MiEnergy

What MiEnergy does

MiEnergy Cooperative is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving residential, agricultural, and commercial members across southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa, operating from its Rushford, MN headquarters and a Cresco, IA satellite office. Formed in 2017 through the merger of Hawkeye REC and Tri-County Electric Cooperative, the cooperative traces its institutional roots to the 1936 Rural Electrification Act and operates 43 substations across its regulated service territory. Its core product is electricity distribution, with a 37% renewable energy mix supplied via community solar arrays, 9 MW of member-owned solar under a 25-year PPA with OneEnergy Renewables, and wholesale generation sourced from Dairyland Power Cooperative.

The cooperative runs a platform-plus-programs model layered on top of its core electric service. Member-facing digital infrastructure includes the SmartHub portal and mobile app for account management, bill payment, and outage reporting. Adjacent programs include demand response (Summer Shift, Time-of-Use Rate, Energy Management load control), renewable subscriptions (Evergreen, Community Solar, Member Owned Generation), a five-year residential battery storage pilot, EV charging infrastructure through partnerships with ZEF Energy and CHARGE EV, and energy efficiency rebates. Broadband and telephone service are delivered through jointly controlled subsidiaries MiBroadband LLC and Harmony Telephone Company, partnerships with two telephone cooperatives that have secured over $20 million in federal and state grants.

MiEnergy generates revenue primarily through cost-of-service electricity sales to its 7,500+ member service connections, with broadband subscription revenue from MiBroadband as a secondary stream. As a cooperative, excess revenue is returned to members as capital credits. Distribution is exclusively through its regulated franchise territory and physical electric infrastructure, with member acquisition occurring organically through community expansion rather than active sales. The cooperative's business model is characteristic of the U.S. rural electric cooperative sector: regulated returns, member-owned governance, community reinvestment via Operation Round Up and scholarship programs, and incremental diversification into adjacent infrastructure services such as broadband and EV charging.

Name

MiEnergy

Legal name

MiEnergy Cooperative

Website

https://mienergy.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

MiEnergy Cooperative is a member-owned rural electric distribution cooperative serving approximately 7,500 residential, agricultural, and commercial members across southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa, with adjacent broadband, solar, and EV charging programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Distribution Utilities

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Electric Power Distribution (221122), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Power Generation (22111)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Cooperatives (Rural/Member-Owned Utilities) (EUADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD), Demand Response & Load Flexibility Services (EUAMAJAF), Community Microgrids (Neighborhood, Municipal, Cooperative) (EUAFAJAC), Resilience & Backup Power Solutions (Critical Facilities, Islanding) (EUAMAJAK)

Keywords

• Electric distribution services
• Rural electric cooperative
• Renewable energy programs
• Demand response programs
• Broadband internet services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rushford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Service Revenue: As a member-owned electric cooperative, MiEnergy generates revenue through electricity sales to its members. The cooperative operates on a cost-of-service basis, returning any excess revenue to members as capital credits. Members pay for electricity service based on usage rates.
2. Broadband Services: Through MiBroadband LLC partnership, the cooperative provides fixed wireless internet service to rural areas, generating revenue from broadband subscriptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MiEnergy Cooperative is a member-owned electric distribution utility providing electricity to residential, agricultural, and commercial members across southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa. The cooperative operates power lines, substations, and smart grid infrastructure, and supplements its core electric service with broadband internet (MiBroadband), renewable energy programs (Community Solar, Member Owned Generation, Evergreen), demand response programs (Summer Shift, Time-of-Use Rate, Energy Management), EV charging infrastructure, efficiency rebates, and a residential battery storage pilot.

Product overview

MiEnergy is an electric distribution cooperative serving southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa. The company's core offering is electricity distribution service to residential, agricultural, and commercial members. The cooperative operates on a platform-plus-programs model, where the core Electric Service is enhanced by member programs including SmartHub (account management portal), demand response programs (Summer Shift, Time-of-Use Rate, Energy Management), renewable energy options (Evergreen, Community Solar, Member Owned Generation Solar, Residential Battery Pilot), efficiency incentives (Rebates, Water Heaters), and EV charging infrastructure. The cooperative also offers community programs (Operation Round Up, Youth Tour, Scholarships) and has launched broadband subsidiaries (MiBroadband, Harmony Telephone Company) to address rural connectivity needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electric Service Core electricity distribution service providing power to residential, agricultural, and commercial members across southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa.
• MiBroadband Broadband internet service providing fixed wireless internet connectivity to rural and underserved areas within MiEnergy's service territory.
• Harmony Telephone Company Telephone and broadband company jointly owned by cooperatives, providing fiber-to-premises service and broadband connectivity to rural communities.
• Summer Shift Voluntary demand response program encouraging members to shift electricity usage from peak afternoon hours to evening hours to help keep electric rates affordable.
• Time-of-Use Rate Pricing structure with different rates for electricity during peak versus off-peak hours, allowing members to save by shifting usage to lower-cost periods.
• Energy Management Load management programs for air conditioning, irrigation, dairy water heaters, and standby generators to manage peak demand and reduce costs for members.
• Evergreen Renewable energy program allowing members to support local renewable generation without installing their own system by purchasing blocks of renewable energy.
• Community Solar Solar energy program allowing members to subscribe to a portion of a community solar array and receive bill credits for the power generated.
• Member Owned Generation (Solar) Program enabling members to install solar panels on their property, with the cooperative purchasing excess generation through net metering.
• Residential Battery Pilot

