Dairyland Power Cooperative

What Dairyland Power Cooperative does

Dairyland Power Cooperative is a non-profit generation and transmission (G&T) electric cooperative founded in December 1941 and headquartered in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The cooperative provides wholesale electrical power to 24 distribution cooperatives and 27 municipal utilities serving over 800,000 people across a 44,500-square-mile, four-state service area in Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois. Dairyland operates 3,720 miles of transmission lines and 400 distribution substations, with a diversified generation portfolio spanning coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, and solar facilities.

The cooperative's core product is wholesale electricity supply, delivered at cost to member-owners under cooperative governance. Revenue is derived primarily from long-term wholesale supply contracts with member cooperatives and municipal utilities, supplemented by economic development services (including site selection and low-interest financing at rates as low as 0%). As a member-owned cooperative, Dairyland returns margins to members through capital credit retirements ($165.8 million since founding, $5.7 million approved in 2025). The cooperative holds an A+ S&P rating with stable outlook and an A3 Moody's rating with a recently upgraded positive outlook.

Dairyland is executing a major strategic transition funded by a $579 million USDA New ERA grant (September 2024) for 1,020 MW of solar, wind, and storage projects, and is participating in a $1.658 billion consortium developing 765-kV transmission lines in Illinois. The cooperative has also deployed a proprietary Agentic AI system (ODIN) for safety applications at generation facilities, earning three consecutive CIO 100 Awards. Member equity stood at 22.7% of total assets as of 2025, and total margins of $25.3 million were reported for 2025, reflecting the cooperative's at-cost operating model.

Name

Dairyland Power Cooperative

Legal name

Dairyland Power Cooperative

Website

https://dairylandpower.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility / Wholesale Power Supply

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Wholesale electricity supply
• Generation and transmission
• Rural electric cooperative
• Renewable energy generation
• Transmission infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

La Crosse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Electricity Supply: Dairyland generates and transmits electricity to 24 member distribution cooperatives and 27 municipal utilities. Revenue is derived from wholesale electricity sales at rates designed to cover costs and ensure affordability for member communities.
2. Economic Development Services: Dairyland provides economic development assistance including site selection facilitation, low-interest financing programs (rates as low as 0%), and project development support for businesses expanding in their service territory.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dairyland Power Cooperative is a member-owned generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative that generates and transmits wholesale electricity to 24 distribution cooperatives and 27 municipal utilities across a four-state Upper Midwest service area. The cooperative operates a diversified generation portfolio (coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, and solar) and 3,720 miles of transmission infrastructure to deliver reliable, affordable power to over 800,000 people. It also provides value-added services including economic development assistance and renewable energy programs.

Product overview

Dairyland Power Cooperative operates as a generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative providing wholesale electrical power to 24 distribution cooperatives and 27 municipal utilities across a four-state service area serving over 800,000 people. The cooperative's core product is its wholesale power supply, which is delivered through a diverse generation portfolio (including coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, and solar facilities) and an extensive transmission system of 3,708 miles of lines. The cooperative also offers value-added services including the Evergreen green energy program, chargEV electric vehicle charging infrastructure, beneficial electrification initiatives, and economic development assistance. Major initiatives include the New ERA Program (a $579 million federal grant for renewable energy development including 1,020 MW of solar, wind, and storage projects) and participation in high-voltage transmission projects like the 765-kV STIW and WIIL lines. The cooperative is also exploring small modular nuclear reactors as a future reliable carbon-free power source to complement intermittent renewables.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• New ERA (New Empowering Rural America): A federal grant program under the Inflation Reduction Act providing $9.7 billion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest in renewable energy for rural electric cooperatives.

