The Board of Directors of Farmers’ Electric Cooperative has unanimously voted to return capital credits totaling just over $1,500,000 to the Member-Owners of the Cooperative in 2023, marking the 32st year in a row that capital credits were retired. The capital credit checks will be mailed to current and former Members in early December. Over the years, more than $30 million has been returned to the member-owners of the Cooperative.
What are Capital Credits?
One of the benefits of being served by an electric cooperative like Farmers’ Electric is “capital credits.” Farmers' Electric is a non-profit, member-owned utility. As a member-owner, you have a share in the earnings. When Farmers’ Electric makes more money than it needs for operating costs, capital improvements, and cash reserves, we allocate that money to you, our member-owners, in the form of capital credits.
Capital credits are allocated to each individual member based on how much the member paid the Cooperative for electricity during a particular period. Everyone who has an account with Farmers’ Electric is a member of the Cooperative.
After an annual review, if there is money over and above normal operating expenses, and Farmers’ Electric is financially able to do so, the Board may approve returning allocations to members in the form of a capital credit refund.
Because the formula for distribution is based on prior years of operation, often members who are entitled to capital credits have moved. If you no longer purchase energy from Farmers’ Electric Cooperative, please keep us informed of your address in future years. This will enable us to forward payment when the capital credits are refunded for the year or years of your membership. If the Postal Service returns a mailed check to the Cooperative, we make every effort to locate that person including publishing the name in the monthly newsletter and area newspapers.
Your Cooperative does pay capital credits in case of the death of a natural person in order to assist in the closing of estates.
