Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative

What Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative does

Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative (VVEC) is a member-owned, non-profit electric distribution cooperative founded in 1937 and headquartered in Collinsville, Oklahoma. It serves more than 35,000 meters across 4,700+ miles of distribution line spanning five northeastern Oklahoma counties (Nowata, Osage, Rogers, Tulsa, and Washington), making it Oklahoma's third largest electric cooperative. The cooperative provides residential, commercial, industrial (including specialized oil well pumping service), and municipal lighting services to its member-owners, with policy set by a nine-member board of trustees elected at district meetings on a rotating three-year cycle.

VVEC's core technology is the Two-Way Automated Communication System (TWACS) smart metering platform, which transmits hourly usage data, outage signals, and remote connect/disconnect commands over existing power lines rather than cellular or radio frequencies. Members interact with the cooperative through the SmartHub web and mobile application (for usage monitoring, bill payment, and outage reporting), the Pay-As-You-Go pre-pay program, an Average Monthly Payment (AMP) bill-smoothing option, and a network of PaySite kiosks distributed across the service territory. Value-added offerings include Meter-Treater surge protection hardware, Energy Star rebates on heat pumps and smart thermostats, $50 home energy audits, net metering for distributed solar, and the Touchstone Energy Co-op Connections discount program providing up to 60% prescription savings at 48,000+ pharmacies.

VVEC's revenue is generated primarily through tiered subscription-based electricity tariffs differentiated by customer class (residential standard/urban, commercial small/large, oil well pumping, municipal street lighting) with winter/summer rate variations and demand charges for large commercial accounts. As a non-profit cooperative, any annual margins are returned to members as Capital Credits. Non-electricity revenue streams include surge protector hardware sales, energy audit fees, and kiosk transaction fees. The cooperative operates from a Collinsville headquarters supplemented by warehouse and maintenance facilities in Nowata and Bartlesville, with a workforce of approximately 90 employees.

Name

Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc

Website

https://vvec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, non-profit rural electric cooperative founded in 1937 that distributes electricity to 35,000+ meters across five northeastern Oklahoma counties through 4,700+ miles of line, offering residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal lighting service with TWACS smart metering and member programs including SmartHub, Pay-As-You-Go, and Capital Credits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Electric Cooperative Distribution

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Distribution Network O&M (MV/LV Lines, Switchgear, Transformers) (EUAEAGAE)

Keywords

• Rural electric distribution
• Electric cooperative service
• Residential electricity supply
• Smart meter management
• Energy efficiency rebates

Headquarters

HQ city

Collinsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Residential Electric Service: Residential electricity distribution service with tiered rate schedules based on winter/summer usage. Includes customer charges and per-kWh energy charges. Winter rates apply November through April; summer rates apply May through October with higher rates for usage above 2,000 kWh.
2. Commercial Electric Service: General service rates for small, urban, and large commercial accounts. Large commercial accounts include demand charges per kW and tiered energy charges based on kWh per billing demand.
3. Oil Well Pumping Service: Specialized commercial rate for oil well pumping operations with tiered energy charges.
4. Security and Street Lighting Service: Monthly lighting service charges for residential security lighting and municipal street lighting, both cooperative-owned/maintained and customer-owned/maintained options.
5. Surge Protection Device Sales and Installation: VVEC sells and installs Meter-Treater brand surge protectors at the electric meter. Pricing varies by service amperage (200 Amp: $172, 400 Amp: $250) with $25 installation fee for existing services.
6. Energy Efficiency Rebates: VVEC offers rebates on Energy Star certified products including heat pump water heaters (up to $750), mini-split heat pumps ($150/unit), smart thermostats (up to $50), ground-source heat pumps ($150-300/ton), and air source heat pumps ($300-500/ton). Rebates incentivize energy-efficient upgrades among members.
7. Home Energy Audits: Walk-thru energy audits conducted by trained auditors at a cost of $50 per audit, identifying energy inefficiencies and providing cost-saving recommendations.
8. Pay-As-You-Go Pre-Pay Electricity: Pre-pay electricity program allowing members to pay in advance for electricity. Members can purchase power as frequently as desired via cash, check, credit, or debit card. Includes credit balance alerts and automatic service disconnection when credit reaches zero.
9. Capital Credits: As a non-profit cooperative, VVEC returns margins to members as Capital Credits. Each member's share of annual margins is allocated based on total billing and added to their capital credit account. Credits are returned to members when financial conditions allow.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

VVEC distributes electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial consumers across five northeastern Oklahoma counties through more than 4,700 miles of line serving 35,000+ meters. The cooperative supplements distribution with smart metering, prepaid and average-payment billing options, energy efficiency rebates, home energy audits, surge protection devices, net metering for solar, and member benefit programs such as Co-op Connections discounts.

