Delta-Montrose Electric Association

What Delta-Montrose Electric Association does

Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) is a member-owned, not-for-profit rural electric cooperative incorporated in 1938, headquartered in Montrose, Colorado. The cooperative distributes electricity to more than 36,000 meters across seven districts in Montrose and Delta counties through overhead and underground distribution infrastructure, a fleet of 148 employees, and supporting systems including outage management, wildfire prevention protocols (Fire Prevention Mode), and an active vegetation management program that in 2025 removed 3,415 trees and trimmed 3,530. DMEA is governed by a nine-member democratically elected board and operates on a cost-of-service basis, returning margins to members through capital credits (a 25-year retention cycle, with $3.3M retired in March 2026).

The cooperative's core product is regulated electric distribution to residential and commercial members, supported by a free member-facing platform, SmartHub, which since September 2022 has consolidated electric and broadband account management. DMEA's wholly owned subsidiary Elevate Internet, launched in 2016, provides fiber broadband with speeds from 400 Mbps up to 6 Gig across the same service territory, adding a second subscription-based revenue stream. Member-facing offerings include net metering for rooftop solar, energy efficiency programs, Operation Round Up charitable giving, a scholarship program (over $100,000 in 2025), and youth leadership sponsorships.

DMEA's business model is fundamentally non-profit utility economics: revenue is generated through regulated electricity sales under board-set rates by customer class, supplemented by broadband subscription revenue from Elevate. Rate structures follow cost-of-service principles with optional Budget Billing and Autopay, and capital credits are periodically retired to members. GTM is sales-led and member-direct within the exclusive service territory, with multi-channel engagement (SmartHub app, three physical offices, PowerLines newsletter, social media, annual meeting). In April 2026, DMEA joined the Southwest Power Pool regional transmission organization to access broader energy resources and support long-term reliability and cost management, while maintaining Guzman Energy as its primary wholesale power supplier.

Name

Delta-Montrose Electric Association

Legal name

Delta-Montrose Electric Association

Website

https://dmea.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) is a member-owned rural electric cooperative serving more than 36,000 meters across Montrose and Delta counties in Colorado with electricity, plus fiber broadband via its Elevate Internet subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Electric Cooperative

NAICS

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

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Response, Mutual Aid & Storm Logistics (EUADAHAK), Hazard Tree Identification & Removal (Fall-in/Fall-zone Trees) (EUADAOAB), Field Area Network (FAN) & Backhaul for AMI (EUADAFAE)

Keywords

• Rural electric cooperative
• Electric distribution services
• Fiber internet service
• Member-owned utility
• Wildfire prevention programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Montrose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales and Distribution: As a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative, DMEA generates revenue through electricity sales to members. Operating margins (excess revenues after expenses) are allocated back to members as capital credits based on their electricity purchases. Revenue is used to maintain and improve electric infrastructure, pay operational expenses, and build equity for system reliability and expansion.
2. Elevate Internet Fiber Services: DMEA's fiber internet subsidiary provides high-speed broadband services to residential and business customers in its service territory, generating additional revenue streams beyond core electric service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) is a member-owned rural electric cooperative that distributes electricity to more than 36,000 meters across seven districts in Montrose and Delta counties, Colorado. The cooperative complements its core electric service with Elevate Internet, a wholly-owned fiber broadband subsidiary offering speeds from 400 Mbps up to 6 Gig, and provides the SmartHub online account management platform for billing, energy monitoring, and outage reporting.

Product overview

Delta-Montrose Electric Association operates as a member-owned rural electric cooperative providing a unified portfolio of energy and connectivity services. The core offering is electric distribution service serving over 36,000 meters across Montrose and Delta counties in Colorado. DMEA complements its utility operations with Elevate Internet, a fiber broadband subsidiary offering speeds up to 6 Gig. The cooperative's digital member experience centers on SmartHub, an account management platform enabling bill payment, energy monitoring, and outage reporting. Additional member benefits include net metering for rooftop solar, energy efficiency programs, capital credits (member ownership distributions), Operation Round Up charitable giving, scholarship programs, and youth leadership sponsorships. The portfolio functions as a unified cooperative platform addressing both energy and broadband needs of its member-customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Elevate Internet: Fiber internet subsidiary of DMEA offering high-speed internet services with speeds from 400 Mbps up to 6 Gig (6,000 Mbps).
• SmartHub
• PowerLines Report

