Union Rural Electric

What Union Rural Electric does

Union Rural Electric Cooperative (URE) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric and natural gas distribution cooperative founded in 1936 under the federal Rural Electrification Administration. Headquartered at 15461 US Highway 36, Marysville, Ohio, URE distributes electricity to over 13,000 meters and natural gas to over 1,500 meters within its exclusive service territory in Union County, Ohio, serving residential, commercial, and agricultural members. The cooperative owns and operates its own distribution infrastructure — poles, wires, substations, and natural gas pipelines — and procures all wholesale power from Buckeye Power, passing generation and transmission charges through to members without markup.

URE's core products and services are residential and commercial electric distribution (Rate A and Rate T, the latter for three-phase commercial loads), residential and commercial natural gas distribution (SGS and MGS rates), the SmartHub digital platform for billing, payments, and outage reporting (supplied by NISC), and an expanding set of member-facing programs including solar net metering, GenerLink generator transfer switches, tree trimming, energy-efficiency rebates (insulation, geothermal, dual-fuel heat pumps, smart thermostats, EV charging), Operation Round Up community giving, and youth scholarship programs. Technology assets are conventional distribution-utility infrastructure plus a vendor-supplied digital member platform; no proprietary AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

URE's business model is a regulated distribution utility with a subscription-style recurring revenue structure: monthly distribution service charges plus volumetric energy charges billed to member-owners. As a cooperative, any margins earned are allocated to member capital credit accounts and periodically returned as refunds — most recently a $2.8 million retirement approved in 2026. URE is governed democratically by members who elect a board of trustees, and is part of the broader Ohio cooperative ecosystem via Buckeye Power, Ohio's Electric Cooperatives, and NRECA. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; triangulation from rate cards and meter counts points to operating revenue in the $50M–$100M band with steady ~3% annual meter growth.

Name

Union Rural Electric

Legal name

Union Rural Electric Cooperative

Website

https://ure.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Union Rural Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric and natural gas distribution utility founded in 1936, serving over 13,000 electric and 1,500 gas meters across residential, commercial, and agricultural members in Union County, Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric and Natural Gas Distribution Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122), Natural Gas Distribution (2212)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Natural Gas Distribution (4924)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Rural electric distribution
• Natural gas distribution
• Electric cooperative services
• Member utility services
• Energy distribution cooperative

Headquarters

HQ city

Marysville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Distribution Services: URE distributes electricity to over 13,000 electric meters in Union County, Ohio. Revenue is generated through distribution charges that cover the cost of delivering electricity, including equipment, materials, labor, and operating costs. The cooperative passes through generation and transmission charges from Buckeye Power without markup.
2. Natural Gas Distribution Services: URE provides natural gas service to over 1,500 natural gas meters. Revenue includes monthly service charges and per-CCF (cubic feet) commodity charges that reflect the cost to purchase and deliver natural gas, including transmission and storage costs.
3. Member Capital Credits: As a not-for-profit cooperative, URE returns margins to members in the form of capital credit refunds. The board approves retirement of capital credits when financially prudent, appearing as bill credits on member statements. The $2.8 million capital credit refund in 2026 demonstrates this member-focused model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Union Rural Electric Cooperative distributes electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and agricultural members within an exclusive service territory in Union County, Ohio. Revenue is generated through monthly service charges, per-kWh distribution energy charges, and per-CCF natural gas charges, with generation and transmission costs passed through at cost from wholesale supplier Buckeye Power. The cooperative supplements core distribution with the SmartHub digital platform, renewable solar net-metering, GenerLink generator transfer switches, and rebate programs for energy efficiency upgrades.

