Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative

Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative

Company type	Cooperative
Industry	Electric utility
Founded	1945
Headquarters	Buxton , United States
Area served	Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island, North Carolina Outer Banks
Products	Electrical service

Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative (CHEC) is a utility cooperative established in 1945, with its main office located in Buxton, North Carolina. It provides electrical service to more than 7,700 members residing on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island, situated in North Carolina's Outer Banks. As a cooperative owned by its members, CHEC functions as part of the Touchstone Energy Cooperative alliance and collaborates with the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (NCEMC), which supplies power to the majority of electric cooperatives across the state.

The cooperative’s electricity is delivered through a 115kV transmission line linked to the Dominion North Carolina Power grid near Oregon Inlet, running southward to the Buxton substation. Additionally, CHEC supports Tideland EMC by means of a 34.5kV underwater cable that serves Ocracoke Island. A 15MW diesel generation facility located in Buxton, managed by NCEMC, offers supplemental capacity during peak usage and acts as backup during maintenance or emergencies. Other substations situated in Rodanthe and Buxton facilitate connection for large portable generators when necessary.

Operating across barrier islands nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Pamlico Sound, CHEC’s infrastructure plays a crucial role in ensuring dependable electric service to these isolated communities.

History

Established in 1945, Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative was created to provide electricity to Hatteras Island after investor-owned utilities deemed the area unprofitable. Initially, electrical service was limited solely to Hatteras Village. The cooperative constructed an oil-powered plant in Buxton; however, frequent outages and high operational expenses persisted. In 1966, a 34,500-volt transmission line was installed from Nags Head Substation spanning the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge, delivering more affordable electricity through Virginia Electric Power Company. This line was susceptible to weather-related damage and became overloaded by the early 1980s, necessitating continued operation of the Buxton generating plant alongside it.

In 1995, this transmission line underwent reconstruction and an upgrade to 115,000 volts at a cost of $10 million, funded by Dominion North Carolina Power up to Oregon Inlet. Further enhancements included installation of larger concrete utility poles and new substations designed to improve grid stability. In 2018, a new power cable was laid beneath the Marc Basnight Bridge, replacing the aging cable previously installed on the old Bonner Bridge.

On July 27, 2017, construction workers inadvertently cut all three 115kV underground transmission cables near the Marc Basnight Bridge, resulting in a complete blackout on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands. Although the Buxton plant supplied limited electricity, it was insufficient to meet peak demand exceeding 15MW. Authorities declared a state of emergency and ordered mandatory evacuations, displacing nearly 50,000 residents and visitors during peak season. Emergency generators were deployed to supplement power amid ongoing outages, while residents were instructed to reduce energy consumption.

Restoration efforts involved erecting temporary overhead poles and splicing into intact cable segments. By August 3rd, electrical service was fully restored and evacuation orders lifted. A $10.53 million settlement was reached with PCL Civil Constructors, who denied responsibility for the incident. The repaired cable remained in operation until the new bridge cable became active in late 2018.