Taking cue from the earnestness of the government through the rural electrification program, a group of civic-minded citizens in the province responded and organized themselves into a Cooperative, hence the existence of the CENTRAL PANGASINAN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC or CENPELCO. It was registered to the NATIONAL ELECTRIFICATION ADMINISTRATION in October 6, 1975 thereby acquiring its legal personality.

         As seed capital, CENPELCO was granted a loan in the amount of P 27, 895,000.00 by the National Electrification Administration, payable in 30 years with interest of 3% per annum. Its actual operation started on May 1,1976, with take-over of the following:

         1.Posadas Electric Company covering the city of San Carlos with an amount of P365,220.82
         2.Pangasinan Electric Corporation covering the municipalities of Basista and Urbiztondo with an amount of P259,200.00
         3.Malasiqui Electric Plant Company covering the municipality of Malasiqui with the amount of P324,426.07.
         4.Alcala Electric Plant covering the municipality of Alcala with an amount of P357,496.61.
         5.Rural Power Corporation covering the municipalities of Mangatarem, Aguilar, Bugallon, Labrador and Sual for the amount of P 1,235,000.00

       Subsequently, the cooperative took over ownership, operation and management of other private electric utilities as follows:

        1.On August 1, 1976 the Lingayen Electric Plant Company covering the municipalities of Lingayen and Binmaley for the amount of P 2,072,794.92;
        2.On January 1, 1977 the Bayambang-Bautista Electric Plant covering the municipalities of Bayambang and Bautista for the amount of P 723,000.00;
        3.And on December 12, 1978 the Mangaldan Electric Plant covering the municipality of Mangaldan for the amount of P 1,633,500.00.

       The cooperative had likewise acquired for P 450,000.00 a ten hectare lot for its headquarter facilities in San Carlos City and another lot and building serving as sub- area office in Lingayen for the amount of P325,000.00. Several acquisitions of lots and construction of office building serving as sub-area offices are as follows:

       1. Lot and building for Basista area office.
        2.Lot and Building for Bayambang area office.
        3. Lot and Building for Alcala area office
        4. Lot and Building for Malasiqui area office
        5. Lot and Building for Bugallon area office
        6. Lot and Building Mangaldan Substation

       Since the take over of the coop management by NEA on October, 2001 new acquisitions were made to wit:

        7. Lot for Sual Substation
        8. Lot for Binmaley Substation
        9. Lot for Alcala Substation

        At that time of first takeover of the different electric systems, there were approximately twelve thousand (12,000) consumers. To date on its 28 years of existence , it has about more than 142,000 member consumers out of its potential members of 174,490 in the coverage area.it has energized all the 558 covered barangays, four (4) during the present administration including the remotest island of Cabalitian Norte in Sual.

        The facilities of the old electric system facilities taken over lines were all substandard and with system loss of over 51 %. However, under the operation and management of the cooperative measures were introduced to abate losses and improve service reliability. Among others are construction of the new backbone line, installation of additional substations massive rehabilitation of old dilapidated lines, replacement of obsolete and stop meters.

        Despite the constraints CENPELCO had experienced, there were noteworthy improvements achieved in its operations. In the ensuing years, with these developments, we are optimistic thru its revitalized programs and work plan, hard work and cooperation, CENPELCO will move on to the greater heights and realize an A+ category and become one of the performing cooperatives in the country.