What Central Electric Cooperative does

Central Electric Cooperative (CEC) is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric transmission and distribution cooperative serving 31,226 members across 7 counties in Central Oregon. The cooperative operates 4,155 miles of electric line covering a 5,300 square-mile service territory, delivering electricity through 39,599 electric services to residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural irrigation, and public lighting customers. CEC is one of Oregon's 18 member-owned cooperative electric utilities and is structured as a customer-owned entity governed by an elected board of directors, with any excess revenues returned to members as capital credits.

The cooperative's distribution infrastructure centers on Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) smart meters and the SmartHub online and mobile platform, which together enable remote meter reading, daily billing, outage detection, energy usage analysis, and Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) alerts. Power is sourced primarily from the Bonneville Power Administration's hydroelectric generation, supplying approximately 95% emission-free electricity. CEC offers an extensive rate schedule portfolio covering Residential (Schedule A), Small/Large General Service (Schedule B), Agricultural Irrigation (Schedule C), Security Lighting (Schedule D), Street and Highway Lighting (Schedule E), Industrial (Schedule F), Net Metering (Schedule N), Commercial EV Charging (Schedule EV), and Transmission & Distribution Wheeling (Schedule W), complemented by energy efficiency programs (residential, agricultural, commercial/industrial), renewable options (Green Power, Community Solar, Net Metering), and member service tools (Prepaid Program, Balanced Payment Plan, Auto Pay).

CEC generates revenue primarily through member electricity sales using usage-based and hybrid (energy charge plus demand and facilities charge) pricing models, with residential energy billed at 8.66¢ per kWh plus a $32.56 monthly facilities charge. Residential rates are 26% below Oregon's two largest investor-owned utilities and 33% below the national average; an approximately 8.5% rate increase took effect October 2025 in response to the Bonneville Power Administration's nearly 19% wholesale power cost increase over three years. The cooperative is currently executing a $25 million Redmond Campus Improvement Project (construction spring 2026 through fall 2027) to support a service territory that has experienced 400%+ growth in metered services since 1977, while divesting non-core assets such as the LS Networks telecom subsidiary (2021) and pursuing drone-based grid inspection partnerships for wildfire risk mitigation.

Name

Central Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Central Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://cec.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Central Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric transmission and distribution cooperative serving 31,226 members across 7 Central Oregon counties with 95% emission-free hydroelectric power. It operates 4,155 miles of distribution line delivering electricity through 39,599 metered services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Electric distribution services
• Electric cooperative utility
• Transmission and distribution
• Energy efficiency programs
• Renewable energy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Redmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: CEC generates revenue primarily through electricity sales to members. Members are charged for energy consumption (kWh) plus a facilities charge. The cooperative is not-for-profit, with any excess revenues returned to members as capital credits. Revenue is derived from multiple rate schedules including residential, general service, agricultural irrigation, security lighting, street lighting, commercial EV charging, industrial service, and net metering.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Central Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric utility cooperative that provides transmission and distribution of electricity to approximately 31,226 members across 7 counties in Central Oregon, operating 4,155 miles of electric line over a 5,300 square mile service territory. The cooperative delivers electricity through multiple rate schedules for residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, security lighting, street lighting, EV charging, net metering, and wheeling customers, supported by energy efficiency programs, renewable energy options, and the SmartHub digital platform.

Product overview

Central Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric utility cooperative providing transmission and distribution of electricity across 7 counties in Central Oregon. The cooperative operates a platform of electricity rate schedules (Residential, General Service, Agricultural Irrigation, Industrial, Security Lighting, Street Lighting, EV Charging, Net Metering, and Wheeling Services) complemented by energy efficiency programs (Residential, Agricultural, Commercial/Industrial), renewable energy options (Green Power, Community Solar, Net Metering), and customer service tools (SmartHub App, Prepaid Program, Balanced Payment Plan, Auto Pay). The cooperative also provides capital credits to members, offers electrical safety education through a mobile safety trailer, and maintains an outage map for real-time service status. The Redmond Campus Improvement Project represents a major infrastructure investment to support the cooperative's growing membership and operational needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartHub: Mobile and web application for account management, bill payment, and energy usage monitoring
• Redmond Campus Improvement Project
• Ruralite
• Project Helping Hand
• Voices for Cooperative Power

