Grand Electric Cooperative

What Grand Electric Cooperative does

Grand Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a member-owned nonprofit rural electric distribution cooperative headquartered in Bison, South Dakota, founded in 1946 (as the Upper Grand River Electric Association) and operating under its current name since January 9, 1950. The cooperative distributes electricity across nearly 8,000–10,000 square miles of northwestern South Dakota — covering Butte, Corson, Harding, Meade, Perkins, and Ziebach counties and part of Carter County, Montana — through approximately 3,885 energized miles of owned distribution infrastructure and substations including J.R. Riedy (1982) and Bowman (1989). Members include residential households, farms and ranches, commercial establishments (churches, schools, fire halls, community/township halls), and industrial customers such as oil-field compressor operators. Governance is democratic: a nine-member Board of Directors elected from member districts on one-member-one-vote principles, with profits allocated to members as capital credits consistent with the seven cooperative principles.

The core product is electricity distribution, sourced from Basin Electric Power Cooperative and the federal Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and delivered via a digital Automated Metering Infrastructure (smart meters deployed system-wide by late 2014) that records hourly/daily consumption, transmits data back to co-op computers, and supports outage mapping (grandelectric.outagemap.coop). Ancillary revenue and member services include appliance sales/delivery/installation, heating and cooling equipment, low-wattage water heaters (with a $60 member rebate), GENERAC standby generators, licensed residential and commercial wiring, GENERAC and HVAC offerings, and a Member Loan Program that finances these purchases at 6% interest (up to 3 years under $5,000; up to 5 years over $5,000, with 20% down). Specialized seasonal rates — Electric Heat Rate (1.0–1.25¢/kWh discount Oct–Apr) and Dual Fuel (1.4–1.65¢/kWh discount) — support cold-climate residential and commercial heating load.

The business model is a cost-recovery cooperative: usage-based electricity billing, hardware sales of appliances and generators, professional services from in-house licensed electricians, and a managed lending program that recycles capital back into member financing. Customer engagement is multi-channel — SmartHub web portal and iOS/Android mobile app, in-person at Bison HQ and the Buffalo outpost office, phone (including 24/7 outage reporting and pay-by-phone), Facebook, Twitter, Cooperative Connections magazine, and an annual member meeting each June. Community programs (Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., Youth Excursion, Operation Round-Up charitable fund, multiple scholarships) reinforce member loyalty and align with NRECA, SDREA, and Touchstone Energy network membership. The cooperative received an $11,680,000 USDA award in December 2024 to support rural electric infrastructure investment, and it celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2025.

Name

Grand Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Grand Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://grandelectric.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Member-owned rural electric cooperative headquartered in Bison, South Dakota, distributing electricity across nearly 8,000 square miles of northwestern South Dakota and part of Montana through 3,885 energized miles, serving residential, farm, commercial, and oil-and-gas customers with related appliance, wiring, and financing services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Demand Response & Load Flexibility Services (EUAMAJAF)

Keywords

• Rural electric distribution
• Electric utility services
• Member-owned cooperative
• Smart meter infrastructure
• Appliance sales installation

Headquarters

HQ city

Bison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Distribution Services: Grand Electric generates revenue through electricity distribution to residential, farm, commercial, and industrial customers within its service territory. Members pay for electricity consumption based on metered usage with various rate options including standard rates, electric heat rates, and dual fuel rates. The cooperative operates as a non-profit entity where revenues beyond operating costs are allocated back to members.
2. Member Loan Program: Financing program for members to finance appliances, heating/cooling systems, or wiring projects. Loans under $5,000 at 6% interest with up to 3-year terms; loans over $5,000 at 6% interest with up to 5-year terms. Both require 20% down payment.
3. Appliance Sales, Delivery, and Installation: Sale, delivery, and installation of appliances including refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, washers, dryers, and ovens. Service available throughout service territory.
4. Wiring Services: Licensed electricians provide residential and commercial wiring, wiring inspection, underground secondary installation, and house/barn wiring services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Grand Electric Cooperative is a member-owned rural electric utility that distributes electricity across approximately 8,000-10,000 square miles of northwestern South Dakota and part of Montana. It operates 3,885 energized miles of line infrastructure serving residential, farm, commercial, and industrial (oil/gas) members. Beyond core electricity distribution, the cooperative sells and installs appliances, heating/cooling equipment, water heaters, GENERAC generators, and provides licensed residential and commercial wiring services with member financing.

Product overview

Grand Electric Cooperative is a member-owned rural electric utility providing electricity distribution across nearly 8,000 square miles of Northwestern South Dakota. The cooperative offers a comprehensive suite of energy and related services including electricity distribution as the core product, supplemented by appliance sales with delivery and installation, heating and cooling equipment, water heaters with rebates, licensed wiring services, GENERAC backup generators, smart meter infrastructure for automated meter reading and outage detection, the SmartHub online account management platform, and an Outage Center with real-time mapping. The cooperative also provides specialized rate programs including Electric Heat Rate and Dual Fuel options, financing through a Member Loan Program, community programs such as Operation Round-Up charitable giving, and educational initiatives including Youth Tour and Youth Excursion programs. Safety services include downed power line guidance, Call Before You Dig coordination, and home electrical safety checklists. All services are delivered through the cooperative's Touchstone Energy network affiliation with a focus on member-owned community service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Touchstone Energy Cooperatives: Grand Electric is a member of Touchstone Energy Cooperative, a national network of electric cooperatives providing resources and partnerships to member cooperatives.