Product overview

Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative (VVEC) operates as a rural electric utility providing residential, commercial, and industrial electric service across five Oklahoma counties, serving over 35,000 meters through 4,700+ miles of power lines. The cooperative offers a portfolio of products and services centered on its core electricity delivery, supplemented by digital account management via SmartHub (web and mobile app), prepaid electricity via Pay-As-You-Go, and bill smoothing via the Average Monthly Payment program. Member benefits include the Co-op Connections discount card, Energy Star rebates on heat pumps/water heaters/thermostats, home energy audits, and surge protection devices. The cooperative also facilitates solar interconnection through net metering, provides EV information resources, and operates community programs including YouthPower Energy Camp, Washington Youth Tour, Adopt-A-School grants, and Rural Fire Department grants. All offerings are delivered through a Touchstone Energy cooperative network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Electric Service Tiered residential electricity distribution with seasonal winter/summer rates and per-kWh energy charges plus monthly customer charges, available to VVEC member-owners across the service territory.
• Commercial Electric Service General service electric rates for small, urban, and large commercial accounts, including single-phase and three-phase options with demand charges per kW and tiered energy charges for large commercial customers.
• Oil Well Pumping Electric Service Specialized commercial rate schedule for oil well pumping operations with tiered energy charges structured by kWh per billing demand.
• Security and Street Lighting Service Monthly lighting service charges for residential security lighting and municipal street lighting, with cooperative-owned/maintained and customer-owned/maintained options and per-lamp pricing.
• Pay-As-You-Go Pre-Pay Electricity Program Prepay electricity program allowing members to pay for electricity in advance via cash, check, credit, or debit card, monitor balance online or by phone, receive low-balance alerts, and avoid monthly bills and deposits.
• Average Monthly Payment (AMP) Program Voluntary residential billing program that averages a member's usage over the current month plus the past 11 months to produce consistent monthly bills and avoid seasonal usage spikes.
• SmartHub Account Management Platform Web and mobile application enabling members to check daily and monthly electric usage, pay bills, view news feed, contact the office, and report service interruptions, with email and text notifications for payments due and scheduled outages.
• PayHub (PayNow) Quick Payment Portal One-time bill payment portal allowing members to pay electric bills by check or credit card using only their account number and name, without requiring login or registration.
• Energy Star Rebates Program Rebate program for Energy Star certified products including heat pump water heaters (up to $750), mini-split heat pumps ($150/unit), smart thermostats (up to $50), ground-source heat pumps ($150-$300/ton), and air source heat pumps ($300-$500/ton).
• Home Energy Audits Walk-thru energy audits conducted by trained auditors at $50 per audit, identifying energy inefficiencies with infrared camera testing, air leak inspection, HVAC filter check, duct inspection, water heater check, attic insulation inspection, and crawl space/basement evaluation.
• Meter-Treater Surge Protection Devices Meter-mounted Meter-Treater brand surge protectors sold and installed by VVEC to protect entire homes from power surges, priced at $172 for 200 Amp service and $250 for 400 Amp service with a $25 installation fee on existing services and a 15-year manufacturer warranty.
• Net Metering / Solar Interconnection Net metering program for distributed generation solar facilities 25 kW and smaller, allowing members to receive bill credits for excess energy sent back to the grid at the cooperative's avoided cost rate.
• Co-op Connections Member Discount Card Free member discount card providing up to 60% prescription discounts at 48,000+ pharmacies including CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Target, plus 20% average hotel savings at 400,000+ locations worldwide and cash back at 2,000+ online retailers.
• Washington Youth Tour Annual week-long all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. for selected high school juniors, involving electric cooperative education, government exposure, historical site tours, and leadership development through an essay contest.
• YouthPower Energy Camp Annual leadership camp held each May at Camp Canyon near Hinton for seventh-grade essay contest winners, featuring safety demonstrations, utility truck rides, pole climbing, cooperative education, and outdoor team-building activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Oklahoma's third largest electric cooperative
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOAEC assists Oklahoma electric cooperatives in collectively addressing challenges that cannot be economically or politically addressed alone. OAEC provides legislative representation, collective advocacy, and coordination for state-level initiatives. VVEC works with OAEC to stay informed on proposed legislation and engage with elected officials.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRECA is the national organization representing the interests of electric cooperatives and their member-consumers. It coordinates the Washington Youth Tour program, provides trustee education and certification (Credentialed Cooperative Director, Board Leadership), legislative advocacy, and news on national issues affecting rural electric utilities.
• KAMO PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKAMO Power is VVEC's wholesale power supplier (generation and transmission cooperative). VVEC's District 4 representative serves on KAMO Power's board of directors. KAMO provides interconnection guidelines and manuals for distributed generation (solar) integration.
• Touchstone Energy CooperativescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTouchstone Energy is the national brand identity for electric cooperatives. The network includes 700+ local systems serving 30.5 million member-owners. Touchstone Energy cooperatives uphold integrity, accountability, innovation, and commitment to community. VVEC displays the Touchstone Energy logo as part of its cooperative identity and members access national Co-op Connections benefits through this network.
• Co-op Connections Participating BusinessesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-op Connections program provides member discounts at participating local and national businesses. National pharmacy partners include CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Target with discounts up to 60% at 48,000+ locations. Hotel savings program offers 20% average savings at 400,000+ locations worldwide. Online cash-back shopping at 2,000+ retailers with up to 20% returns.
• Oklahoma Living MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOklahoma Living magazine publishes VVEC's monthly Line Life newsletter as an insert, extending reach to readers across Oklahoma's cooperative community.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVVEC partners with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to provide free age-appropriate books monthly to children ages 0-5 in VVEC's service territory. Enrolled children receive books by mail until their 5th birthday, starting with The Little Engine That Could.
• Rural and Volunteer Fire DepartmentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVVEC partners with rural and volunteer fire departments in its service territory, allowing members to pay fire dues on their monthly electric bill. VVEC collects and remits dues monthly to fire departments, reducing billing costs for departments. The program also includes emergency medical service (ambulance) dues in some areas.
• Call 811 (Oklahoma One-Call System)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVVEC participates in Oklahoma's Call 811 program, which is required by state law for anyone planning to dig. Members must contact Call 811 at least two working days before digging to prevent damage to underground utilities and ensure safety.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E): Investor-owned regulated utility serving Oklahoma and Arkansas, including substantial portions of the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metros. Largest IOU in Oklahoma and broader incumbent competitor with generation, transmission, and distribution capabilities.
• Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO): Investor-owned utility subsidiary of American Electric Power serving eastern Oklahoma including portions of the Tulsa area. Competes with VVEC in overlapping geographies and serves as the regulated IOU benchmark for rates and service offerings.

