Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association

What Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association does

Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association (WH) is a member-owned, not-for-profit rural electric distribution cooperative founded in 1937 and headquartered in Rockford, Minnesota. It operates an exclusive franchised service territory across rural Wright County and western Hennepin County, delivering electricity to more than 61,000 electric accounts that are simultaneously its customers, owners, and ratepayers. WH is governed by an elected Board of Directors representing seven geographic districts, with Tim Sullivan serving as President and CEO and Susan Sorensen as CFO; subsidiary businesses (WH Security, WH Tree Services, WH Appliance Repair, and WHIRC) operate under a WH Holding intermediate entity.

The cooperative's core technology stack centers on electric distribution infrastructure augmented by demand-side programs. WH offers Energy-Saving Programs (ESPs) — Peak Shave Water Heating, Quick Cash Water Heating, Metered Water Heating, Dual Fuel Heating, Quick Cash ASHP, Ground Source Heat Pumps, and Time-of-Use EV Charging — that combine bill credits, capacity-based rebates (up to $1,950), and remote load control during defined peak windows. Member-facing technology consists of the Meridian Customer Portal for billing and the third-party white-labeled MyMeter platform (powered by Accelerated Innovations, LLC) for energy usage tracking and alerts. Commercial offerings extend to motor-control efficiency upgrades such as variable frequency drives (VFDs) and LED retrofits, exemplified by the City of Otsego wastewater treatment facility partnership.

WH's business model is a regulated cost-of-service cooperative: it purchases wholesale power primarily from Great River Energy and Basin Electric Power Cooperative, distributes it at rates approximately 8% below the local investor-owned utility Xcel Energy for typical residential usage, and returns operating margins to members as capital credits — over $46 million distributed in the past decade and $2.74 million returned during the 2025 holiday season. The cooperative maintains operating costs within the lowest 4% of U.S. electric cooperatives nationally and supplements electric operations with four non-electric subsidiaries (security, tree services, appliance repair, international resources). Community programs — Operation Round Up (which has awarded $5.6M+ since 1994 with ~90% member participation), $874,000+ in scholarships since 1988, and NRECA Youth Tour sponsorships — function as member-retention and goodwill mechanisms rather than revenue drivers.

Name

Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association

Legal name

Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association

Website

https://whe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association is a member-owned, not-for-profit rural electric distribution cooperative serving 61,000+ accounts in Minnesota's Wright and western Hennepin counties, providing electricity at cost-of-service alongside rebates, demand management programs, and community investment via capital credit refunds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Electric Distribution Cooperative

NAICS

Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112)

akta.pro primary industry

Demand Response & Load Flexibility Services (EUAMAJAF)

Keywords

• Electric power distribution
• Rural electric cooperative
• Demand response programs
• Energy efficiency rebates
• Member-owned utility

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: WH provides electricity at cost-of-service to member-owners. Revenue comes from electricity sales to residential, commercial, and industrial members. Margins from electric operations are returned to members as capital credits. The cooperative uses member capital to offset costs for construction and maintenance before returning remaining funds to member-owners.
2. Demand Management Programs: WH offers Energy-Saving Programs (ESPs) including Peak Shave Water Heating, Quick Cash Water Heating, Metered Water Heating, Dual Fuel Heating, Ground Source Heat Pumps, Air Source Heat Pumps, and EV Charging. Members receive bill credits and rebates in exchange for allowing load control during peak demand periods.
3. WH Holding Subsidiaries: Diversified non-electric businesses under WH Holding include WH Security (security services), WH Tree Services (professional tree care), WH Appliance Repair (appliance repair services), and WH Renewable Options. These provide additional revenue streams that support scholarships and community programs without impacting member electric rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Wright-Hennepin distributes electricity to more than 61,000 member-accounts across rural Wright County and western Hennepin County, Minnesota at cost-of-service. It supplements distribution with Energy-Saving Programs (water heating, space heating, ground source heat pumps, dual fuel, and EV time-of-use charging), rebate incentives, member-facing energy tracking via MyMeter, and a family of non-electric subsidiaries (WH Security, WH Tree Services, WH Appliance Repair, WHIRC). Margins are returned to member-owners as capital credits rather than retained as profit.

