When you receive your electricity from Owen Electric Cooperative, you’re more than a customer. You’re a member—and an owner.
That distinction is at the heart of what makes electric cooperatives different.
Unlike investor-owned utilities, which are structured to generate returns for shareholders, Owen Electric is a not-for-profit cooperative owned by the people we serve. Our members are the reason we exist, and our decisions are guided by what is best for the communities we serve.
What does "member-owned" mean?
As an Owen Electric member, you have a stake in your cooperative. You’re not simply purchasing electricity from a company—you’re part of an organization created to provide reliable, affordable electric service to its members.
Our cooperative is governed by a board of directors elected by the membership. This gives members a voice in how their cooperative is governed and provides a direct connection between the people we serve and the decisions that guide the organization.
Members come first
The cooperative business model is built around a simple principle: serve the members.
At Owen Electric, that means our focus extends beyond keeping the lights on. We work to provide safe, reliable and affordable electric service while investing in the infrastructure, technology, people and programs that strengthen our communities.
It also means listening to our members. Whether you're contacting us with a question about your bill, reporting an outage, looking for ways to save energy or participating in a cooperative program, you're interacting with an organization that exists to serve you.
Your electric cooperative invests locally
Because Owen Electric is locally focused, the work we do has a direct impact on the communities we serve.
From supporting local organizations and educational programs to providing scholarships, youth opportunities and energy-efficiency resources, we look for ways to make a positive difference beyond the electric meter.
Our employees also live and work in the communities we serve. When a storm rolls through, when a community event takes place or when a local organization needs support, we're part of those communities, too.
Capital credits: Your share of the cooperative
One of the most unique aspects of cooperative membership is capital credits.
Because Owen Electric operates on a not-for-profit basis, margins are allocated back to members based on their patronage. When the cooperative's financial position allows, the board of directors may authorize the retirement, or return, of those capital credits to members.
Capital credits are one tangible way that being a member-owner is different from simply being a customer.
Over the years, Owen Electric has returned millions of dollars in capital credits to members. Those funds go back to the people who helped build and sustain the cooperative.
A cooperative is built for the long term
Electric cooperatives were created to bring electricity to communities that might otherwise have been left behind. That same spirit of service continues today.
The energy landscape is changing rapidly, and Owen Electric is preparing for the future while maintaining the reliability our members depend on. Investments in the electric system, technology, safety and workforce help ensure we can continue serving our communities for generations to come.
Your cooperative. Your voice. Your community.
Being an Owen Electric member means you have more than an account number. You have a connection to an organization that is owned by the people it serves.
So the next time you receive your electric bill, call our office or see an Owen Electric crew working in your community, remember: this is your cooperative.
We're proud to serve our members—and even prouder to be member-owned.
That's the cooperative difference.