Products and services

• Electricity Distribution Service Core transmission and distribution of electricity to approximately 31,226 members across 7 counties in Central Oregon, operating 4,155 miles of electric line over a 5,300 square mile service territory with 39,599 electric services.
• Residential Electricity Service (Schedule A) Domestic electricity service for single-family homes, mobile homes, and separately metered apartments. Energy charge of 8.66¢ per kWh with a $32.56 facilities charge per billing period and minimum charge equal to the facilities charge.
• General Service Electricity (Schedule B) Nonresidential electricity service for commercial customers with demand up to 350 kW. Includes Small General Service (GENS, 50 kW and under) at 4.72¢ per kWh with $7.74 per kW demand charge and $35.00 facilities charge, and Large General Service (GENL, over 50 kW) at $9.10 per kW demand charge with $120.00 facilities charge.
• Agricultural Irrigation Electricity Service (Schedule C) Electricity service for agricultural irrigation pumping applications with aggregate loads exceeding 10 horsepower or requiring three-phase service. Demand charge of $11.37 per kW with $65.00 facilities charge, billed April through October.
• Industrial Electricity Service (Schedule F) Nonresidential electricity service for industrial customers with demand exceeding 350 kW. Includes demand charge of $9.65 per kW, $120 facilities charge per billing period, and reactive power charge of 62¢ per kVar for excess reactive demand.
• Net Metering Service (Schedule N) Service for customer-generators owning and operating eligible net-metering facilities. Allows excess energy to be credited based on the average system cost for wholesale power.
• Commercial EV Charging Service (Schedule EV) Electricity service for commercial EV charging power customers providing retail EV charging as a transportation fuel. Energy charge of 5.96¢ per kWh, demand charge of $4.70 per kW, and facilities charge of $65.47 per billing period.
• Transmission and Distribution Wheeling Service (Schedule W) Service for power generation facilities interconnecting to CEC's transmission and distribution facilities to wheel power to the wholesale power grid.
• Security Lighting Service (Schedule D) Dusk-to-dawn outdoor lighting service with LED 100W or less at $9.28/month, 100W HPS at $12.32/month, 175W mercury vapor at $15.75/month, plus wood pole at $3.61/month and metal pole at $6.51/month.
• Street and Highway Lighting Service (Schedule E) Lighting service for public streets, highways, and public grounds supplied to government entities and municipalities.
• SmartHub App Customer account management and bill payment platform available 24/7 via web browser or mobile app (iOS and Android). Features include bill management, home energy analysis tools, account updates, personalized home profile, and notification management including Public Safety Power Shutoff alerts.
• Green Power Program Renewable energy program allowing members to support clean energy generation as part of CEC's renewable power offerings.
• Community Solar Program Solar energy program allowing members to participate in solar generation without installing panels on their own property.
• Electric Vehicle (EV) Rebate Program Rebate program for EV purchases and Level 2 charger installation at member homes and businesses in the CEC service territory.
• Residential Efficiency Programs Comprehensive energy efficiency programs for residential members including home energy audits, weatherization, heat pumps, ductless heat pumps, smart thermostats, Energy Star appliances, heat pump water heaters, and new home performance path.
• Agricultural Efficiency Programs Energy efficiency programs for agricultural members including irrigation pump programs, sprinkler equipment rebates, and agricultural energy audits.
• Commercial and Industrial Efficiency Programs Energy efficiency programs for commercial and industrial members including commercial lighting upgrades and equipment rebates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% emission-free power from hydroelectric generation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEC purchases nearly all of its wholesale electricity from BPA, which supplies low-cost, clean, carbon-free hydroelectric power. BPA provides approximately 95% of CEC's power supply. BPA rate increases of nearly 19% over three years (October 2025 - September 2028) are the primary driver of CEC's rate adjustments.
• TruCheck Metering SolutionssupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNational metering services company contracted by CEC to install smart meters as part of the AMI project. TruCheck technicians handle most meter conversions with CEC technicians handling the balance.
• Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire DistrictsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEC works with local fire services on wildfire safety coordination and Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) preparedness. CEC supports fire safety education in the communities it serves.
• Energy Trust of OregonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEC collaborates with Energy Trust of Oregon on energy efficiency programs and rebates, though the cooperative has noted differing approaches compared to other utilities in program delivery.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Clatskanie People's Utility District: Oregon People's Utility District that distributes power in northwest Oregon — comparable distribution-only model with similar rate classifications and residential/commercial mix, although structured as a PUD rather than a cooperative.
• Northern Wasco County PUD: Oregon People's Utility District operating as a distribution utility with similar AMI, residential/commercial/industrial rates, and energy efficiency programs — directly comparable Oregon utility of similar scale.

Direct peers

• Lane Electric Cooperative: Oregon member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving Lane County, with comparable SmartHub-based billing, capital credit returns, and tiered residential/agricultural/industrial rates.
• Umatilla Electric Cooperative: Eastern Oregon distribution cooperative and BPA wholesale customer, similar cooperative structure, multi-county rural service territory, and member-owned governance model with comparable rate classifications.
• Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative: Oregon coastal electric distribution cooperative, member-owned, with similar AMI rollouts, wildfire exposure programs (PSPS), and tiered rate schedules for residential, irrigation, and industrial customers.
• Kit Carson Electric Cooperative: Member-owned rural electric distribution cooperative in northern New Mexico with comparable scale, wildfire exposure programs (PSPS), community solar / renewable programs, and tiered agricultural/residential rate structure.
• Midstate Electric Cooperative: Oregon-based member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving central Oregon counties, also purchasing wholesale power from BPA — essentially the closest comparable in scale, geography, supply mix, and cooperative governance model.
• Consumer's Power Inc. Small Oregon electric cooperative with a transmission and distribution focus, similar BPA wholesale supply, member-owned governance, and tiered residential/agricultural rates — comparable mid-size distribution cooperative benchmark.

Broad incumbents

• Pedernales Electric Cooperative: Largest member-owned electric distribution cooperative in the U.S. (Texas), demonstrates the upper-bound cooperative operating model with T&D infrastructure, capital credit allocations, and AMI/digital platforms comparable to CEC's trajectory.
• Pacific Power (PacifiCorp): Investor-owned electric utility serving Oregon, including parts of Central Oregon adjacent to CEC's territory — directly relevant for rate benchmarking (CEC is 26% below PacifiCorp) and competitive overlap in fringe areas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/centralelectric
• Facebookfacebook.com/CentralElectricCoop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-electric-cooperative-inc.

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Central Electric Cooperative