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you could win

 

Celebrated by cooperatives nationwide during the month of October, National Co-op Month is an annual opportunity to raise awareness of a trusted, proven way to do business and build communities.

 

With 14,974 members and 25,919 service points, FreeState Electric Cooperative is the largest rural electric cooperative in Eastern Kansas and the fifth largest rural electric cooperative in Kansas. FreeState serves nine Kansas counties and provides the infrastructure to Fort Leavenworth. 
 

FreeState and other electric cooperatives across the United States are an integral part of the $406 billion U.S. electric utility industry. They play a critical role in our nation's economy and in local communities.

Electric Cooperatives Are: 

  • Private, independent, non-profit electric utility businesses 
  • Owned by the members 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’ management 

 

Distribution cooperatives, like FreeState, are the foundation of the electric cooperative network. They are the direct point of contact with the member-owners in the delivery of electricity and other services. 

 

Cooperative Fast Facts: 

  • FreeState is one of 834 distribution and 63 G&T cooperatives, a total of 897 members of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association that provides resources and support to co-ops across the country
  • These 897 cooperatives serve an estimated 42 million people in 48 states |
  • Over 20 million service points in 2,500 of 3,141 counties in the U.S. 
  • 13 percent of the nation's electric customers are served by electric co-ops 
  • Co-ops added over 281,000 new members in 2018 
  • 85 percent of electric co-ops had a net increase in members in 2018
  • Cooperatives across the country own assets worth over $192 billion (distribution and G&T co-ops combined) 
  • Cooperatives across the country have equity over $67 billion (distribution and G&T co-ops combined) 
  • Cooperatives across the country own and maintain 2.6 million miles, or 42%, of the nation’s electric distribution lines 
  • Electric cooperatives employ over 71,000 people in the U.S. 
  • Electric cooperatives pay $1.4 billion in state and local taxes