What Mountain Electric Cooperative does

Mountain Electric Cooperative (MEC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative founded in 1941 and headquartered at 604 South Church Street, Mountain City, Tennessee. It distributes electricity to residential and commercial members across a rural service territory spanning East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, operating as a distribution-only utility with wholesale power supplied by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). For every dollar MEC collects from members, approximately $0.75 is paid directly to TVA for energy costs, with the remaining balance covering distribution, operations, and member programs. The cooperative employs 51-100 staff and is led by CEO Rodney Metcalf.

MEC's product portfolio centers on core residential and business electricity distribution, layered with member services including the Energy Right efficiency programs (heat pumps, in-home evaluations), the Green Switch voluntary renewable energy blocks (via TVA and Green Connect), a Pre-Pay billing plan, security lighting, and resold Viasat satellite internet for rural connectivity. Commercial members additionally access EnerNOC energy management solutions for demand response and energy cost optimization. The revenue model is usage-based, with TVA's monthly fuel cost adjustment passed through to customers and a rate increase that took effect October 1, 2025.

MEC's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer within its exclusive service territory, supported by a website, online bill payment portal, outbound text and email notifications, and an active Facebook presence. The business model is governed as a cooperative under the Seven Cooperative Principles, with a member-elected Board of Directors rather than external shareholders, and the company's differentiation rests on regulatory territorial protection, not-for-profit economics, and long-standing community roots in its mountain service area.

Name

Mountain Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Mountain Electric Cooperative

Website

https://mountainelectric.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mountain Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative founded in 1941, serving residential and commercial members across rural East Tennessee and Western North Carolina with electricity distribution, energy efficiency programs, and renewable energy options supplied via TVA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Electric Distribution System Owners (Wires-Only Companies) (EUADABAI), Retail & Community PPAs (Community Solar/Shared Renewables) (EUAGADAC)

Keywords

• Electric distribution services
• Residential electricity service
• Commercial electricity supply
• Energy efficiency programs
• Renewable energy options

Headquarters

HQ city

Mountain City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Electricity Distribution Services: Revenue generated from electricity distribution to residential and business members. For every dollar collected, approximately $0.75 is paid directly to TVA for energy costs. Additional revenue streams include security lights, pre-pay plans, and various fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Mountain Electric Cooperative distributes electricity to residential and business members across East Tennessee and Western North Carolina as a member-owned cooperative. Core offerings include residential and commercial electric service, energy efficiency programs (Energy Right), a voluntary renewable energy program (Green Switch), pre-pay billing options, and security lighting. Approximately $0.75 of every dollar collected is paid to TVA for energy supply costs.

Product overview

Mountain Electric Cooperative offers a unified portfolio of electric utility services for residential and business customers in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. The core offering is electricity distribution service, supplemented by energy efficiency programs (Energy Right Programs), and a voluntary renewable energy option (Green Switch). Additional services include pre-pay billing plans and security lighting. The company is a member-owned cooperative established in 1941.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Electric Service Core electricity distribution service for individual households and members in the cooperative's service territory. Includes new service applications, deposits, security lights, and bill payment options for residential customers in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina.
• Business Electric Service Comprehensive electric distribution service for commercial, small business, and agricultural customers. Includes Energy Right Solutions for Business, revolving loan fund access, available buildings program, and cash rewards for energy efficiency improvements.
• Energy Right Programs Energy efficiency and demand response program offered in partnership with TVA, including heat pump installation incentives and in-home energy evaluations for residential and business members seeking to reduce energy consumption and costs.
• Green Switch Voluntary renewable energy program allowing members to purchase blocks of wind, solar, and biomass-generated electricity from the Tennessee Valley for as little as $2 per month, with each $2 block ensuring 200 kWh of renewable electricity.
• Pre-Pay Plan Pay-as-you-go electricity payment option that allows residential members to pay for electricity in advance, helping them manage energy costs and budget more predictably.
• Security Lights Outdoor security lighting service offered to residential members as an additional electric service product, providing illumination for driveways, yards, and property perimeters.
• Viasat Satellite Internet Satellite internet service resold to members to provide connectivity in rural service areas where traditional broadband may be limited, offered through a channel partnership with Viasat.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTVA is the primary power supplier for Mountain Electric Cooperative. For every dollar MEC collects from members, approximately $0.75 goes to TVA for energy costs. TVA provides the monthly fuel cost adjustment that is passed through to customers. TVA also offers renewable energy programs including Green Switch that MEC offers to members.
• ViasatminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMEC offers Viasat satellite internet service to members as an additional service option, providing internet connectivity in rural areas where traditional broadband may be limited.
• Green ConnectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen Connect is part of TVA's renewable energy program. MEC offers Green Switch to members, allowing them to purchase renewable energy generated in the Tennessee Valley for as little as $2 per month. Each $2 block ensures 200 kWh of renewable electricity.
• BCBS Tennessee (Blue Cross Blue Shield)minorOthersMEC provides transparency in coverage information through BCBS Tennessee as part of healthcare benefits administration for employees, using BCBS as a third-party administrator for employee health insurance.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Holston Electric Cooperative: Regional electric cooperative in the Tennessee-Virginia Appalachian corridor. Direct comparable in scale, governance, and TVA-driven distribution economics.
• Bristol Tennessee Essential Services: Municipal electric utility in Northeast Tennessee. Comparable in customer mix and distribution-only scope, with the same wholesale supplier (TVA), making it a directly comparable electric distribution peer.
• Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative: Tennessee-based electric distribution cooperative. Similar member-owned governance, rural service territory, and reliance on TVA for wholesale power.
• Volunteer Energy Cooperative: Tennessee-based member-owned electric cooperative providing distribution and broadband services. Closely comparable business model (member-owned distribution co-op) and similar TVA-adjacent footprint.
• Plateau Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving the Cumberland Plateau region of Tennessee. Comparable rural cooperative structure, distribution-only model, and TVA-served territory.
• Appalachian Electric Cooperative: Rural electric cooperative serving East Tennessee. Direct peer to MEC: member-owned distribution utility, similar regulatory regime, and overlapping TVA service area.
• Powell Valley Electric Cooperative: Rural electric cooperative serving adjacent Appalachian territory in Tennessee and Virginia. Most direct comparable: similar member-owned distribution model, similar size, and overlapping TVA-based power supply.
• New Horizon Electric Cooperative: Rural electric cooperative in the broader Tennessee Valley region. Comparable member-owned cooperative model serving residential and small commercial members.

Broad incumbents

• Duke Energy: Large investor-owned utility with overlapping Carolinas/Tennessee footprint. Broad incumbent in the same regional utility category, providing scale and capability benchmarks against which small co-op cost structures and renewable programs are measured.
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): Federal wholesale power supplier and generation owner for MEC and most Tennessee co-ops. Broad incumbent relationship: not a direct retail competitor but the dominant upstream counterparty shaping MEC's economics, renewable offerings, and rate structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mountain-electric-cooperative-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Mountain Electric Cooperative