Tideland Electric Membership Corporation is a not-for-profit cooperative born from the merger of four electric utilities. Pamlico Power and Light headquartered in Engelhard, NC, which began electric service on June 11, 1935, was the oldest of the four companies. It also had the distinction of being the only investor owned utility among the merged companies, owned largely by its operator Peleg Dameron "P.D." Midgett, Jr. South of the Pamlico River, Pamlico-Beaufort EMC energized its first line on July 27, 1942, with Grantsboro serving as its central office. Across the sound, Ocracoke EMC received its charter on August 17, 1944, and resumed electric service after a hurricane demolished generators owned and operated by Ocracoke Power and Light, a venture started by legendary island entrepreneur, R.S. "Stanley" Wahab. Soon thereafter, at the stroke of midnight on December 14, 1944, Woodstock EMC inaugurated its own electric service to residents in the Belhaven and Pantego areas of Beaufort County. Tideland EMC was incorporated in 1971 with the merger of Pamlico-Beaufort EMC and Woodstock EMC. On January 1, 1973, Ocracoke EMC merged with Tideland. And on March 31, 1975, Pamlico Power and Light's ownership was transferred to Tideland EMC. Today Tideland EMC serves more than 22,000 metered services in Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Washington, Pamlico and Craven counties.