Sunflower Electric Power

What Sunflower Electric Power does

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is a tax-exempt-by-election wholesale generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative headquartered in Hays, Kansas. Founded in 1957 by six western Kansas distribution cooperatives and later restructured (1989) into a taxable corporation that nonetheless operates on a not-for-profit basis, the company serves seven member distribution cooperatives — Lane-Scott, Pioneer, Prairie Land, Victory, Western, Wheatland, and the wholly owned subsidiary Southern Pioneer — across 58 counties in central and western Kansas following its 2020 merger with Mid-Kansas Electric Company. Its governance rests on a 12-member board (two directors per member cooperative), and margins are returned to members via capital credits.

The company's core product is wholesale electricity bundled with high-voltage transmission, supported by a diversified generation fleet of approximately 1,095 MW owned nameplate capacity — 349 MW coal at Holcomb Station, 726 MW across nine natural gas facilities including fast-start Caterpillar reciprocating engines at Rubart, and 40 MW owned single-axis tracking solar at Russell — augmented by roughly 200 MW of power purchase agreements covering wind (Smoky Hills 74 MW, Shooting Star 104 MW), solar (Boot Hill 150 MW via Alluvial Power, Johnson Corner 20 MW), and a 2 MW WAPA hydroelectric allocation. Transmission infrastructure spans approximately 2,478 miles with 150 substations, exporting western Kansas wind energy across the SPP footprint. The company also offers a Large Load Interconnection Program (≥25 MW loads), economic development services, and a broad member-services suite (engineering, planning, system control, compliance, rate design, training).

Commercially, Sunflower operates a sales-led wholesale model exclusively to its seven member utilities under long-term power purchase agreements, with cost-based rates set under FERC and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) regulatory frameworks rather than market-discussed prices. Member co-ops and downstream retail consumers in rural Kansas constitute the sole end-customer base. Recent offensive moves (Boot Hill Solar commercial operation May 2026, the Holcomb-to-Sidney 345-kV transmission project, the Clifton Replacement, and Sunflower Electric Solar @ Russell) signal a multi-year capital plan rebalancing generation toward renewables while expanding transmission capacity to capture emerging large-load demand.

Name

Sunflower Electric Power

Legal name

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation

Website

https://sunflower.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is a not-for-profit wholesale generation and transmission cooperative serving seven member distribution electric utilities across 58 counties in central and western Kansas. It operates roughly 1,095 MW of owned generation and approximately 2,478 miles of high-voltage transmission.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation (221112), Wind Electric Power Generation (221115)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Gas-Fired Power Plant Development & IPP Ownership (Greenfield/Brownfield) (EUACABAI), Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop) (EUAMABAA)

Keywords

• Wholesale electricity generation
• Electric transmission services
• Cooperative power supply
• High voltage transmission
• Diversified power generation

Headquarters

HQ city

Hays

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Electricity Sales: As a not-for-profit G&T cooperative, Sunflower generates revenue through wholesale electricity sales to its seven member distribution cooperatives. Rates are set to cover costs and provide reliable power at the lowest possible cost. Revenue supports system operations, infrastructure investments, and debt service.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is a wholesale generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative that produces and transmits electricity to seven member distribution cooperatives across 58 counties in central and western Kansas. It operates a diversified generation portfolio of approximately 1,095 MW of owned capacity (coal, natural gas, solar) plus more than 200 MW of contracted capacity from wind, solar, and hydro power purchase agreements, and transports bulk electricity over approximately 2,478 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and 150 substations.