Products and services

• Electricity Distribution Core electric power distribution service providing dependable electricity across approximately 8,000-10,000 square miles of Northwestern South Dakota and part of Montana, covering 3,885 energized miles across 7+ counties for residential, farm, commercial, and industrial members.
• Appliance Sales, Delivery & Installation Full-service appliance department selling, delivering, and installing refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, washers, dryers, and ovens throughout the cooperative's service territory.
• Heating & Cooling Equipment Sale, delivery, and installation of heating and cooling systems including central HVAC, window units, electric space heating, air-to-air heat pumps, and under-slab floor heating.
• Water Heaters Low-cost water heaters with reduced-wattage elements offered to members, with a $60 rebate on qualifying purchases.
• Wiring Department Services Licensed electricians provide residential and commercial wiring services, wiring inspections, underground secondary installation, and house/barn wiring throughout the service territory.
• GENERAC Generators Sales of Generac backup power generators for residential and commercial standby power needs.
• Member Loan Program Financing program enabling members to finance appliances, heating/cooling systems, or wiring projects. Loans under $5,000 require 20% down at 6% interest up to 3-year terms; loans over $5,000 require 20% down at 6% interest up to 5-year terms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Electric heat rate discount of 1.25 cents per kWh for farm/residential (Oct-Apr) and 1.65 cents per kWh for duel fuel
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• West River Cooperative Telephone CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-marketing and community partnership relationship. Jointly sponsor the Peacock Memorial Scholarship. West River Telephone Company shares staff resources with Grand Electric (email contact [email protected]).
• South Dakota Rural Electric Association (SDREA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level association representing electric cooperatives in South Dakota. Co-sponsor of Youth Excursion program for high school students. Provides statewide outage mapping and cooperative coordination.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association representing electric cooperatives. Manages the annual Youth Tour to Washington D.C. since 1963. Provides resources, advocacy, and educational programs for member cooperatives.
• Basin Electric Power CooperativecoreTechnology or IntegrationPower supply partner providing electricity generation and transmission. Co-sponsor of Basin Electric/Grand Electric Scholarship ($1,250 each, two available). Major power supplier for the cooperative.
• Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)coreTechnology or IntegrationFederal power marketing administration providing electricity from federal hydroelectric projects. Part of the power supply infrastructure for Grand Electric Cooperative.
• Touchstone Energy CooperativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational brand identity network of electric cooperatives. Provides resources, partnerships, and marketing support. National network of 700+ local systems serving 30+ million member-owners. Grand Electric displays Touchstone Energy branding.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Wholesale power supplier and generation-and-transmission cooperative providing the bulk of Grand Electric's electricity. Not a competitor but a critical counterparty and scholarship/strategic partner that anchors Grand Electric's economics.

Direct peers

• East River Electric Power Cooperative: Generation-and-transmission cooperative based in Madison, South Dakota, supplying wholesale power to distribution coops including those in Grand Electric's region. Direct institutional peer within the same SD cooperative ecosystem.
• FEM Electric Association: Member-owned electric cooperative serving parts of northwestern South Dakota. Highly comparable in customer base (ranching, farming, oil/gas) and as a fellow SDREA/Touchstone Energy member.
• Charles Mix Electric Association: South Dakota rural electric distribution cooperative with similar member-owned structure, Touchstone Energy affiliation, and rural/agricultural load profile.
• Rosebud Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving a rural South Dakota/Nebraska border service territory. Comparable cooperative structure, scale, and rural customer mix.
• Butte Electric Cooperative: Rural electric distribution cooperative headquartered in Nisland, South Dakota, serving parts of the same northwestern South Dakota region. Directly comparable size, member-owned structure, and rural/farm/oilfield customer base.
• West River Electric Cooperative: Member-owned rural electric distribution cooperative based in Wall, South Dakota, serving adjacent territory in western South Dakota. Closest analog by structure, geography, customer mix (ranch/farm/oilfield), and Touchstone Energy affiliation.
• Black Hills Electric Cooperative: Electric distribution cooperative serving parts of western South Dakota including the Black Hills region. Direct peer on business model (member-owned distribution), geography, and Touchstone Energy branding.

Broad incumbents

• Black Hills Energy: Investor-owned utility serving electric and natural gas customers across South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska. Overlaps with Grand Electric's broader South Dakota operating environment but is a much larger, for-profit IOU with a multi-state portfolio.
• NorthWestern Energy: Regulated electric and natural gas utility serving the Montana portion of Grand Electric's service territory (Carter County) as well as broader Montana/South Dakota/Nebraska. Larger IOU peer with overlapping regional footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/grandelectricco
• Facebookfacebook.com/GECBison
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grand-electric-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Grand Electric Cooperative