Quantifiable outcome

• 37% renewable energy mix achieved through solar generation and member-owned systems
• +4 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OneEnergy RenewablescoreTechnology or Integration · 25 October 2021Power purchase agreement for up to nine megawatts of electricity generated by solar arrays in Rushford Village, Fountain, Lanesboro and Stockton for 25 years. Sites generate enough electricity to power approximately 1,900 homes.
• CHARGE EV LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 January 2021Electric vehicle focused group created by 29 community-owned electric cooperatives including MiEnergy to invest in EV-focused companies and build national EV charging network. chargEV invested in ZEF Energy.
• Harmony Telephone CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 January 2020MiEnergy is an owner of Harmony Telephone Company along with Mabel Cooperative Telephone Company and Spring Grove Communications. Harmony Telephone received a $5.4 million USDA ReConnect Program award (loan-grant combination) to construct fiber-to-premises network connecting 577 households, a health center, and critical community facilities.
• ENGIE North AmericacoreTechnology or Integration · 30 October 2019Owns and operates Madison Solar Site, a 1.5-megawatt solar energy array located south of Highway 9 between Ridgeway and Decorah. Dairyland Power has PPA for full output. Covers 11 acres with tracking system following sun's path.
• MiBroadband LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Joint venture with Mabel Cooperative Telephone Company and Spring Grove Communications to provide fixed wireless broadband to rural underserved areas of MiEnergy's service territory. Has been awarded over $20 million in grants and loans for fiber installation projects.
• Dairyland Power CooperativecoreTechnology or IntegrationWholesale power supplier for MiEnergy. Recently updated contract policies to allow distribution cooperatives to purchase up to 10% of system demand from other sources. Part of MISO regional transmission organization.
• Mabel Cooperative Telephone CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Harmony Telephone Company and MiBroadband LLC joint venture to bring broadband service to rural areas.
• Spring Grove CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Harmony Telephone Company and MiBroadband LLC joint venture to bring broadband service to rural areas.
• Whitewater Travel PlazaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal business at St. Charles, MN (Interstate 90) hosting EV charging hub owned and maintained by ZEF Energy with infrastructure support from MiEnergy.
• Allamakee-Clayton Electric CooperativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with MiEnergy to help Sunflower Child Development Center secure $1.86 million in USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program funding.
• American Red CrossminorOthersRegular blood drive host at MiEnergy offices for community blood donations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Large generation-and-transmission cooperative serving member co-ops across the Upper Midwest and West; comparable as a wholesale power supplier model and benchmark for how MiEnergy's future G&T relationships might evolve.
• Dairyland Power Cooperative: Wholesale generation and transmission cooperative that supplies MiEnergy's power and co-invests in renewable generation; comparable as a Touchstone Energy-affiliated cooperative serving rural Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois with similar member-owned governance.

Direct peers

• Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services: Southern Minnesota electric distribution cooperative with comparable rural farm territory, cost-of-service ratemaking, and demand response/load control programs — directly comparable in scale, member mix, and operational profile.
• People's Energy Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative in southeastern Minnesota offering nearly identical services (electric distribution, broadband, demand response, community solar) to an overlapping rural footprint.
• Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative: Adjacent rural electric distribution cooperative in northeastern Iowa that has partnered with MiEnergy on USDA grant pursuits; same member-owned model, similar agricultural member base, and overlapping Dairyland Power supply — a directly comparable distribution co-op peer.
• Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative: Minnesota-based rural electric distribution cooperative with similar agricultural member profile, load management programs, and renewable offerings; a strong like-for-like comparison on operations and member services.
• Heartland Power Cooperative: Rural electric cooperative serving north-central Iowa and southern Minnesota with similar member-owned structure, agricultural load profile, and community-focused programs — a near-direct peer in geography and business model.

Others

• Touchstone Energy Cooperatives: National brand and services alliance for U.S. electric cooperatives that MiEnergy participates in; comparable as a peer network and shared-services platform rather than a direct competitor.
• Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange: Insurance and risk-management provider specifically serving U.S. electric cooperatives; comparable as an ecosystem participant supporting the cooperative utility model and a useful benchmark for risk-pricing in the segment.
• MiEnergy Cooperative (predecessor) Tri-County Electric Cooperative: One of the two predecessor cooperatives (Tri-County Electric, Rushford) that merged into MiEnergy in 2017; included as a heritage reference point and to highlight how the merged entity compares to its prior standalone scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/mienergy
• Xx.com/mienergycoop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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 MiEnergy