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During
the
late
1930's
and
through
the
1940's,
cooperatives
electrified
the
country.
Neighbor
joined
together
with
neighbor
to
create,
direct
and
benefit
from
controlling
their
own
electric
utility.
As
a
result
of
their
efforts,
electric
service
was
provided
to
areas
of
the
country
where
it
had
never
existed
before.
More
than
sixty-years
later,
members
continue
to
receive
the
same
benefits
of
membership,
which
include
ownership
from
patronage,
local
control,
and
a
superior
level
of
personal
service.
These
benefits
remain
the
cornerstone
of
your
electric
cooperative.
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Since
the
cooperative
operates
in
the
best
interest
of
the
members,
there
is
no
need
for
profits
to
benefit
investors,
as
does
an
investor-
owned
utility.
Your
electric
cooperative
operates
as
a
not-for-profit
organization,
which
means
revenue
left
over
after
meeting
the
obligations
of
the
cooperative
are
returned
to
the
members.
The
cooperative
refers
to
money
received
from
the
members
as
Patronage
Capital.
Revenue
left
over
after
meeting
the
co-op's
obligations
become
Capital
Credits.
As
a
benefit
of
membership,
your
electric
cooperative
can
refund
a
portion
of
Capital
Credits
back
to
its
members,
each
year.
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What
Are
Electric
Cooperatives?
Electric
Cooperatives
are:
- private
independent
electric
utility
businesses,
- owned
by
the
members
(consumers)
they
serve,
- incorporated
under
the
laws
of
the
states
in
which
they
operate,
- established
to
provide
at
cost
electric
service,
- governed
by
a
board
of
directors
elected
from
the
membership,
which
sets
policies
and
procedures
that
are
implemented
by
the
cooperatives'
professional
staff.
Distribution
cooperatives
deliver
electricity
to
the
member.
Generation
and
transmission
cooperatives
(G&Ts)
generate
and
transmit
electricity
to
distribution
co-ops.
Facts
At
A
Glance
- 866
distribution
and
64
G&T
cooperatives
serve:
- 36
million
people
in
47
states.
- 15
million
businesses,
homes,
schools,
churches,
farms,
irrigation
systems,
and
other
establishments
in
2,500
of
3,128
counties
in
the
U.S.
- 12
percent
of
the
nation's
population.
To
perform
their
mission,
electric
cooperatives:
- own
assets
worth
$76
billion,
- added
roughly
$4
billion
in
new
plant
last
year
- own
and
maintain
2.3
million
miles,
or
43%,
of
the
nation's
electric
distribution
lines,
covering
three
quarters
of
the
nation's
landmass,
- deliver
9
percent
of
the
total
kilowatt-hours
sold
in
the
U.S.
each
year,
- own
33,700
mw
of
generating
capacity
and
generate
5
percent
of
the
total
electricity
produced
in
the
U.S.
each
year,
- employ
nearly
60,000
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