Vernon Electric Cooperative

Name

Vernon Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Vernon Electric Cooperative

Website

https://vernonelectric.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Electric Distribution

NAICS

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

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Electric Distribution System Owners (Wires-Only Companies) (EUADABAI), Demand Response & Load Flexibility Services (EUAMAJAF)

Keywords

• Rural electric distribution
• Electricity distribution services
• Community solar programs
• Energy efficiency rebates
• Member-owned cooperative utility

Headquarters

HQ city

Westby

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: Residential and commercial electricity sales based on kWh consumption with facility charges. Rates vary by season (summer vs winter) and usage tier (first 1,500 kWh vs excess). Revenue also includes power cost adjustments based on wholesale power costs from Dairyland Power Cooperative.
2. Facility Charges: Monthly facility charges that cover fixed costs of distribution infrastructure. Different rates apply for residential ($45.50/month), Readstown ($37.75/month), and three-phase commercial ($81.50/month).
3. Capital Credits: As a not-for-profit cooperative, margins are allocated back to members as capital credits in proportion to electricity purchased. These may be distributed annually or retained for cooperative financing.
4. Community Solar Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions to community solar arrays at $50.00 per subscription, with energy credits provided at 7 cents/kWh (summer) or 5.2 cents/kWh (winter).
5. EV Charging: EV charging program with monthly facility charge ($5.00/month) and time-of-use rates ranging from 5.7 cents/kWh (super off-peak) to 25 cents/kWh (on-peak).
6. Energy Efficiency Programs: Evergreen renewable energy program at $0.65 per month per 100 kWh block, plus various rebate programs for energy-efficient appliances, HVAC, lighting, and agricultural equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Vernon Electric Cooperative distributes electricity and provides complementary energy services to approximately 10,000 member-owners across rural Southwest Wisconsin. The cooperative operates a member-owned, not-for-profit distribution network with tiered kWh rate schedules, monthly facility charges, community solar subscriptions, EV charging, energy efficiency rebates, dual-fuel and storage heat load management programs, and dairy farm rewiring financing.

