Texas Electric Cooperatives

What Texas Electric Cooperatives does

Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC) is a member-owned nonprofit cooperative association established in 1940 and headquartered in Austin, Texas. It represents 76 electric cooperatives in Texas — 67 distribution cooperatives and 9 generation & transmission cooperatives — collectively serving more than 3 million members across 241 of Texas's 254 counties, 340,000+ miles of line, and 2.5+ million meters. TEC's core function is to aggregate the combined purchasing power of its members ($600 million) to negotiate favorable terms with manufacturers and provide supply chain, training, advocacy, and publishing services that individual rural cooperatives could not efficiently obtain on their own.

TEC's primary commercial engine is its Manufacturing & Distribution Services (M&DS) division, headquartered in Georgetown, Texas, which delivers a tiered strategic sourcing program — Sole Source Alliance, Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) Alliance, and Total Warehouse Alliance — alongside transformer repair/refurbishment (via Emerald Transformer and Sunbelt Solomon), pole distribution (post-2022 partnership with Stella-Jones), meter services (Allegiant Utility Services), freight (Greatwide), and shared national inventory through the Electric Utility Distributors Association ($400M). Technology infrastructure consists of a Warehouse Management System with barcoding and automated replenishment integrated into member operations; 40+ pole yards provide statewide distribution reach. The September 2022 divestiture of the Jasper wood pole plant to Stella-Jones, while retaining pole yard inventory and exclusive distribution rights, signals a deliberate shift from low-scale manufacturing toward distribution and services.

Beyond M&DS, TEC operates a portfolio of member services: Texas Co-op Power monthly magazine (1.8–3.8 million readers, advertising-funded), 14+ annual professional conferences, the Loss Control safety training program (with NRECA RESAP coordination), the C.O.R.E. on-site training program, the Government-in-Action Youth Tour, a $3.2M+ annual scholarship program, and government advocacy including the Rural Friends of Electric Cooperatives PAC. Revenue is generated through hardware/utility supply sales, advertising (magazine), conference/training fees, and nominal member dues (less than 1% of revenue). Reported association revenue was approximately $270 million in 2019, with M&DS alone surpassing $200 million, representing 34% year-over-year growth at the time.

Name

Texas Electric Cooperatives

Legal name

Texas Electric Cooperatives

Website

https://texas-ec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Texas Electric Cooperatives is a nonprofit cooperative association representing 76 Texas electric cooperatives (3M+ members) and providing aggregated utility supply, distribution, training, advocacy, and Texas Co-op Power magazine publishing services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Member Dues: Annual membership dues from 76 electric cooperatives. Dues represent less than 1% of total association revenue.
2. Manufacturing & Distribution Services: Sale of utility supplies (poles, transformers, wire, smart-grid components) and services (inventory management, repair) to member cooperatives and municipal utilities through strategic alliances.
3. Utility Supply & Services: Full line of utility supplies and services through Manufacturing & Distribution Services facility, including combined purchasing programs and warehouse management.
4. Publishing (Texas Co-op Power): Monthly magazine reaching 1.8-1.9 million readers. Revenue from advertising sales.
5. Training & Conferences: Conference registration fees, training programs, and education services for cooperative employees.
6. Capital Credits: Not-for-profit cooperative model where revenues beyond operating costs are returned to members as capital credits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC) is a member-owned, non-profit statewide association of 76 Texas electric cooperatives that supplies utility materials (poles, transformers, wire, smart-grid components) and provides managed supply chain services, safety training, professional education, advocacy, and consumer publishing. Its Manufacturing & Distribution Services division in Georgetown operates Sole Source, Vendor-Managed Inventory, and Total Warehouse alliances, while its Texas Co-op Power magazine reaches approximately 1.8 million members across 65 Texas cooperatives. The association leverages combined buying power of about $600 million to deliver aggregated purchasing, inventory management, and regulatory representation to its members.