Product overview

Union Rural Electric (URE) is a member-owned electric and natural gas distribution cooperative serving Union County, Ohio. The company operates as a single integrated utility platform providing core electricity and natural gas distribution services to residential and commercial customers, augmented by energy efficiency programs, digital account management tools, and community-focused initiatives. The primary products include residential and commercial electric service (with Rate A for homes/small businesses and Rate T for three-phase commercial loads), residential and commercial natural gas service (SGS and MGS rates), the SmartHub digital platform for account management and payments, renewable energy options with net-metering, and various rebate programs for energy efficiency upgrades. Additional offerings include GenerLink generator transfer switches, tree trimming services, Operation Round Up community giving program, youth scholarship programs, and EV charging station rebates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Electric Service Electric power distribution service for individual homes and households in Union County, Ohio, billed under Rate A with a $35 monthly distribution service charge plus per-kWh generation and distribution energy charges.
• Commercial Electric Service Electric power distribution service for business customers, including Rate T for three-phase services for larger commercial loads with generation energy and demand charges plus distribution energy and demand charges.
• Residential Natural Gas Service Natural gas distribution services for homes billed under the Small Gas Service (SGS) rate with a $40 monthly service charge and per-CCF commodity charges that include transmission and storage costs.
• Commercial Natural Gas Service Natural gas distribution service for commercial accounts billed under the Medium Gas Service (MGS) rate with a $168 monthly service charge and tiered per-CCF commodity charges for larger commercial gas loads.
• SmartHub Digital Member Platform Web payment platform and mobile app enabling members to view bills, report outages, monitor energy usage, make payments, and access account services.
• Renewable Solar Power Program Solar energy options and net-metering program allowing members to generate their own renewable power and receive credits on their electric bills.
• GenerLink Generator Transfer Switch Generator transfer switch device enabling members to safely connect portable generators to their homes during power outages.
• Energy Efficiency Rebate Programs Energy efficiency rebate programs for residential and commercial members covering insulation, air sealing, geothermal, dual-fuel heat pump, water heater, air conditioner load management, and smart thermostat upgrades.
• EV Charging Station Rebate Rebate program encouraging members to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure at their premises.
• Tree Trimming and Vegetation Management Vegetation management service to maintain clearances around power lines, prevent outages, and support reliable electric distribution.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.8 million capital credit refund returned to members in 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Buckeye PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuckeye Power is URE's generation cooperative and wholesale power provider. They own and operate baseload generation (coal, natural gas, hydro, renewables) and provide stable wholesale electricity rates. URE purchases all its power generation from Buckeye Power, which is essential to URE's ability to provide reliable, affordable electricity to its members.
• Ohio's Electric CooperativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide association representing Ohio's 24 electric cooperatives. Provides collective advocacy, publications (Ohio Cooperative Living magazine), youth programs, leadership development, and coordinates statewide initiatives including the scholarship competition, Youth Tour, and legislative advocacy.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational trade association representing electric cooperatives. Provides advocacy in Washington D.C., training programs including Certified Cooperative Trustee certification, cybersecurity resources, and collective policy influence on energy regulations affecting co-ops.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative: Ohio member-owned rural electric distribution cooperative serving Holmes and Wayne counties with a similar mix of residential, commercial, and agricultural members. Directly comparable in business model, service territory, and member-owned cooperative structure to URE.
• Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative: Ohio rural electric distribution cooperative headquartered in Lexington, OH, serving members in north-central Ohio. Comparable as a fellow Buckeye Power distribution cooperative with the same member-owned model, rate structure, and rural service profile.
• Pioneer Electric Cooperative: Ohio-based rural electric distribution cooperative serving members across multiple counties. Closely comparable to URE in cooperative structure, distribution utility function, and reliance on Buckeye Power for wholesale generation.
• Paulding-Putnam Electric Cooperative: Member-owned rural electric distribution cooperative in northwestern Ohio serving agricultural and residential members. Direct comparable on cooperative model, service territory type, and member demographic profile.
• Columbia Gas of Ohio: Investor-owned natural gas distribution utility serving a large portion of Ohio, including adjacent counties. Comparable as a regulated natural gas LDC under PHMSA Part 192 with the same residential/small-commercial customer classes as URE's gas division.
• CenterPoint Energy Ohio: Regulated natural gas distribution utility operating across western and southwestern Ohio. Comparable to URE's natural gas division on regulated distribution, residential/commercial tariffs, and pipeline-safety compliance obligations.
• Dominion Energy Ohio: Regulated natural gas utility serving large portions of Ohio. Comparable to URE's gas distribution business on LDC operations, regulated rates, and local service-area delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• AEP Ohio: Investor-owned electric utility serving much of Ohio, including portions adjacent to Union County. Comparable as a regulated electric distribution operator in the same regulatory environment, though much larger and broader in scope than URE.
• Duke Energy Ohio: Investor-owned utility providing both regulated electric and natural gas service in southwestern Ohio. Comparable to URE as a dual-utility operator in the same state regulatory framework, but at much greater scale and with a different ownership model.

Others

• Buckeye Power: Generation and transmission cooperative that supplies all of URE's wholesale power. Comparable as a fellow Ohio electric cooperative, and the upstream partner whose generation mix (coal, gas, hydro, renewables) and transmission charges directly shape URE's delivered cost of electricity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UnionRural
• Facebookfacebook.com/unionrural

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Union Rural Electric