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Big Bend Electric
Cooperative Inc. was formed in 1939 to bring electricity to the rural areas
of Adams and Franklin counties in Eastern Washington. From its humble
beginning in 1939 it has grown into a financially sound cooperative serving
the needs of about 2,500 members with over 8,000 accounts. About 60 percent
of the electricity delivered to its members is for agricultural purposes.
The remaining 40 per cent is used for residential accounts and a wide
variety of business accounts.
As a "cooperative" Big Bend is special. Three basic principals
make the cooperative special. The first principal is we are
member-owned. Member-owned means once you sign a membership agreement and
start receiving service from the cooperative you become one of its owners.
The second principal is cooperatives are non-profit, because they are owned
by their members all service delivered are at cost. The third principal is
all excess revenues (profits) are returned to the members. Because
cooperatives operate in a conservative manner most years they have profits,
and these profits are eventually returned to the members of record each
year as "capital credits. Each members share of capital credits is
based on their percentage of purchases to total purchases for the year by
all members. A "patronage capital" card is mailed each year to
members on record showing the capital credits they earned that year and
also showing their accumulative outstanding capital credit balance. Each
year the Board of Directors determine how much capital credits will be
refunded to members.
Because of the buying power we have by being a cooperative, we are able to
purchase power from the Bonneville Power Administration at some of the
lowest rates in the country. These savings are passed through to our members
who enjoy some of the lowest cost electricity in the world.
As an owner of the cooperative you have the right to determine how the
cooperative is operated. The cooperative is run by nine member who are
elected to be the Board of Directors by the other cooperative members.
Board members are always willing to listen to members and the issues they
raise. Each year the cooperative has an annual meeting where members are
invited. At these meetings the Board members are elected and operational
issues the Board has determined the members should decide are brought to a
vote. The meetings also give the member a chance to find out what has
happened with the cooperative the past year and what future issues are
being investigated.
We take pride in our cooperative--a grass-roots system of service started
by pioneers like those who settled in Adams and Franklin counties. Keeping
the cost of electricity affordable helps keep local businesses competitive,
while preserving our rural heritage and standard of living.
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