Product overview

Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC) is a statewide association representing 76 electric cooperatives with more than 3 million members throughout Texas. TEC operates as a service organization providing a portfolio of products and services including: (1) Utility Supply & Services through its Manufacturing & Distribution Services division offering strategic sourcing alliances (Sole Source Alliance, VMI Alliance, Total Warehouse Alliance), utility supplies, pole manufacturing, and transformer repair; (2) Texas Co-op Power monthly magazine reaching 1.8+ million readers; (3) Education & Training including annual conferences, webinars, workshops, and C.O.R.E. on-site training; (4) Loss Control/Safety Training with training schools and safety certifications; (5) Co-op Advocacy and government relations including Rural Friends PAC; and (6) Youth Programs including scholarships and Youth Tour. The organization leverages combined buying power of $600 million across member cooperatives to negotiate favorable pricing with manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Texas Co-op Power: Monthly magazine published by TEC reaching approximately 1.8-1.9 million electric cooperative members in 65 Texas cooperatives. Celebrates Texas culture, people, food, history, places and events.
• TEC Business Alliance Program
• TEC Youth Tour
• TEC Loss Control Program
• Rural Friends of Electric Cooperatives
• C.O.R.E Training Program

Products and services

• Utility Supply & Services / TEC Manufacturing & Distribution Services Comprehensive utility supply and distribution services including strategic sourcing alliances (Sole Source, Vendor-Managed Inventory, Total Warehouse), pole manufacturing, transformer repair, and EPA-certified disposal services. Serves as single-point access to 67 distribution cooperatives and 9 generation and transmission cooperatives, representing a $300-600 million market.
• Sole Source Alliance Strategic sourcing program providing a single source for materials purchasing in one product category (such as wire or transformers) at set margins, delivering cost savings through combined buying power and streamlined procurement for member cooperatives.
• Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) Alliance Full procurement management service where TEC purchases warehouse inventory, installs barcoding and automated replenishment systems, and manages the entire inventory flow using Warehouse Management System technology for member cooperatives.
• Total Warehouse Alliance Turnkey warehouse operations solution where TEC purchases warehouse inventory, equipment, and supplies, manages all warehouse staff, and handles complete operations from ordering to inventory control on behalf of member cooperatives.
• Transformer Repair and Refurbishment Services Professional transformer repair, refurbishment, decommissioning, field technical services, parts, PCB disposal, and recycling delivered through strategic partnerships with Emerald Transformer and Sunbelt Solomon.
• Texas Co-op Power Magazine Monthly magazine reaching approximately 1.8-1.9 million electric cooperative members across 65 Texas cooperatives, celebrating Texas culture, people, food, history, places, and events while delivering cooperative news and information.
• Co-op Advocacy and Government Relations Government relations and political advocacy services representing member cooperatives on legislative and regulatory matters at state and federal levels, including the Rural Friends of Electric Cooperatives PAC.
• Loss Control Program and Safety Training Comprehensive safety training for cooperative line workers including training schools (pole climbing, digger operator, hotline, metering, transformer), the loss control conference, job-site inspections, OSHA training, and coordination of the NRECA Rural Electric Safety Accreditation Program (RESAP).
• Education, Training, and Conferences Professional development and training including 14+ annual conferences (Accounting, Administrative Professionals, Directors, Engineering, Environmental, HR, IT, Loss Control, Managers, Materials Management, Member Services and Communications), webinars, workshops, and C.O.R.E. (Co-op Regional Education) on-site training programs for cooperative employees.
• Youth Programs and Scholarships Youth leadership and scholarship programs including annual awards of over $3.2 million to more than 1,400 students statewide, the TEC Youth Tour (all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C.), and the East Texas Rural Electric Youth Seminar (ETREYS).
• TEC Business Alliance Program Membership program for business organizations providing products and services to TEC members, with benefits including conference access, discounted registration, directory advertising, and recognition at TEC events.
• Rural Friends of Electric Cooperatives PAC Nonpartisan Political Action Committee with over 4,600 members supporting candidates for statewide office and Texas Legislature who protect cooperative interests.

