Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative

What Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative does

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative (CHEC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative incorporated in 1945 and headquartered in Stigler, Oklahoma. CHEC distributes electricity to residential, agricultural, commercial, and irrigation members across southeastern Oklahoma through more than 3,000 miles of power lines and 15 substations serving approximately 18,000 meters. Electricity is generated by Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. and transmitted via KAMO Power's transmission lines; CHEC does not own generation assets.

The cooperative has expanded beyond traditional electric distribution into fiber broadband under the Cookson Hills Connect brand, operating 2,600 miles of fiber infrastructure. Its product portfolio includes tiered electric rate schedules (Farm & Home, Commercial, Agricultural, Irrigation, Security Lighting), a prepaid Pay-As-You-Go option, budget billing, automatic bank draft, 24/7 kiosks, and the SmartHub mobile/web account platform provided by NISC. Members also participate in a capital credits patronage refund program through which CHEC has returned over $18 million as of December 2023.

CHEC is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees elected from seven geographic districts and led by General Manager/CEO Juli Orme (since July 2018). Revenue is generated through monthly customer charges and usage-based energy charges; financial figures are not publicly disclosed as CHEC is a not-for-profit cooperative. Distribution is handled directly through offices in Stigler and Sallisaw, supplemented by digital self-service channels.

Name

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://cooksonhills.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Distribution

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Rural electric distribution
• Electric utility services
• Fiber broadband internet
• Cooperative electric service
• Agricultural irrigation power

Headquarters

HQ city

Stigler

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, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Electric Service Revenue: Monthly charges for electric service including customer charges (fixed monthly fees) and energy charges (usage-based per kWh). Residential, commercial, agricultural, and irrigation rate classes.
2. Energy Charges (Usage-Based): Variable charges based on kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption. Rates vary by season (December-February vs March-November), usage tiers (first 800 kWh vs over 800 kWh), and customer class (farm/home, commercial, agricultural, irrigation).
3. Security Light Service: Monthly rental charges for security lighting installed on cooperative service poles, including LED and HPS lamp options.
4. Connection and Reconnection Fees: Fees charged for new service connections ($25), disconnections, and reconnections ($75 standard, $250 after-hours).
5. Service Deposits: Security deposits may be required for new service establishment or reconnection after disconnection.
6. Capital Credits (Patronage Refunds): Not-for-profit cooperative returns margins to members in the form of capital credits based on electricity purchased. As of December 2023, CHEC has returned over $18 Million in patronage capital credits.
7. Oklahoma Living Magazine Subscription: Mandatory subscription included in electric bills: $4.20/year for residential, $3.48/year for business members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative (CHEC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative that distributes electricity to residential, commercial, and agricultural members across rural eastern Oklahoma. Electricity is generated by Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. and transmitted through KAMO Power's transmission lines to 15 substations serving nearly 18,000 meters across more than 3,000 miles of power lines. The cooperative also operates Cookson Hills Connect, a fiber-to-the-home broadband internet service spanning 2,600 miles of fiber lines.

Product overview

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative operates as a vertically integrated rural electric utility offering electric service across eastern Oklahoma. The cooperative's product portfolio centers on its core electric distribution service with multiple rate structures for residential, commercial, agricultural, and irrigation customers. Adjacent to traditional electric service, the cooperative provides fiber broadband internet through CooksonHills Connect, representing a significant infrastructure expansion. The cooperative offers account management via SmartHub (a web and mobile platform), diverse billing options including prepaid pay-as-you-go and budget billing, security lighting services, and community programs such as Operation Round-Up. The service architecture combines the regulated utility infrastructure with modern digital tools for customer engagement and payments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cookson Hills Connect: Fiber broadband internet service brand operated by Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, providing high-speed internet to members in their service territory.

Products and services

• Farm & Home Electric Service (Rate 1) Standard residential electric service with tiered seasonal energy charges. Rates differ between December-February and March-November, with a $40.00/month customer charge and tiered per-kWh rates. Designed for member households in the cooperative's service territory.
• Commercial & Small Power Service (Rates 2 & 3) Electric service for commercial businesses with single-phase (Rate 2) and three-phase (Rate 3) configurations. Customer charge of $56.80/month plus usage charges. Designed for small and mid-sized businesses.
• Agricultural Service (Rate 18) Electric service for agricultural operations with a flat energy charge of $0.110950/kWh for all kWh usage. Designed for farms and ranches requiring single-phase power.
• Irrigation Service (Rates 27 & 28) Electric service for agricultural irrigation operations. Single-phase (Rate 27): $35.00/month customer charge plus $0.105590/kWh energy charge and $6.50/kW demand charge during June-September. Three-phase (Rate 28): $60.00/month customer charge.
• Cookson Hills Connect Fiber Internet Fiber-to-the-home broadband internet service delivering high-speed connectivity to rural members across the cooperative's 2,600-mile fiber network. Provides an alternative to urban internet providers for underserved rural eastern Oklahoma communities.
• SmartHub Free online and mobile application that allows cooperative members to access accounts 24/7, pay bills, check electric usage, report power outages, and receive alerts via web or smartphone/tablet app.
• Security Lights Monthly rental service for outdoor security lighting installed on cooperative service poles. Includes 150-Watt HPS, 100-150 Watt LED, and metered LED options starting at $6.15/month. Designed for residential and commercial properties needing area lighting.
• Prepaid Pay-As-You-Go Service (Cycle 5) Prepaid electric service allowing members to pay in advance with no monthly bill. Requires minimum $35 credit balance at all times. No standard reconnection fees or deposits required. Designed for members seeking flexible payment without recurring billing.
• New Construction Service Electric service installation for new residential and commercial construction, including staking, line extension, and meter setup. Includes a $25 new service connection fee. Designed for builders and property developers in the cooperative territory.
• Rural Fire Department Billing Monthly billing service that collects volunteer fire department membership dues from participating cooperative members on behalf of local rural fire departments. Designed for members who opt to support their local volunteer fire departments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Returned over $18 Million in patronage capital credits to members as of December 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.coreOthersA generation and transmission cooperative that generates electricity for CHEC. Associated Electric manages a diverse generation fleet including coal, natural gas, liquid fuel, wind, and hydropower resources. They also administer the 'Take Control and Save' rebate program for energy efficiency products.
• KAMO PowercoreOthersTransmits electricity from Associated Electric through transmission lines to CHEC's 13-15 substations. Part of the three-tiered power system alongside CHEC and AECI.
• Oklahoma One Call System (Call-Okie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafety and damage prevention program linking excavators with underground facility operators. Members must call 811 or 1-800-522-6543 before digging to prevent damage to underground utilities.
• National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing the SmartHub application platform used by CHEC members for account management, bill payment, and outage reporting.
• GuernseyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering firm contracted to conduct cost-of-service study to review existing rates and determine suitable rate structure following wholesale power cost increases.
• MDR ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContracted to help expedite the make ready construction phase of CHEC's fiber-to-the-home project by working on distribution lines.
• Progressive Solutions LLCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContracted for annual brush control and spraying programs on CHEC's right-of-way to maintain clearances around power lines.
• West Tree ServiceminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContracted for right-of-way clearing services including tree and brush removal to prevent outages and maintain safety.
• Gordon ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContracted to perform needed upgrades to CHEC's electric system infrastructure.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Cookson-Hills-Electric-Cooperative-Inc-1407808086143063
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cookson-hills-electric-co-op

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative