North Star Electric Co-op

Name

North Star Electric Co-op

Legal name

North Star Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://northstarelectric.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Electric Distribution Utility

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

Community Solar Development & Subscription Management (EUAMAJAA), Community Microgrids & Shared Distributed Generation (EUACALAC)

Keywords

• Rural electric cooperative
• Electricity distribution services
• Demand response programs
• Distributed energy resources
• Member-owned utility

Headquarters

HQ city

Littlefork

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: Revenue from selling electricity to 5,600+ members across residential, commercial, and agricultural accounts. Operating as a non-profit cooperative means revenues cover costs with margins allocated as capital credits to members.
2. Capital Credits: Member refunds of excess revenues. At year-end, margins are allocated to members based on electricity purchased and later paid out when the board approves distributions. This is a distinctive cooperative model returning value to members.
3. Grid Access Charges: Fees charged to distributed generation members to recover fixed costs of grid service. DG Cost Recovery Fee of $2.09 per KW over 3.5 KW (maximum $13/month).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

North Star Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit utility that distributes electricity through 1,468 miles of owned power lines to over 5,600 residential, commercial, and agricultural accounts across rural north central Minnesota. Beyond electricity delivery, the cooperative provides demand response/off-peak load management, member-facing digital platforms (SmartHub, MyMeter, NOVA Power Portal), renewable energy options, energy efficiency rebates, EV charging support, and member programs including capital credits and Operation Round Up community grants.

Product overview

North Star Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility serving rural north central Minnesota. The cooperative operates as a single unified platform providing electricity delivery augmented by multiple member-facing digital tools and energy management products. Core digital products include SmartHub (account management and bill payment), MyMeter (usage monitoring), and NOVA Power Portal (distributed energy resource interconnection). The cooperative also sells and supports energy-efficient products including Marathon water heaters, Steffes thermal storage heating, geothermal heat pumps, air source heat pumps, electric plenums, underfloor heating, Champion portable generators, and GenerLink meter collar devices. Demand response programs provide off-peak electric heating rates in exchange for load control. Renewable energy offerings include member-owned solar/wind distributed generation and the Infinity Renewable Energy wind program. Additional member programs encompass EV charging support with rebates, Energy Star rebates, Knowledge Scholarships, Operation Round Up community grants, and budget billing options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Infinity Renewable Energy: Renewable wind energy program administered by Minnkota Power Cooperative allowing members to designate portion of electricity from wind resources
• SmartHub
• Enlightener
• Operation Round Up
• Knowledge Scholarships
• Demand Response

Products and services

• SmartHub Web and mobile application enabling members to view billing account information, pay bills online, report outages, choose paperless billing, access 18-month usage history, and sign up for text or email usage notifications.
• MyMeter Online energy monitoring tool allowing members to view daily energy use from home computer or smartphone and receive notifications via text or email regarding unusual energy use.
• NOVA Power Portal Online portal for members to apply for distributed energy resource (DER) interconnection, track project status, and manage solar or wind system installations.
• Electricity Rate Plans and Distribution Service Core electricity distribution service with multiple rate structures including general single-phase, three-phase, seasonal, off-peak, large power, controlled sawmill, interruptible large power, and distributed generation credit rates for residential, commercial, and agricultural members in rural north central Minnesota.
• Demand Response (Off-Peak Load Management) Program Load control program enabling the cooperative to manage electric demand during peak periods, offering members lower off-peak heating rates in exchange for controlled usage windows. Rates as low as $0.072/kWh for non-summer, long-term control under 50 KVA, compared to $0.138/kWh regular rate.
• Infinity Renewable Energy Program Program allowing members to designate a portion or 100% of their electricity to be generated from renewable wind energy, with costs of $0.35 per 100 kWh block or $0.0035 per kWh for the 100% option.
• Member-Owned Distributed Generation (DER) Program Program enabling members to own and interconnect their own solar or wind distributed energy resource (DER) systems, with net metering credits at $0.11070/kWh for wind/solar under 40 KW and a monthly net metering cost recovery fee of $2.09/kW over 3.5 kW (maximum $13/month).
• EV Charging Support and Level 2 Charger Rebates Electric vehicle charging support including guidance on Level 1/2/DC fast charging installation, with rebates of $100 per kilowatt (up to $500 maximum) for Level 2 chargers connected to the demand response program.
• Energy Star Rebates Program Rebate programs for residential and business energy-efficient equipment purchases including appliances, heating/cooling systems, insulation, air-sealing, and smart thermostats.
• Marathon Water Heaters Non-metallic electric water heaters warranted not to leak for as long as the homeowner owns the home; eligible for connection to the demand response program.
• Steffes Electric Thermal Storage (ETS) Heating Electric thermal storage heating systems using ceramic brick storage to convert off-peak electricity to heat for individual rooms or entire homes.
• Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) Heat pump systems providing both heating and cooling by extracting and transferring heat, achieving up to 300% efficiency as supplemental heat in milder months.
• Geothermal Heat Pumps Ground-source heat pump systems with the highest efficiency for combined space heating and cooling, using underground closed-loop tubing and an antifreeze solution.
• Underfloor Heating Electric cable or hydronic tubing heating systems installed beneath concrete slabs or wood floors, eligible for the off-peak heating rate.
• Electric Plenum Heater Electric plenum heater converting existing natural gas, LP, or oil furnaces into dual-fuel systems, utilizing lower-cost off-peak electric rates through the demand response program.
• Champion Portable Generators Portable backup generators available in 7,500-watt and 12,000-watt sizes for home outage backup or project power.
• GenerLink Device Meter collar device installed on the electric meter allowing safe connection of a portable generator to the home during power outages.
• Energy Assistance Programs Minnesota Cold Weather Rule protection and Energy Assistance Program (EAP) support for qualifying low-income members, including payment agreements and referrals to energy assistance providers.
• Rental Security Lights Rental security lighting service with options for HPS lights at $13.00/month, HPS with transformer at $21.50/month, and LED 150W at $20.50/month.