Product overview

Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association operates as a member-owned electric utility cooperative offering a comprehensive portfolio of energy programs and services. The core offering is electricity distribution to over 61,000 accounts in rural Wright County and western Hennepin County, Minnesota. The cooperative's Energy-Saving Programs (ESPs) include demand response offerings: Peak Shave Water Heating, Metered Water Heating, and Quick Cash Water Heating programs for water heating management; Quick Cash ASHP and Dual Fuel Heating for space heating/cooling; and an Electric Vehicle Charging Time-of-Use program. The Ground Source Heat Pump Program provides the highest-efficiency heating/cooling option. These programs are supported by member-facing technology portals including MyMeter (energy usage tracking) and the Meridian Customer Portal (billing). The cooperative also operates subsidiary businesses including WH Security, WH Tree Services, WH Appliance Repair, and WHIRC, offering security systems, professional tree care, appliance repair plans, and additional services respectively. All programs include rebate incentives and are designed to reduce peak demand, lower member costs, and support grid reliability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Peak Shave Water Heating Program An Energy-Saving Program for residential members in which WH temporarily controls electric water heaters during peak demand periods (typically 3 p.m.–10 p.m., up to 8 hours per day). Members receive a $5 monthly bill credit (requires 300 kWh minimum general service usage) and a $200 one-time rebate for new enrollments, plus annual savings of up to $60.
• Metered Water Heating Program A separately metered water heating program that charges electric water heaters only during off-peak hours at a reduced rate of $0.07750 per kWh. Members installing qualifying new water heaters receive rebates up to $500.
• Quick Cash Water Heating Program An off-peak water heating program providing a $10 monthly bill credit (requires 300 kWh minimum general service usage) plus rebates up to $1,250 for installing a qualifying 100-gallon electric water heater with a mixing valve. Water heaters charge between 10 p.m.–6 a.m. (October–April) or 10 p.m.–9 a.m. (May–September).
• Quick Cash Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) Program A demand response program for air source heat pumps providing $5 monthly bill credits (June–November) plus combined rebates up to $1,305 for qualifying systems. Heat pumps are cycled during summer peak periods and managed up to 12 hours in winter.
• Ground Source Heat Pump Program A program for residential members whose homes can meet 100% of heating and cooling needs via ground source heat pumps. Offers rebates up to $1,950 through the ECO rebate program ($325 per ton, up to 6 tons) and a reduced rate of $0.11000 per kWh, not subject to Power Cost Adjustment.
• Dual Fuel Heating Program A program combining electric heat as the primary source with a non-electric backup (propane or natural gas). Offers reduced electric rates of $0.07750 per kWh for space heating and rebates up to $800 for qualifying systems.
• Electric Vehicle Charging Program A Time-of-Use EV charging program for battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids offering rates of $0.07750/kWh off-peak (10 p.m.–5 a.m.), $0.14470/kWh shoulder (5 a.m.–5 p.m.), and $0.31770/kWh peak (5 p.m.–10 p.m.) effective May 1, 2026. Rebates up to $500 for BEV or $150 for PHEV with new Level 2 charging station installation.
• MyMeter Energy Tracking Platform A free white-labeled energy monitoring platform (powered by Accelerated Innovations, LLC) available to WH members. Allows tracking of electricity usage by month, day, or hour with temperature comparisons, customizable usage and outage alerts, and enrollment in the Energy Challenge savings goal feature.
• Meridian Customer Portal An online billing and account management portal enabling members to view and pay bills, set up recurring payments, manage account details, and access WH account services. Includes Quick Pay for one-time payments without logging in.
• WH Appliance Repair A wholly-owned subsidiary service offering repair plans and promotional offers to help members handle unexpected home appliance repairs, with special offers for new customers.
• WH Security A wholly-owned subsidiary offering home security systems and security cameras with video storage for WH members and the broader community.
• WH Tree Services A wholly-owned subsidiary providing professional tree care including trimming, removal, storm damage cleanup, and Emerald Ash Borer treatments. Licensed and insured crews serve WH members and the broader community.
• Commercial Energy Efficient Rebates Rebate incentives for commercial members covering lighting, HVAC, motor-control systems (such as variable frequency drives for pumps, blowers, and mixers), and other efficiency improvements that reduce overall energy consumption. VFD rebates alone can cut energy use by up to 60%.