Quantifiable outcome

• Alliance partners identified more than $93 million in savings since joining the program
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stella-JonescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 September 2022TEC entered agreement with Stella-Jones to purchase TEC's wood pole manufacturing plant in Jasper. TEC continues to own and manage alliance pole inventory at 40+ pole yards across the state, with exclusive arrangement for value-added distribution services and market representation for all TEC members. Stella-Jones is North America's leading producer of pressure-treated wood products.
• Emerald TransformercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance providing transformer repairs, decommission, stock sales, field services, parts, field decommission, oil services, PCB disposal and asset recovery. Emerald is Texas-based with over 50 years experience in transformer refurbishment and servicing.
• City of SeymourminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSole source alliance with municipal utility serving 2,500+ residents in North Texas. City leverages TEC's aggregated buying power through single point of contact for procurement.
• Tri-County Electric CooperativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSole Source Alliance partnership. TEC has 27 warehouse alliances across the state. Alliance partners have identified more than $93 million in savings since joining the program.
• Electric Utility Distributors Association (EUDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nine members of EUDA, a cooperatively-owned partner network. Extends TEC inventory from $100 million to $400 million through shared national inventory. EUDA has combined revenue of over $1 billion.
• Allegiant Utility ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing meter installation, testing and sales services.
• Greatwide Truckload ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing streamlined freight and transportation services via national network of distribution centers for efficient and cost-effective ground distribution.
• Sunbelt SolomonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing transformer repair and refurbishment, testing and lab services, and EPA-sanctioned scrap and disposal services.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA): The national trade association for the U.S. electric cooperative network, providing advocacy, training, and member services across all states. Directly comparable to TEC as a cooperative-association peer, with NRECA operating at the national level versus TEC's Texas-only focus.
• Associated Electric Cooperative: A generation and transmission cooperative serving member co-ops across Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Comparable to TEC in operating a cooperative-owned supply/advocacy platform for member distribution utilities in a multi-state region.
• Hoosier Energy: A generation and transmission cooperative serving rural electric co-ops in Indiana and Illinois. Operates a similar model of providing wholesale power, services, and member support to distribution cooperatives in a defined Midwestern footprint.
• Electric Utility Distributors Association (EUDA): A cooperatively-owned network of utility distributors including TEC. EUDA members collectively hold $400M+ in shared inventory across the U.S., making EUDA the closest direct competitor/partner platform to TEC's Manufacturing & Distribution Services business.
• Seminole Electric Cooperative: A generation and transmission cooperative serving member distribution co-ops across Florida. Comparable to TEC's G&T-co-op segment, providing wholesale power and shared services to a defined geographic cooperative membership.
• Great River Energy: A Minnesota-based generation and transmission cooperative serving 28 member distribution co-ops. Operates a similar cooperative-association model with wholesale power, member services, and supply-chain coordination across a defined regional territory.
• Wabash Valley Power Alliance: An Indiana-based generation and transmission cooperative serving member distribution co-ops. Comparable to TEC's G&T-coop members and partner ecosystem, with similar wholesale-power-plus-services model.
• Oglethorpe Power Corporation: A Georgia-based generation and transmission cooperative owned by 38 member electric membership corporations (EMCs). Operates a comparable cooperative-association model serving distribution co-op members in a defined geographic territory.

Broad incumbents

• Border States Electric: A 100% employee-owned electrical distribution company serving utility, contractor, and industrial customers across the U.S. Comparable to TEC's Manufacturing & Distribution Services business as a broader incumbent in utility supply distribution, though operating for-profit rather than as a cooperative.

Emerging players

• Cooperative Response Center (CRC): A cooperatively-owned contact center and dispatch service provider for electric co-ops nationwide. Adjacent to TEC's member-services portfolio (call center, member communications, safety training) with overlapping cooperative-membership customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/texas_ec
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TexasElectricCoop
• Facebookfacebook.com/TexasElectricCooperatives
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/texas-electric-cooperatives

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 Texas Electric Cooperatives