Upshur-Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (URECC) is a Member-owned electric cooperative headquartered in Gilmer, Texas. URECC provides electric service to portions of Camp, Cass, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Morris, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, and Wood counties.
As a cooperative, we are owned by the Members we serve. One of our most important responsibilities is maintaining a safe, reliable, and efficient electric system. While many of these tasks are performed by URECC employees, we also work with authorized contractors who specialize in certain types of utility work.
From time to time, Members may notice these contractors working in neighborhoods, along roadways, or near electric facilities. These contractors are carefully selected and work on behalf of URECC to help maintain and improve the electric system that serves our Members.
Depending on the needs of the electric system, Members may see URECC employees or authorized contractors performing the following work:
Trees and other vegetation are one of the leading causes of power outages. Vegetation management involves trimming or removing trees, brush, weeds, and other growth near power lines and electric equipment. This work helps prevent outages, improve reliability, and maintain safe access to critical infrastructure.
Regular inspections help ensure electric equipment remains safe, reliable, and compliant with industry standards.
During pole inspections, crews may:
During meter inspections, crews may:
Routine maintenance is performed throughout the year to identify and address potential issues before they lead to power outages. This proactive approach helps improve system reliability and reduce service interruptions.
As our system evolves, electric equipment may need to be upgraded or replaced. This can include transformers, poles, power lines, switches, and other infrastructure. Upgrades may be necessary due to aging equipment, increased electric demand, system improvements, or new technologies.
Following severe weather events, crews may need access to various areas throughout the service territory to assess damage to electric facilities. This work helps identify problems, prioritize repairs, and restore power to affected Members as quickly and safely as possible.
URECC uses drones to safely and efficiently inspect electric infrastructure across our service territory. Drone technology allows crews to evaluate poles, power lines, substations, and other equipment more quickly and safely than traditional inspection methods. Drones can access areas that may be difficult to reach, reduce the need for employees to work in hazardous conditions, and help assess damage following storms or other events.
All drone operations are conducted for legitimate utility purposes and are focused solely on Cooperative-owned infrastructure. URECC does not use drones to monitor Members, private property, or personal activities.
URECC drone pilots are FAA-certified and may be identifiable by high-visibility apparel or other Cooperative-issued identification. For everyone’s safety, Members should avoid approaching active drone operations and follow any directions provided by URECC personnel.
URECC drones are valuable tools used to maintain system reliability and improve service to our Members. Interfering with drone operations, including attempting to damage, disable, or disrupt a drone or its pilot, creates safety risks and may be reported to law enforcement authorities.
Proactive maintenance is essential to providing safe, reliable electric service to our Members. By identifying and addressing potential issues before they become major problems, URECC can help reduce outages, improve safety, and avoid costly emergency repairs.
Regular maintenance helps URECC:
Some electric facilities are located on private property within utility easements and right-of-ways. To safely maintain, inspect, repair, and upgrade these facilities, URECC employees and authorized contractors may need access to these areas from time to time.
This work helps maintain reliable electric service, improve safety, prevent outages, and reduce the need for costly emergency repairs. We appreciate our Members’ cooperation in allowing access to these locations so this important work can be completed safely and efficiently.
URECC employees and authorized contractors can typically be identified by:
If you are ever unsure whether someone is working on behalf of URECC, please contact us directly before approaching the individual.
URECC employees and authorized contractors are committed to serving our Members safely, professionally, and respectfully. We understand that seeing utility personnel or contractors on or near your property may raise questions, and we encourage Members to reach out if they have concerns.
Interfering with utility work, vehicles, equipment, or personnel can create serious safety hazards and may delay important maintenance, restoration, and emergency response efforts. Threats, harassment, intimidation, or attempts to obstruct utility operations are taken seriously and may be reported to law enforcement.
This includes interference with Cooperative-owned equipment, such as vehicles, utility infrastructure, or drones used to inspect and maintain the electric system. Such actions create unnecessary risks for employees, contractors, and the public.
By working together, we can help keep our electric system safe, reliable, and ready to serve our communities for years to come.
If you have questions about work being performed in your area, would like to verify that an individual is working on behalf of URECC, or have concerns about crews working near your property, please contact our Member Services team at 903-843-2536.
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