Product overview

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is a wholesale electric generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative utility that provides power to seven member distribution cooperatives across 58 counties in central and western Kansas. The company's product portfolio includes: (1) a diversified owned generation fleet of approximately 1,095 MW nameplate capacity comprising coal (Holcomb Station, 349 MW), natural gas facilities (726 MW across nine plants), and solar (Sunflower Electric Solar @ Russell, 40 MW); (2) power purchase agreements for renewable generation including Boot Hill Solar (150 MW), Johnson Corner Solar (20 MW), Smoky Hills wind (74 MW), and Shooting Star wind (104 MW); (3) transmission infrastructure spanning nearly 2,478 miles of high-voltage lines and 150 substations; (4) the Large Load Interconnection Program for connecting large commercial/industrial loads; and (5) member support services including engineering, planning, compliance, and economic development. The company operates as a not-for-profit cooperative, returning margins to members through capital credits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wholesale Electric Generation and Transmission Services Wholesale electric generation and transmission services provided to seven member distribution cooperatives across 58 counties in central and western Kansas, leveraging a diversified generation portfolio of approximately 1,095 MW of owned capacity and roughly 2,478 miles of high-voltage transmission lines.
• Boot Hill Solar 150-MW solar facility whose power and renewable energy attributes are purchased 100% by Sunflower under a long-term PPA with Alluvial Power; expected to generate nearly 400,000 MWh annually (approximately 9% of Sunflower's system energy needs).
• Sunflower Electric Solar @ Russell 40-MW owned solar facility that generates nearly 50,000 MWh annually (approximately 1% of Sunflower's total energy needs), using 44,408 single-axis tracking solar panels.
• Johnson Corner Solar 20-MW solar facility in southwest Kansas with a power purchase agreement for full output, spanning approximately 200 acres with more than 75,000 single-axis tracker solar panels.
• Holcomb Station Coal-fired generating facility with a 349 MW nameplate capacity that began commercial operation in 1983, serving as a baseload resource with advanced emissions control for member supply.
• Natural Gas Generation Fleet
• Wind Power Purchase Agreements
• Transmission Infrastructure
• Large Load Interconnection Program
• Member Support Services
• Economic Development Services
• Clifton Replacement Project Replacement of the legacy Clifton 1 (85 MW Westinghouse 501 combustion turbine built 1974) with new gas-fired combustion turbines at Clifton Station, utilizing the existing 97.6 MW interconnection service.
• Holcomb to Sidney 345-kV Transmission Line Project Approximately 180 miles of new 345-kV high-voltage transmission line from Holcomb, Kansas to the Kansas-Colorado border near the South Fork Republican River, co-owned with ITC Great Plains as part of an SPP-directed 360-mile regional project to strengthen grid reliability during extreme weather events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9% of system energy needs met by Boot Hill Solar
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alluvial PowercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Alluvial Power is an OPTrust subsidiary that developed and now owns and operates the 150-MW Boot Hill Solar facility. Sunflower receives 100% of the power and renewable energy attributes produced by the facility for its seven member utilities. The partnership enables Sunflower to add significant solar capacity without capital investment while meeting renewable energy goals.
• National Renewables Cooperative Organization (NRCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRCO is a cooperative organization that partnered on the Boot Hill Solar project, continuing a successful collaboration that also brought Johnson Corner Solar and Sunflower Electric Solar @ Russell projects to fruition. NRCO helps electric cooperatives develop renewable energy projects.
• ITC Great PlainscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerITC Great Plains is co-owner of the Holcomb to Sidney 345-kV transmission line project. The project involves approximately 360 miles of new transmission line, with Sunflower responsible for 180 miles from Holcomb to Kansas-Colorado border.
• Southwest Power Pool (SPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPP is the regional transmission organization mandated by FERC that coordinates reliable operation of the electric grid and wholesale power markets across 14 states. Sunflower is a member and governed by SPP for transmission planning and operations.
• Touchstone EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTouchstone Energy is a national alliance of consumer-owned electric cooperatives emphasizing local service and community values. Sunflower participates in this cooperative branding and marketing network.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNRECA is the national service organization representing consumer-owned electric cooperatives. Sunflower collaborates through NRECA for advocacy, innovation, and industry best practices.
• Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (KEC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerState-level organization advocating for electric cooperatives before public and regulators in Kansas. Sunflower collaborates through KEC for state-level legislative engagement.
• Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAPA is a federal agency that markets and delivers renewable hydroelectric energy from multi-use water projects. Sunflower receives hydroelectric power through an allocation from WAPA as part of a long-term contract.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: One of the largest G&T cooperatives in the U.S., serving member distribution co-ops across multiple states with a similarly diversified coal/gas/wind/solar portfolio and large transmission footprint — the closest direct comparison to Sunflower's wholesale co-op model.
• Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association: Member-owned G&T cooperative supplying wholesale power to distribution co-ops across the central/western U.S., with overlapping coal-to-renewables transition and similar cooperative governance and FERC/SPP-style regulatory dynamics.
• Associated Electric Cooperative: Generation and transmission cooperative serving member distribution co-ops in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas — directly comparable G&T co-op with diversified generation and member-owned structure.
• Seminole Electric Cooperative: Generation and transmission cooperative serving member distribution co-ops in Florida; similar not-for-profit wholesale G&T model with mixed coal/gas/solar portfolio.
• East Kentucky Power Cooperative: Member-owned G&T cooperative in Kentucky with diversified generation and transmission services to distribution co-ops — a closely comparable co-op wholesale utility structure.
• Oglethorpe Power Corporation: Member-owned G&T cooperative serving EMCs in Georgia with a diversified generation portfolio (coal, gas, nuclear, renewables) — directly comparable cooperative structure and wholesale-only G&T business model.
• PowerSouth Energy Cooperative: Generation and transmission cooperative serving member distribution co-ops across Alabama and Florida with a diversified fuel mix — closely comparable member-owned G&T co-op model.

Broad incumbents

• Nebraska Public Power District: State-owned vertically integrated utility operating generation, transmission, and retail in Nebraska — broader than Sunflower's wholesale-only model but directly comparable in scale, generation mix, and SPP-adjacent operations.
• Evergy: Investor-owned vertically integrated electric utility serving Kansas and Missouri with overlapping generation and transmission in the same SPP footprint — relevant competitor for large-load customers and benchmark for rate-base scale.

Regional players

• ITC Great Plains: Independent transmission-only operator in the SPP region and Sunflower's co-owner on the Holcomb-to-Sidney 345-kV project — a direct transmission peer with overlapping high-voltage asset footprint in Kansas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SunflowerElec
• Facebookfacebook.com/sunflowerelectricpower
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sunflower-electric-power-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Sunflower Electric Power