What are the opening hours?

Monday 7:30am - 4:30pm Tuesday 7:30am - 4:30pm Wednesday 7:30am - 4:30pm Thursday 7:30am - 4:30pm Friday 7:30am - 4pm

Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative, Inc.

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DeFuniak Springs, FL
Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative, Inc.

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This page includes reports of major power outages. It is not monitored for member outage reports. The result was Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative (CHELCO).

Although most cities had electricity by the mid-1930s, rural Americans were still in the dark. The high cost of building electric distribution lines to serve sparsely populated rural areas was not economical. Then in 1941, with the support of the Rural Electric Administration's oversight and low interest loans, the people of Northwest Florida decided to band together to form a member-owned, not-for-profit utility that would benefit its members. Later that same year, CHELCO members met with 10 other electric cooperatives and formed Alabama Electric Cooperative (now PowerSouth Energy Cooperative), a generation and transmission cooperative established to generate the electricity needed by its member co-ops. Today, CHELCO is headquartered in DeFuniak Springs, and our service territory encompasses mainly Walton and Okaloosa counties, in addition to portions of western Holmes and eastern Santa Rosa counties.

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween! Tonight’s a night when communities come together, kids get to be kids and neighbors share with neighbors. At CHELCO we’re proud to power your festivities. We wish you a safe and spooky evening! 🎃

10/31/2026

Fall is here, y’all! Now is a good time to start preparing for winter energy efficiency. Visit https://www.chelco.com/rebates to find out what rebates and other services we offer!

10/30/2026

While October is coming to a close, we didn’t want to let National Breast Cancer Awareness Month pass without recognizing this important cause.

CHELCO employees gathered together earlier this month and wore pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in support of the patients, survivors, families and loved ones impacted by breast cancer. 💗

Although we may be sharing this photo toward the end of October, the message behind it matters all year long: raise awareness, encourage early detection and support those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer.

Learn more and find helpful resources from the National Breast Cancer Foundation: https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month/

10/29/2026

Do you know what to do in the event of an electrical fire? Use a Class C extinguisher, if you have one, and call 911. Class C extinguishers are best suited for fires involving electrical equipment such as appliances, wiring, circuit breakers and outlets. Using a non-C extinguisher can cause greater risk and mess!

10/26/2026

Concern for community is one of the cooperative principles we’re proud to put into action. 💙

CHELCO employees recently used their Volunteer Time Off (VTO) to join Habitat for Humanity Walton County for a build day in DeFuniak Springs, helping install siding on Habitat Home #79.

Through CHELCO’s VTO program, employees can receive up to 8 hours each year to volunteer with a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit, giving our employees another way to support the communities we’re proud to serve.

We’re grateful for our longstanding partnership with Habitat Walton and especially proud of our employees for putting service into action! 🏠🔨

10/24/2026

Have a tailgate before our home team’s game! Not only is it a great way to connect with friends and neighbors, but it’s also a great way to save energy by keeping the heat out of the kitchen. 🏈

10/22/2026

🚨 CHELCO OFFICES CLOSING EARLY TODAY

CHELCO offices will be closing early today, Thursday, Oct. 22, for an employee event. Closure times for each office are listed below:

🔹 Santa Rosa Beach and Baker: 1:30 PM

🔹 Bluewater Bay and Auburn: 1:45 PM

🔹 Freeport: 2:00 PM

🔹 DeFuniak Springs Headquarters: 2:30 PM

📱Members can continue to access their accounts and make payments anytime through the MyCHELCO app, at our payment kiosks, and in the online member portal.

Visit https://www.CHELCO.com/ways-pay for more info.

10/20/2026

Earlier this month, CHELCO Board of Trustees Vice President Brady Bearden (District 4) and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Bert Prutzman (District 7) attended the NRECA Regions 2 & 3 Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

These meetings bring cooperative leaders together to collaborate on local and national issues affecting electric cooperatives, explore emerging trends and innovative strategies, join key policy discussions, and gain valuable industry insights through specialized educational sessions.

CHELCO was also represented by our very own Willie Wiredhand, who attended as a special guest and spent time posing for photos with attendees throughout the event.

By engaging with fellow cooperative leaders from across the region, CHELCO stays informed, connected, and prepared to meet the evolving needs of our members and communities.

⚡📸

10/19/2026

❤️ THANK YOU, CHELCO TEAM

Hurricane Isaias brought significant damage to our communities, but it also showed the strength of our CHELCO family.

Throughout the restoration effort, our employees came together, working long hours to restore power to our members. From the crews in the field to the employees working behind the scenes, every person played an important role in helping our communities recover.

We know that commitment comes with sacrifices. Time away from loved ones, long days, and the responsibility of helping thousands of members get back to normal life are not small things.

To every CHELCO employee who stepped up, supported your teammates, and put our members first: thank you. Your hard work made a difference for the people and communities we serve.

Proud to be CHELCO. ❤️⚡

10/16/2026

⚠️ WIND ALERT ⚠️ We know this is the last thing anyone wants to hear after the widespread outages our service territory experienced following Hurricane Isaias, but CHELCO members should prepare for potentially challenging weather.

A strong cold front is expected to move through the area tonight and Saturday, bringing wind gusts as high as 30 mph. With the ground still saturated from recent rainfall and storm impacts, some trees may be more susceptible to uprooting or falling. In addition, strong winds may bring down damaged limbs that remained suspended in trees after the hurricane.

These weakened trees and limbs could contact power lines, creating dangerous conditions and the potential for additional outages. Our crews remain ready to respond if needed. To report outages, call 850-892-2111 or (800) 342-0990. Additional outage reporting resources are available at chelco.com/how-report-outage.

Address

655 U.S. Highway 331 North
Defuniak Springs, FL

Opening Hours

Monday	7:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	7:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	7:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday	7:30am - 4:30pm
Friday	7:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+18508922111

Website

http://www.chelco.com/

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