• Residential Rebates Rebates for residential members for energy-efficient appliances and equipment, including electric water heaters, heat pumps, and EV charging stations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Operating costs in lowest 4% of the entire country
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Frontier EnergysupportingTechnology or Integration · 10 March 2026Energy efficiency affiliate that worked with WH and the City of Otsego on wastewater treatment facility modernization. Focuses on boosting energy efficiency and sustainability for residents and businesses.
• Great River EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025One of WH's wholesale power suppliers. Returning approximately $298,000 in capital credits to WH members based on energy purchased during 1996 and a portion of 1997. Part of WH's diversified power supply mix.
• Basin Electric Power CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025One of WH's wholesale power suppliers. Returning approximately $319,000 in capital credits to WH members based on energy purchased during 2008. Also awards annual scholarships to WH members.
• Touchstone EnergysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational cooperative alliance through which WH offers the Co-op Connections discount program to members. Provides access to exclusive local and national deals on shopping, dining, prescriptions, and travel.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization WH is affiliated with. Organizes the annual Youth Tour to Washington D.C., bringing together over 1,800 high school students from cooperatives nationwide. WH sponsors participants for this leadership opportunity.
• Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level organization co-sponsoring WH's Youth Tour program for high school juniors. Provides statewide coordination for cooperative youth leadership initiatives.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Connexus Energy: One of Minnesota's largest member-owned electric cooperatives, headquartered in Ramsey. Operates the same member-owned distribution model, demand-response programs, and community-investment practices as WH and competes for best-practice positioning among Twin Cities-area co-ops.
• Dakota Electric Association: Member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving Dakota County and parts of the south metro, Minnesota. Closely comparable co-op structure (board governance, capital credits, ESP programs) and similar operational scale within the same regional grid as WH.
• Great River Energy: Wholesale power supplier to Wright-Hennepin and a generation & transmission cooperative owned by its member distribution co-ops (including WH). Operates the same cooperative model and serves overlapping Minnesota membership, returning capital credits to WH members based on historical energy purchases.
• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Large generation & transmission cooperative serving rural electric cooperatives across multiple states, including as a wholesale power supplier to WH. Operates the same cooperative capitalization and patronage model, though upstream of WH rather than serving end-members directly.
• Stearns Electric Association: Member-owned distribution cooperative in central Minnesota operating under the same cooperative governance, ESP, and rebate framework as WH. Comparable rural service territory profile and co-op scale.
• East Central Energy: Minnesota distribution electric cooperative headquartered in Cambridge and a fellow Great River Energy member. Mirrors WH's co-op governance, ESP portfolio, and capital-credit model across a comparable rural Minnesota territory.
• Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association: Small Minnesota electric cooperative serving Meeker County and adjacent areas. Uses the same NRECA-aligned co-op model with demand-response programs and capital-credit refunds — a smaller-scale analog of WH's rural operating playbook.
• Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative: Distribution cooperative serving the southwest Twin Cities metro. Operates under the same cooperative-owner model, with analogous energy-saving programs and subsidiary diversification, competing indirectly for best-in-class co-op benchmarks in Minnesota.
• Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric: Member-owned electric cooperative serving Steele and Waseca counties in southern Minnesota. Run on the same NRECA-aligned cooperative framework as WH, with comparable demand-response and rebate programs.

Broad incumbents

• Xcel Energy: Investor-owned utility that serves as WH's primary rate benchmark — WH markets itself as ~8% cheaper for typical residential usage. As a regulated IOU with a much broader multi-state service area, it is the main competitive and rate-comparison reference point for WH's go-to-market positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WrightHennepin
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WrightHennepin
• Facebookfacebook.com/WrightHennepin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wright-hennepin-cea
• Instagraminstagram.com/wrighthennepin

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association