-owned electric utility serving more than 10,000 members with more than 13,000 accounts spanning more than 1,800 miles of line throughout 10 northwest Ohio counties.

Hancock-Wood was founded on April 20, 1938, to provide electricity to members in the immediate rural area. The Co-op expanded, because of demand, into other northwest Ohio counties over the decades. Today, in addition to providing safe, reliable electric service, Hancock-Wood provides extraordinary Member benefits including Patronage Capital, a Rebate Program for Energy Efficient appliances, family-oriented events, a not-to-be-missed Annual Business Meeting, improved outage response via its SCADA systems, and easy access to its successful affiliate company, Prism Propane Services of Ohio, LLC.

Hancock-Wood is governed by a Board of Trustees, overseeing nine districts in portions of Allen, Erie, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Wood, and Wyandot counties. 

Mission statement:

Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative provides safe and reliable electric service, and competitive rates to our members. 

Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative is an innovative organization, locally controlled and guided by cooperative principles, which provides excellent member services and energy solutions for the betterment of our members through dedicated employees, advanced technologies and community involvement.

Motto and philosophy: Members First!

Hancock-Wood facts:

  • First organized:  April 20, 1938
  • Location:  North Baltimore, OH in Wood County, near the Hancock County border
  • Number of Members:  11,000+
  • Number of Accounts: 13,000+
  • Miles of line:  1,300
  • Miles of underground line:  211
  • Padmount transformers:  2,147
  • Overhead transformers:  7,140
  • Power Poles:  35,000
  • Number of substations:  21
  • Counties served:  Allen, Erie, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Wyandot
  • Number of employees:  43

Membership organizations:

  • Buckeye Power, Inc. (BPI) - All of Ohio's 24 electric distribution cooperatives receive electricity through Buckeye Power transmission lines.
  • Ohio's Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (OEC) - Electric cooperatives throughout the state also formed this organization to provide services more efficiently and economically for co-op member systems like Hancock-Wood.
  • National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) - This service organization is dedicated to representing the national interests of cooperative electric utilities and the members they serve across the United States.  
  • Touchstone Energy® - An alliance of consumer-owned electric cooperatives dedicated to providing members with reliable, high-quality service at competitive prices.
  • Hancock-Wood also is a member of many Chambers of Commerce and economic development groups to assist communities in improving their quality of life.

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