Clay Electric

What Clay Electric does

Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative headquartered in Keystone Heights, Florida, serving more than 176,000 accounts across 15 North Florida counties. The cooperative was formally organized in 1937 and operates as the 10th largest distribution electric cooperative in the United States, ranking No. 1 in customer satisfaction among cooperatives in the J.D. Power 2021 study.

The cooperative's core infrastructure comprises an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) with two-way communications between headquarters and member meters, approximately 242,000 utility poles across six district offices, and member-facing digital channels including the MyClayElectric web portal, iOS/Android mobile apps, automated outage text/email alerts, and a real-time outage map. Operating model additions include prepaid billing, rooftop solar programs, energy rebates and loans, a Home Energy Analysis Tool, the Operation Round Up charitable program, and the Youth Tour to Washington scholarship contest.

Revenue is generated almost entirely from electricity sales billed to members and is passed through at-cost via three components: an Energy Charge per kWh, a Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) tracking wholesale power costs from Seminole Electric Cooperative (which sources roughly 70% of generation from natural gas), and a fixed monthly Access Charge. As a cooperative, margins are allocated to members as Capital Credits; the cooperative has retired over $178 million in Capital Credits since 1976 and completed its 50th consecutive annual refund in 2024. Customer segments are predominantly residential (homeowners and renters) with a smaller commercial book, served through direct online requests, phone, mobile app, and six physical district offices.

Name

Clay Electric

Legal name

Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://clayelectric.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Clay Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative founded in 1937, serving more than 176,000 accounts across 15 North Florida counties from its Keystone Heights headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Power, Distribution, and Specialty Transformer Manufacturing (335311)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Choice Aggregators with Distribution Operations (CCA + Wires, where applicable) (EUADABAK), Power Transformers, Reactors & Auxiliary Power Systems (EUADACAJ)

Keywords

• Electric utility services
• Power distribution
• Electric cooperative
• Residential electricity
• Energy billing

Headquarters

HQ city

Keystone Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: As a not-for-profit cooperative, Clay Electric sells electricity at-cost to its members. Revenue comes from electricity sales with components including base energy charge, Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) based on wholesale power costs, and Access Charge for fixed costs.
2. Capital Credits Refunds: As a not-for-profit cooperative, margins are returned to members as Capital Credits. The board declares annual refunds to entitled members and former members based on their proportional share of margins.
3. PrePaid Billing Program: Pay-as-you-go billing option allowing members to purchase electricity without deposits, late fees, or reconnection fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Clay Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric power supplier that distributes electricity to residential and commercial members across 15 North Florida counties. The cooperative sells power at-cost, bills members through a combination of energy charges, a Power Cost Adjustment (PCA), and a monthly Access Charge, and returns margins to members as Capital Credits. Service is supported by Advanced Metering Infrastructure, a member web portal and mobile app (MyClayElectric), outage management, and add-on programs including prepaid billing, solar, and energy-efficiency rebates.

Product overview

Clay Electric Cooperative offers a unified portfolio of electric utility services for its member-owners across six districts in North Florida. The core offering is residential and commercial electric power delivery. The member portal MyClayElectric integrates account management, bill payment, outage reporting, and energy usage tracking into a single platform. The cooperative's not-for-profit structure is reflected in Capital Credits refunds and the PCA (Power Cost Adjustment) mechanism. Add-on services include prepaid billing, rooftop solar programs, energy efficiency rebates, the Operation Round Up charitable program, youth leadership scholarships, and storm preparedness resources including an outage map and annual Hurricane Preparedness Guide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MyClayElectric: Online member portal and mobile app for account management, bill payment, outage reporting, and energy usage viewing.
• Operation Round Up

Products and services

• MyClayElectric Member Portal and Mobile App Online and mobile self-service platform that allows Clay Electric members to manage their accounts, pay bills, view monthly/daily/hourly energy usage, and report outages.
• PrePaid Billing Program Pay-as-you-go electricity billing option for residential members that allows purchase of electricity in advance without deposits, late fees, or reconnection fees.
• Solar Power Program Rooftop solar program and information resource for residential members interested in on-site solar generation.
• Energy Rebates and Loans Rebate and loan offerings that help members reduce household energy use by funding energy-efficiency improvements.
• Commercial Electricity Service Commercial electricity distribution service for businesses operating within Clay Electric's 15-county North Florida service territory, including business relocation support and account management.

Quantifiable outcome

• J.D. Power 2021 customer satisfaction score of 822 out of 1,000 (up 48 points from previous year)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Seminole Electric CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeminole Electric Cooperative is Clay Electric's wholesale power provider. Natural gas is the primary source for generating electricity, comprising about 70% of the generation mix. Clay Electric purchases wholesale power from Seminole and passes costs through to members via the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA).
• Alpine CommunicationsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAlpine Communications conducts pole audits across Clay Electric's service area, inspecting approximately 242,000 poles over an eight-month period to document equipment attachments and ensure pole safety standards.
• Glades Electric CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlades Electric Cooperative provided mutual aid crews to assist with power restoration following Hurricane Debby in August 2024, working alongside Clay Electric's own personnel.
• West Florida Electric CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWest Florida Electric Cooperative provided mutual aid crews to assist with power restoration following Hurricane Ian in September 2022.
• Pike ElectricminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContract crews from Pike Electric assisted Clay Electric's personnel in restoring power following Hurricane Ian in September 2022.
• Touchstone Energy CooperativesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational brand partnership connecting electric cooperatives for shared marketing, energy solutions resources, and cooperative identity programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seminole Electric Cooperative: Clay Electric's wholesale power provider and fellow Florida generation & transmission cooperative. Directly comparable as a member-owned cooperative serving the same regional footprint with overlapping governance and Touchstone Energy affiliation.
• Glades Electric Cooperative: Florida distribution electric cooperative that has provided mutual aid to Clay Electric (Hurricane Debby 2024). Directly comparable member-owned utility with similar operating model, AMI deployment, and rural Florida service territory.
• West Florida Electric Cooperative: Florida electric cooperative that dispatched mutual aid crews during Hurricane Ian (2022). Comparable distribution cooperative structure, Capital Credits model, and AMI-enabled member services.
• Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative: North Florida distribution electric cooperative serving adjacent territory with the same cooperative structure, wholesale power relationships, and member-ownership model — directly comparable in scale and customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Florida Power & Light (FPL): Investor-owned utility operating in much of Florida including overlap with Clay Electric's territory. Comparable in delivering electric distribution service to overlapping regions but operates under a for-profit, regulated IOU model with broader generation portfolio.
• Duke Energy Florida: Large investor-owned utility with significant North Florida service territory overlap. Comparable electric distribution operations at scale but with IOU ownership structure and broader service portfolio.
• Tampa Electric (TECO): Florida investor-owned electric utility serving central and west-central Florida. Comparable distribution utility operations and AMI deployment but with IOU ownership and broader generation/transmission footprint.

Others

• Touchstone Energy Cooperatives: National cooperative alliance/network of which Clay Electric is a member. Comparable through shared branding, energy solutions resources, and cooperative identity programs across 750+ member co-ops.
• Cooperative Action Network: National cooperative advocacy and community platform serving Clay Electric and other electric cooperatives. Comparable as an ecosystem participant enabling cooperative identity, advocacy, and member engagement.

Regional players

• Ocala Electric Utility (City of Ocala): Municipal electric utility operating in Marion County, which overlaps Clay Electric's 15-county North Florida territory. Comparable as a regulated electric distribution utility serving the same geography but under a municipal ownership model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/clayelectric

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Clay Electric