Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative

What Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative does

Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative (TWEC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative headquartered in Wadena, Minnesota, serving approximately 8,900 member services (12,354 meter points; 7,400+ unique members) across nearly 1,800 square miles of central Minnesota through a dedicated distribution network of 2,286 miles of line, 38,000 poles, 14 substations, and 496 miles of underground cable. The cooperative's average density of four members per mile of line is roughly half that of a typical rural electric cooperative, materially elevating per-member infrastructure cost and shaping both rate design and capital planning.

TWEC generates revenue primarily through retail electricity sales to its members, structured as a hybrid of fixed monthly facility charges plus per-kWh energy charges approved by a member-elected seven-person Board of Directors (last adjusted September 1, 2023, yielding approximately 11% additional revenue; only two prior adjustments in 13 years). Wholesale power is sourced 90% from Great River Energy and 10% from Western Area Power Administration, with Great River Energy itself undergoing a generation-mix transition away from coal via the 2021 sale of Coal Creek Station to Rainbow Energy Center. Adjacent revenue and member-value streams include load management programs (Dual Fuel, OwnYourPower smart thermostats, water heating, electric thermal storage, EV), residential and agricultural rebates, yard light rentals, the Improve-it loan program, and capital credit retributions totaling over $6.9 million returned to members since 2010. Members access accounts through the SmartHub online portal and engage in cooperative governance via annual meetings (238 attendees in 2026) and ballot elections (24% return rate in 2020).

Operationally, TWEC is governed as a regulated distribution utility with an exclusive franchised service territory; competitive entry is structurally blocked. Recent strategic activity centers on infrastructure modernization — including a 2020 new headquarters build and a 2026-vintage system-wide replacement of aging demand response units in partnership with Bergstrom Electric — alongside expansion into EV programs, distributed renewable energy enablement, and energy efficiency rebates. Vegetation management, pole testing, and right-of-way maintenance are executed via contracted partners (Carr's Tree Service, Central Applicators) alongside TWEC's own crews and a fleet of 18 vehicles.

Name

Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative

Website

https://toddwadena.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Distribution (Member-Owned Cooperative)

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 industry

Meter Installation, Exchange & Field Services (EUADAFAF)

Keywords

• Electric distribution services
• Rural electric cooperative
• Load management programs
• Energy efficiency rebates
• Demand response utility

Headquarters

HQ city

Wadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: The cooperative generates revenue primarily through electricity sales to its members. Members pay facility charges (fixed monthly fees covering infrastructure costs) plus kWh-based energy charges based on individual usage. Rates are set by the member-elected Board of Directors and were last adjusted in September 2023.
2. Load Management Program Rates: Members enrolled in load management programs (dual fuel, water heating, electric thermal storage, electric vehicles, commercial/industrial/agricultural) receive reduced electric rates in exchange for allowing the cooperative to control their appliances during peak demand periods.
3. Yard Light Rentals: The cooperative rents 50-watt LED yard lights to members for a monthly cost as an additional service offering.
4. Capital Credits: As a not-for-profit cooperative, excess margins are returned to members as capital credits. TWEC has returned over $6.9 million in capital credits to members since 2010.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative (TWEC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative that delivers electricity to approximately 8,900 member services across nearly 1,800 square miles of central Minnesota through 2,286 miles of line, 38,000 poles, 14 substations, and 496 miles of underground cable. Power is purchased primarily from Great River Energy (90%) and the Western Area Power Administration (10%) and resold to members under rates set by an elected board. Members can enroll in load management programs (Dual Fuel, OwnYourPower smart thermostats, Water Heating, Electric Thermal Storage, and Commercial/Industrial/Agriculture), access the SmartHub online portal for billing and outage reporting, claim energy-efficiency rebates, rent LED yard lights, and obtain Improve-it loans.