Quantifiable outcome

• Off-peak heating rate of 7.2 cents/kWh vs regular rate of 13.8 cents/kWh - roughly half the cost
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Minnkota Power CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1940North Star and 10 other rural electric cooperatives in northwest Minnesota and eastern North Dakota jointly own Minnkota Power Cooperative, a Generation & Transmission (G&T) cooperative headquartered in Grand Forks, ND. Minnkota provides wholesale power supply and manages generation portfolio including coal (63%), wind (27%), hydro (8%), and other resources. North Star's integration with Minnkota dates to 1956 when the board approved membership. Minnkota also administers the Infinity Renewable Energy program on behalf of member cooperatives.
• Touchstone Energy CooperativecoreOthersNorth Star Electric Cooperative is a member of Touchstone Energy Cooperative, a national network of more than 700 locally owned electric cooperatives. Touchstone Energy provides branding, resources, and cooperative identity.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)minorOthersNational service organization for more than 900 not-for-profit rural electric cooperatives and public power districts providing retail electric service to more than 42 million consumers in 48 states. NRECA provides director training (Credentialed Cooperative Director Certificate), legislative advocacy, and educational resources.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Itasca-Mantrap Co-op Electric: Member-owned electric cooperative serving Itasca County, Minnesota. Comparable scale, rural distribution territory, and cooperative governance model.
• Roseau Electric Cooperative: Sister cooperative and co-member of Minnkota Power Cooperative serving rural Roseau County, Minnesota. Operates with the same cooperative business model, regulatory framework, and wholesale power supplier as North Star.
• Beltrami Electric Cooperative: Member-owned rural electric cooperative serving north central Minnesota including Bemidji. Comparable in structure, member-owned model, demand response programs, and NRECA/Touchstone affiliation.
• Lake Region Electric Cooperative: Rural electric cooperative serving west central Minnesota with similar member-owned structure, distribution density challenges, and Minnkota/Power Cooperative network participation.
• Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving east central Minnesota rural areas. Similar size, distribution model, and member services including demand response and rebate programs.
• Connexus Energy: Larger member-owned electric cooperative in Minnesota. Comparable cooperative business model and distribution operations, though at significantly greater scale.
• Stearns Electric Association: Member-owned electric cooperative in central Minnesota serving rural and small-town members. Comparable demand response, rebate, and member services offerings.
• Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services: Member-owned electric and natural gas cooperative in southern Minnesota. Similar cooperative structure, distribution density, and member services platform.
• People's Energy Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving southeast Minnesota. Comparable rural/edge-of-metro service territory, member governance, and digital member tools.
• Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative in southwest Minneapolis metro/surrounding rural area. Comparable structure, demand response programs, and member engagement model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEgkJUIKMdomQfoj4QIE3wg
• Facebookfacebook.com/NorthStarElectric

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 North Star Electric Co-op