Product overview

Vernon Electric Cooperative operates as a not-for-profit rural electric utility providing electricity and related services to approximately 10,000 members in Southwest Wisconsin. The cooperative offers a unified portfolio of utility services anchored by electricity distribution, with complementary member programs including SmartHub member portal for account management and bill payment. Renewable energy offerings include two community solar programs (Westby Community Solar Farm and Bluff Prairie Community Solar Farm), the Evergreen renewable energy subscription program, and a distributed generation program for member-owned renewable systems. The cooperative provides energy efficiency support through rebate programs, the Dairy Farm Rewiring Program, and energy auditing services. EV charging infrastructure includes Level 2 and Level 3 chargers with time-of-use rates. Load management programs (Dual Fuel and Storage Heat/EV Charging) help manage grid demand during peak periods. Community programs include Operation Round Up charitable giving, scholarship programs, and Youth Leadership Conference participation. Capital credits are returned annually to members based on electricity purchases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electric Utility Distribution Electricity distribution to approximately 10,000 members in Southwest Wisconsin, covering Vernon County and parts of La Crosse, Monroe, Juneau, Sauk, Richland, and Crawford Counties plus the Village of Readstown.
• SmartHub Member Portal Online and mobile member portal (developed by NISC) enabling members to access accounts, pay bills, view usage history by year/month/day/hour, set up automatic payments, and receive outage notifications via text, email, or phone.
• Westby Community Solar Farm 305 kW community-owned solar array with 1,001 panels at VEC headquarters in Westby, allowing members to purchase individual panels and receive credit for power produced on their monthly utility bills.
• Bluff Prairie Community Solar Farm Approximately 900 kW community solar array with 3,276 total panels developed by OneEnergy, LLC. Members subscribe at $50 per panel per year and receive kWh credits (7 cents/kWh summer, 5.2 cents/kWh winter) on their utility bills; 550 panels are designated for income-eligible households through the Energize Wisconsin partnership.
• Evergreen Renewable Energy Program Voluntary program allowing members to purchase renewable energy blocks at $0.65 per 100 kWh block per month. Energy sourced from wind, solar, biomass, landfill gas, and manure methane digesters from regional cooperative wind farms.
• Electric Vehicle Charging Program EV charging pilot program with 7.7 kW Clipper Creek charger available for $5/month facility charge. Features time-of-use rates: on-peak 25 cents/kWh (1:30-9:30 p.m.), off-peak 8 cents/kWh (6:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.), super off-peak 5.7 cents/kWh (9:30 p.m.-6:30 a.m.).
• Dual Fuel Program Program combining electric heat as primary source with fossil fuel or storage heat backup. Connected via radio-controlled relay enabling the cooperative to switch between fuels during peak demand periods.
• Storage Heat/EV Charging Program Off-peak rate program allowing the cooperative to control electric heat/EV charging for 8-14 hours per day. Heat storage recharges 8 hours at night plus 2 hours afternoon; EVs charge 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. the next day.
• Distributed Generation Program Program allowing members to sell excess energy from renewable systems back to the cooperative. One-time $500 interconnection charge covers application processing, commissioning, and anti-islanding testing.
• Rebate Programs Various energy efficiency incentives including Ag Commercial Industrial, Appliances, Compressed Air Audit, Electric Heat, HVAC, Lighting, Water Heaters, EV Chargers, and Energy Audit programs. Additional incentives available through Focus on Energy and the Federal Inflation Reduction Act.
• Dairy Farm Rewiring Program (Safety First) Loan and grant program for dairy farm rewiring. Grants up to 20% or $6,000 from WECA; loans up to 80% or $24,000 from VEC at 3% interest over 5 years. For existing farmsteads only.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TexturecoreTechnology or IntegrationGrid software startup Texture raised $12.5M Series A to help utilities manage rising electricity demand from EVs, chargers, data centers, renewables, and extreme weather. Vernon Electric Cooperative is among the target utility cooperatives serving 42 million Americans. Texture targets 850 utility co-ops through partnership with National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative.
• National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRTC partnership with Texture to provide distributed energy resource management software to 850 utility cooperatives across the US, including Vernon Electric.
• CouleecapcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeatherization Assistance Program agency collaborated with Vernon Electric to develop Bluff Prairie Community Solar Farm. Couleecap serves as subscriber for 550 low-income households auto-enrolled in the Energize Wisconsin program providing free community solar access.
• OneEnergy, LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper of Vernon Electric's Bluff Prairie Community Solar Farm, a 1.5-megawatt solar array with 3,276 panels. OneEnergy developed the project which includes 550 panels for income-eligible households.
• Wisconsin Office of Energy InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing funding for the Energize Wisconsin partnership with Vernon Electric and Couleecap. Funded 550 community solar subscriptions for low-income households with high energy burden.
• Dairyland Power CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneration and transmission facilities supplier for Vernon Electric. Through the 24-distribution cooperative system, provides access to Evergreen wind/solar/biomass programs. Vernon Electric CEO Craig Buros contacts Dairyland for economic development loan information.
• NRECA (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational affiliation providing resources, advocacy, and support for rural electric cooperatives including Vernon Electric.
• WECA (Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState affiliation providing Safety First dairy farm rewiring grants (up to $6,000 or 20% of project costs). Supports Youth Leadership Conference and other cooperative programs.
• Touchstone Energy CooperativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational brand identity network of 700+ electric cooperatives serving 30.5 million member-owners. Provides resources and partnerships for member engagement and cooperative development.
• Mississippi River Regional Planning CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers county revolving loan funds available for economic development within Vernon Electric's service territory.
• Vernon Economic Development AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVernon Electric is a proud sponsor of VEDA, supporting local economic development initiatives.
• CEC (不知道全称)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Vernon Electric to break ground on Westby Community Solar Farm in April 2014. Project became operational June 1, 2014.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Eau Claire Energy Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative in western Wisconsin serving residential, commercial, and agricultural members. Directly comparable in business model, member services, and rural Wisconsin operating context.
• Price Electric Cooperative: Wisconsin rural electric distribution cooperative serving Price County and adjacent areas. Similar in scale, member-owned model, and mix of residential, agricultural, and small commercial loads to Vernon Electric.
• Adams-Columbia Electric Cooperative: Wisconsin-based member-owned rural electric distribution cooperative serving agricultural and rural customers in central Wisconsin. Comparable in scale, mission, and Touchstone Energy affiliation to Vernon Electric, with similar rate structures and load management programs.
• Richland Electric Cooperative: Wisconsin rural electric cooperative serving Richland County and surrounding areas. Operates with a similar not-for-profit, member-owned model and focuses on the same Southwest Wisconsin rural customer profile as Vernon Electric.
• Barron Electric Cooperative: Wisconsin member-owned electric cooperative serving rural northwest Wisconsin with similar scale and agricultural customer base. Comparable governance model, capital credit program, and partnership affiliations.
• Jackson Electric Cooperative: Wisconsin member-owned electric cooperative serving rural communities with similar Touchstone Energy branding, member services portfolio, and agricultural customer mix.

Broad incumbents

• Alliant Energy: Investor-owned utility serving much of Wisconsin and adjacent states, including areas adjacent to Vernon Electric's rural territory. Provides a benchmark for IOU retail rates, EV charging, and renewable programs against which the cooperative competes at the territory boundary.

Others

• Dairyland Power Cooperative: Wholesale generation and transmission supplier for Vernon Electric and 23 other distribution cooperatives across the Dairyland system. Directly tied as Vernon's upstream power provider and Evergreen program channel, not a direct retail peer.

Regional players

• East Central Energy: Minnesota-based member-owned electric cooperative serving rural areas east of the Twin Cities. Comparable not-for-profit, member-driven model with similar load management and community solar programs but operates in a different state.
• Riverland Energy Cooperative: Generation and transmission cooperative serving distribution members across western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota. Operates at a higher tier than Vernon Electric but in the same Dairyland-adjacent regional ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vernon-electric

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Vernon Electric Cooperative