Product overview

Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric utility that operates as a single unified product (electric distribution service) with multiple add-on programs and modules. The core offering is electric service delivery to approximately 8,900 member services across central Minnesota. Supporting this core product are energy management programs including Dual Fuel, OwnYourPower (smart thermostats), Water Heating Programs, Electric Thermal Storage (ETS), and Commercial/Industrial/Agriculture Programs. Members access services through SmartHub, an online account management portal with energy analytics. Additional offerings include rebates for heat pumps and cooling systems, EV programs, renewable energy support, yard light rentals, Improve-it loans, and community programs such as Operation Round Up and Youth Tour. The cooperative's power supply comes primarily from Great River Energy (90%) and Western Area Power Administration (10%).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electric Distribution Service Core electric distribution service delivering power to approximately 8,900 member services (more than 7,400 members) across 2,286 miles of line, 38,000 poles, 14 substations, and 496 miles of underground cable in central Minnesota, purchased primarily from Great River Energy (90%) and Western Area Power Administration (10%) and resold to members under Board-approved rates.
• SmartHub Member Portal Member-facing online portal enabling account management, bill payment, energy-use analytics, outage reporting, and online voting for cooperative director elections.
• Dual Fuel Program Load management program that combines two heating sources to optimize budget and energy investment, allowing the cooperative's wholesale supplier to control cooling or electric heating units during high-demand periods in exchange for reduced rates.
• OwnYourPower Program Energy management program using approved Wi-Fi smart thermostats to control energy use and reduce costs during peak demand periods in exchange for participating rates.
• Water Heating Program Off-peak water heating program using electricity efficiently to save members money, with load control capabilities that allow the cooperative to manage water heater demand during peak periods.
• Electric Thermal Storage (ETS) Program Program using Electric Thermal Storage technology that converts electricity to heat for storage and later use, helping manage load during peak demand periods in exchange for participating rates.
• Commercial, Industrial, and Agriculture Load Management Programs Peak demand load control programs for commercial, industrial, and agricultural members that reduce electricity costs during high-demand periods through cooperative control of member equipment.
• Heat Pump Rebates Rebate offering for air-source heat pumps (ASHP) and ground-source heat pumps (GSHP) at residential and business members, with higher rebate amounts available for CEE Tier 1 qualified equipment.
• Cooling System Tune-Up Rebate $25 rebate for air conditioner or air-source heat pump tune-ups performed by an HVAC service contractor every two years, capable of improving unit efficiency by up to 20 percent.
• Energy Wise MN Store Online store for members to purchase LED lighting, smart thermostats, power strips, water savers, and other energy-efficient products.
• Electric Vehicle Programs Programs supporting electric vehicle adoption including special EV rates and load management options for participating members.
• Renewable Energy Program Program supporting renewable energy adoption and distributed generation such as rooftop solar for residential and business members.
• Yard Light Rentals Rental of 50-watt LED yard lights to members for a monthly cost, provided as an ancillary service offering alongside electric distribution.
• Improve-it Loan Loan program helping members finance small-scale home improvement projects for energy efficiency.
• Operation Round Up Voluntary member-driven fundraising program that rounds up electric bills to the next dollar, with contributions directed to local community projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $6.9 million in capital credits returned to members since 2010
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bergstrom ElectriccoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 June 2026Bergstrom Electric is contracted to replace aging demand response units (DRUs) associated with Todd-Wadena's load management programs. Technicians from Bergstrom Electric are working alongside TWEC crews throughout the service territory on this DRU upgrade project.
• Power Systems EngineeringminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Power Systems Engineering, based in Madison, Wisconsin, conducted TWEC's Cost of Service Study (COSS) to examine costs to serve each rate class and determine revenue requirements.
• Rainbow Energy Center, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Rainbow Energy Center purchased the Coal Creek Station power plant from Great River Energy and plans to develop carbon capture and storage at the facility. Through related agreements, GRE will purchase coal-powered energy from Rainbow Energy initially, then reduce purchases over time. The sale benefits GRE's member-owners compared to plant closure.
• Nexus Line, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Nexus Line purchased the HVDC transmission system from Great River Energy. Great River Energy will operate and maintain the HVDC system under contract. Nexus Line is developing the Northland Reliability Project in partnership with Great River Energy and Minnesota Power.
• Great River EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreat River Energy is Todd-Wadena's wholesale power provider, located in Maple Grove, MN. It is a not-for-profit generation and transmission electric cooperative owned by 27 member cooperatives. GRE maintains 5,100 miles of transmission lines and more than 100 substations. In 2023, Todd-Wadena purchased 90% of its energy from GRE. GRE is transitioning its power supply portfolio away from coal toward renewable energy sources.
• Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAPA is one of four power marketing administrations within the U.S. Department of Energy that markets and transmits wholesale electricity. Its service area encompasses a 15-state region with 17,293-circuit-mile transmission system carrying electricity from 57 hydroelectric powerplants. In 2023, Todd-Wadena purchased 10% of its energy from WAPA.
• Central ApplicatorsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCentral Applicators performs vegetation spraying along circuits as part of TWEC's vegetation management program. They notify affected members by mail regarding work timelines.
• Carr's Tree ServiceminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTWEC's vegetation management contractor that coordinates tree pruning, brush removal, mowing, and targeted spraying alongside TWEC crews.
• Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurvey & Ballot Systems, based in Eden Prairie, MN, is TWEC's election services company. SBS prepares, mails, receives, scans, and tabulates ballots for director elections. They also handle electronic voting through DirectVote and SmartHub.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Connexus Energy: Minnesota's largest electric cooperative, serving members across the Twin Cities metro and surrounding areas. Directly comparable as a member-owned distribution cooperative in the same regulatory environment with similar load-management, rebate, and SmartHub-style member engagement programs.
• Dakota Electric Association: Member-owned electric cooperative serving the south Twin Cities metro and Dakota County. Comparable cooperative governance and member programs, with somewhat higher member density but the same Minnesota regulatory environment.
• Runestone Electric Association: Member-owned electric cooperative in west-central Minnesota with similar rural distribution footprint and member services. Comparable in scale (~7,000–10,000 members) and Great River Energy affiliation.
• Stearns Electric Association: Member-owned electric cooperative serving central Minnesota with a similar rural distribution profile, AMI deployment, and load-management programs. Closely comparable in member count, geography, and operational structure.
• McLeod Cooperative Power Association: Electric distribution cooperative serving south-central Minnesota with similar rural/mixed-use territory. Comparable cooperative model, AMI infrastructure, and load-management programs.
• Lake Region Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative in west-central Minnesota serving rural members. Comparable in scale, geography, and member-service orientation with similar load-management offerings.
• Crow Wing Power: Electric cooperative serving north-central Minnesota with similar rural territory, member-owned governance, and Great River Energy wholesale supply relationship. Directly comparable operating model and member services.

Broad incumbents

• Xcel Energy: Large investor-owned utility serving Minnesota and surrounding states. Comparable core function (electric distribution) but with vastly greater scale and different ownership structure; sets the competitive benchmark for rates and service quality in overlapping Minnesota territories.
• Great River Energy: Wholesale generation-and-transmission cooperative that supplies TWEC (90% of energy). Not a direct competitor but a structural peer as a Minnesota cooperative-utility enterprise, and the parent entity whose transmission/distribution policies shape TWEC's economics.
• Minnesota Power (ALLETE): Investor-owned utility serving northern and central Minnesota. Comparable in core electric distribution activity in overlapping Minnesota regions and partner with Great River Energy on the Northland Reliability Project — provides a benchmark for utility economics in TWEC's service area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ToddWadenaElectricCooperative
• Instagraminstagram.com/twec.coop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative