One of the greatest benefits of being a member of Big Country Electric Cooperative is sharing in the co-op’s success through capital credits. Each year, any revenue earned beyond the cost of operating expenses, known as margins, is allocated back to members based on how much electricity they used.
Unlike investor-owned utilities, which pay profits to shareholders, BCEC allocates margins to the very people who make the cooperative possible—our members. These capital credits allocations represent your ownership in the co-op and your share of its financial performance.
This year, $3.77 million were allocated to members who received electric service in 2024. Of that, the BCEC board of directors voted to retire $1,287,079—returning that portion of those funds to members as bill credits or mailed checks.
What’s the Difference Between Allocation and Retirement?
An allocation is your share of the margins, based on your usage, that’s recorded to your account annually.
Each year, the board reviews the co-op’s financial standing and typically approves retiring a portion of previously allocated capital credits. The rest stays with the co-op temporarily to fund system maintenance, upgrades and daily operations, which helps avoid borrowing money and keeps rates stable.
This year’s general retirement includes 80% ($1,029,663.20) going to members with capital credits from 1995 and 1996 as well as 20% ($257,415.80) to members who earned capital credits in 2024.
This approach helps balance returning recent margins to newer members while fulfilling the cooperative’s responsibility to retire older, outstanding capital credits as financial conditions allow.
New This Year
To reduce costs and simplify the process, residential accounts—including farm and seasonal rate classes—received their capital credits as bill credits on July statements rather than mailed checks.
Nonresidential accounts, such as commercial, large power and irrigation, still receiving checks by mail, sent out in July.
If you have a single residential meter, your capital credits will appear in the Detail of Charges section on your bill. Members who receive a group invoice for multiple meters can find the credits listed under the Other line for the applicable accounts.
If you have questions about your allocation or how you’re receiving your capital credits, give us a call—we’re always happy to help.