Products and services

• Electric Distribution Service Core electric distribution service providing safe, reliable, and affordable power delivery to residential and commercial members throughout the cooperative's exclusive service territory. Rates are set by a democratically elected board of directors on a cost-of-service basis.
• Elevate Fiber Internet Wholly-owned fiber broadband subsidiary delivering high-speed internet with speeds ranging from 400 Mbps up to 6 Gig (6,000 Mbps) to residential and business customers within the cooperative's service territory.
• New Construction Services Electric service design and installation for new construction and service upgrades, including overhead and underground service options. A $350 upfront design fee applies to new construction projects.
• SmartHub Account Management Platform Free online account management tool available to DMEA members and Elevate customers via web and mobile app, enabling 24/7 balance checks, bill payment, energy use monitoring, and notification management.

Quantifiable outcome

• DMEA retired $3.3 million in capital credits to members in 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Southwest Power Pool (SPP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026DMEA joined the Southwest Power Pool on April 1, 2026, as part of a regional transmission organization expansion. SPP helps manage the flow of electricity across a multi-state grid by matching electricity supply with demand in real time and selecting the most efficient power sources. The partnership provides access to a broader network of energy resources, improves electric reliability, reduces outage risk during extreme weather, and helps ensure fair access to transmission for utilities and energy providers. DMEA will work with SPP to meet larger regional resource adequacy requirements.
• Guzman EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuzman Energy serves as DMEA's primary wholesale power supplier. While SPP coordinates how electricity moves across the grid in real time, Guzman Energy provides the actual electricity supply. This partnership remains central to DMEA's energy procurement strategy.
• Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDMEA partners with Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS), a full-service election company based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, to conduct its annual Board of Directors elections. SBS has been setting standards in election management since 1990 and uses world-class security, customer support, and a proven process used in over 800 elections annually.
• Energy Outreach ColoradominorOthersUnclaimed capital credits that remain unclaimed for 3 years or more are transferred to a fund supporting charitable and educational purposes, including donations to Energy Outreach Colorado, an organization that helps people who are struggling with their energy bills.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Holy Cross Energy: Member-owned electric cooperative serving the Vail Valley and surrounding Western Colorado region. Directly comparable as a Colorado-based rural electric cooperative with similar member-ownership structure, renewable energy programs, and broadband initiatives.
• Kit Carson Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving rural northern New Mexico. Comparable rural electric cooperative with a fiber broadband subsidiary (Kit Carson Internet), making it particularly relevant given DMEA's Elevate Internet business.
• Flathead Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving northwestern Montana. Comparable rural electric cooperative model with similar community-focused programs, member governance, and distribution-scale operations in a high wildfire-risk geographic area.
• San Miguel Power Association: Member-owned electric cooperative serving the San Miguel, Montrose, Ouray, and San Juan county region of Western Colorado. Direct geographic overlap with DMEA's service territory and similar rural cooperative model serving mountainous Colorado communities.
• La Plata Electric Association: Member-owned electric cooperative serving La Plata and Archuleta counties in Southwest Colorado. Highly comparable rural cooperative serving a similar Western Colorado market with overlapping service territory characteristics and community-focused programs.
• CORE Electric Cooperative: Large member-owned electric cooperative serving Douglas County and surrounding areas south of Denver, Colorado. Comparable as a Colorado-based electric cooperative serving residential and commercial members with similar governance and capital credits model.
• Grand Valley Power: Member-owned electric cooperative serving Mesa County in Western Colorado. Comparable rural electric cooperative operating in the same broader Western Colorado region with similar member-ownership structure and community programs.

Direct peers

• CoServ Electric: Member-owned electric cooperative serving North Texas with electric, gas, and broadband services. Directly comparable cooperative model with multiple utility service lines and a similar approach to member capital credit distributions.
• Pedernales Electric Cooperative: One of the largest member-owned electric cooperatives in the US, serving rural Central Texas. Directly comparable cooperative structure, member governance, capital credit distribution model, and PEC's expansion into broadband services mirrors DMEA's Elevate Internet subsidiary.
• Tri-County Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving rural Texas communities. Highly comparable rural electric cooperative business model with member governance, capital credits, and diversified service offerings including broadband.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DeltaMontrose
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@dmeacoop
• Facebookfacebook.com/DeltaMontroseElectricAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dmeacoop
• Instagraminstagram.com/dmeacoop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Delta-Montrose Electric Association