As consumer-owned, not-for-profit utilities accountable to their members, cooperatives have traditionally promoted energy efficiency and demand-side management (DSM) as a means to keep members’ bills low. Now, many cooperatives also see increasing efficiencies on both sides of the meter as key to addressing the challenge of growing demand and rising costs.
Electric Cooperatives Serving Persistent Poverty Counties
Electric cooperatives serve in 364 of the nation’s 395 “persistent poverty counties” (92%).
More than 250 distribution cooperatives and NRECA-member public power districts serve an estimated 4.2 million people in these counties, with poverty rates ranging from 20% to over 60%.
As late as the mid-1930s, 9 out of 10 rural homes were without electric service. Most rural electrification is the product of locally owned rural electric cooperatives that got their start by borrowing funds from the REA to build lines and provide service on a not-for-profit basis.
This visualization shows the growth of NRECA electric cooperatives in the United States over time.
Explore how cooperatives play a vital role in the electric sector and in their communities with our data-driven Co-ops Facts and Figuresinfographic (PDF).
Arizona Electric Cooperatives Territories Map
Take a look at the electric co-op territories in Arizona with our Arizona Co-ops map (PDF).