Products and services

• Wholesale Power Supply Wholesale electrical power supply for 24 distribution cooperatives and 27 municipal utilities, serving over 800,000 people across a four-state service area through 3,708 miles of transmission lines and 400 distribution substations.
• Generation Resources Diversified portfolio of owned and contracted generation facilities including coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, and solar power plants across Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and South Dakota.
• Transmission System High-voltage transmission system spanning 3,720 miles with 400 distribution substations across a 44,500 square mile service area, including ownership stake in the 765-kV STIW and WIIL transmission projects in Illinois.
• New ERA Program Renewable Projects Federally-funded clean energy program developing 1,020 MW of power purchase agreements for solar (427 MW), wind (593 MW), and energy storage (60 MW) installations across five states, expected to reduce carbon emissions by 3.3 million metric tons.
• Evergreen: A Green Energy Program Voluntary renewable energy program allowing member cooperatives and municipal utilities to purchase green energy and support local renewable energy development.
• chargEV Electric vehicle charging network operated through Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, providing charging infrastructure across the cooperative service territory.
• Economic Development Services Economic and community development assistance including site selection facilitation, low-interest financing programs (rates as low as 0%), and project development support for businesses and communities expanding in the service territory.
• Load Management Demand-side management programs to optimize electricity demand, balance supply and demand across the cooperative network, and improve grid reliability for member utilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800,000+ people served across four states
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026MISO selected consortium of ATXI, GridLiance, Dairyland, and IMEA to develop two major 765-kV transmission projects in Illinois totaling $1.658 billion. ATXI holds 43% ownership stake. Projects include STIW (149 miles, $940M) and WIIL (88 miles, $718M) with expected in-service dates of 2034.
• GridLiance Heartland (NextEra Energy)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026GridLiance Heartland, a NextEra Energy subsidiary, leads development of transmission projects alongside ATXI with 43% ownership. NextEra is a leading competitive transmission company with approximately 3,200 circuit miles of high-voltage transmission assets in operation and development across 19 states and Canada.
• Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026IMEA holds 3% ownership in the STIW and WIIL transmission projects. IMEA is a not-for-profit unit of local government providing wholesale power supply to 32 municipal electric systems across Illinois.
• J-POWER USA Development Co., Ltd.coreOthers · 1 March 2026Dairyland purchased three combustion turbines (450 MW) at Elwood Energy LLC in Illinois from J-POWER USA. J-POWER is a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed company with headquarters in Tokyo and the greater Chicago area, owning 98 power plants in Japan and 32 international IPP investments.
• Mississippi Valley ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDairyland Vegetation Management staff provided restoration work at the Wandering Rock State Natural Area, completing brush clearing in a four-acre opening. Dairyland also manages a 110-acre conservation easement at Alma Off-Site for habitat preservation.
• Touchstone Energy CooperativescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDairyland is a member of Touchstone Energy, a nationwide alliance of more than 700 local, member-owned electric cooperatives in 48 states. The partnership provides access to shared resources, safety campaigns, branding, and cooperative best practices.
• Raptor Resource ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDairyland partners with the Raptor Resource Project for Peregrine Falcon banding and monitoring. The partnership has contributed to 170+ falcons fledging from Dairyland facilities.
• National Wild Turkey FederationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in habitat restoration efforts at Wandering Rock State Natural Area, supporting wildlife conservation alongside Dairyland's vegetation management work.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Largest G&T cooperative in the U.S., serving member distribution systems across multiple states. Closest direct comparable to Dairyland in cooperative structure, wholesale-only model, and diversified generation portfolio.
• Seminole Electric Cooperative: Florida-based G&T cooperative providing wholesale power to member distribution cooperatives. Comparable in cooperative governance and member-owned supply model.
• Associated Electric Cooperative: Missouri-based G&T cooperative serving six distribution cooperatives and several municipal systems. Closely mirrors Dairyland's wholesale-to-members structure with a multi-state footprint.
• PowerSouth Energy Cooperative: Alabama G&T cooperative serving distribution members across the Southeast. Comparable wholesale cooperative model with generation, transmission, and energy services.
• Brazos Electric Power Cooperative: Texas G&T cooperative, formerly the largest in the state, serving member distribution co-ops. Same cooperative G&T business model as Dairyland.
• East Kentucky Power Cooperative: Kentucky G&T cooperative supplying 16 distribution cooperatives. Directly comparable in member-owned structure, generation mix transition, and rural service territory.
• Hoosier Energy Rural Electric Cooperative: Indiana-based G&T cooperative serving member distribution systems. Similar cooperative business model and Midwestern rural electric utility orientation.
• Wabash Valley Power Alliance: Indianapolis-based G&T cooperative serving distribution members across Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Directly comparable in cooperative structure and diversified generation.
• Oglethorpe Power Corporation: Georgia generation and transmission cooperative serving 38 distribution member EMCs. Closely aligned wholesale cooperative model with diversified generation portfolio.

Others

• Touchstone Energy Cooperatives: National alliance of 700+ member-owned electric cooperatives of which Dairyland is a member. Provides brand, safety, and shared-services platform rather than direct generation competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DairylandPower

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Dairyland Power Cooperative