Direct peers

• KAMO Power: Generation and transmission cooperative that supplies wholesale power to VVEC and other Oklahoma distribution cooperatives. Operates as upstream peer in the cooperative value chain, providing generation, transmission, and shared services to distribution members.
• Indian Electric Cooperative: Oklahoma electric cooperative serving Pawnee, Payne, and surrounding counties. Adjacent service territory with comparable rural distribution utility model, member-owned structure, and rate design.
• East Central Electric Cooperative: Oklahoma electric cooperative serving Okmulgee and surrounding counties. Direct peer in distribution operations, member governance, and cooperative economics with comparable service territory and customer base.
• Cimarron Electric Cooperative: Oklahoma electric cooperative serving Kingfisher and surrounding counties with traditional distribution utility services. Comparable member-owned model, residential/commercial rate structures, and Touchstone Energy affiliation.
• People's Electric Cooperative: Oklahoma electric cooperative serving Love, Carter, and surrounding counties. Comparable cooperative distribution model with residential, commercial, and industrial electric service and similar member benefit programs.
• Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative: Neighbor electric cooperative serving Ottawa, Delaware, Craig, Mayes, and other northeastern Oklahoma counties. Comparable member-owned distribution utility with overlapping territory and similar Touchstone Energy affiliation.
• Cotton Electric Cooperative: Oklahoma electric cooperative serving members across south-central Oklahoma with residential, commercial, and industrial electric service. Comparable cooperative structure, distribution operations, and member-focused business model.

Regional players

• Town of Collinsville Municipal Utility: Municipal electric utility operating within VVEC's service territory, including the city of Collinsville. Smaller-scale distribution peer providing direct competition in embedded areas and operating under municipal rather than cooperative governance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VerdigrisValleyElectric
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verdigris-valley-electric-cooperative-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative