What Ozark Electric Cooperative does

Ozark Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative incorporated in Missouri and founded on October 21, 1937, serving approximately 28,000 member-owners (36,000+ billed meters) across nine southwest Missouri counties: Barry, Christian, Dade, Greene, Jasper, Lawrence, Newton, Polk, and Stone. The cooperative operates as the final tier of a three-tier system, receiving generation from Associated Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI) and transmission from KAMO Power, then distributing electricity to end members through approximately 4,800 miles of distribution lines and 17+ substations. Headquartered at 10943 Hwy 39, Mt. Vernon, Missouri, with branch offices in Nixa and Cape Fair, it is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors elected by districts and led by General Manager and CEO Patrick Oehlschlager and CFO Tori Morris.

The cooperative's revenue model is rate-based electricity distribution across single-phase residential/commercial tiers ($35/month facilities charge, 10.6 cents/kWh energy, $3.75/kW demand), three-phase tiers ($42.50/month facilities), and a Large Power tier ($45/month facilities, 9.7 cents/kWh, $8/kW demand), supplemented by ancillary recurring services including security lighting at fixed monthly rates from $8.55 to $32.50, surge protection at $4.75/month, and net metering interconnections for member-owned solar and wind generation. The technology stack centers on the SmartHub digital platform (web and mobile) for bill payment, outage reporting, usage monitoring, and demand tracking via 15-minute interval metering, supported by a Demand Estimator calculator and Phantom Load Calculator that translate consumption patterns into bill-impact guidance. Member engagement is reinforced through capital credits retirements ($2,573,703 in 2025, $2,424,837 in 2024), energy efficiency rebates spanning heat pumps, ductless systems, programmable thermostats, and water heaters, plus community programs such as Youth Tour, CYCLE Conference, Co-op Camp, scholarships, and the OECF Round-Up Program launching September 2026.

Customer distribution channels include the three physical offices, the SmartHub self-serve portal, PaySite retail kiosks at Apple Market, Price Cutter, Woods Supermarket, and City Hall partners, plus 24/7 phone service (1-800-947-6393). Commercial members access three-phase and Large Power rate options with a Business Lighting Program capped at $30,000 per member annually. Agricultural members receive irrigation, livestock, and farm-equipment power services. The cooperative is non-profit, with margins allocated annually as capital credits rather than distributed to external shareholders, and currently retires power from a fuel mix where over 25% is sourced from wind and hydro via its AECI partnership.

Name

Ozark Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Ozark Electric Cooperative

Website

https://ozarkelectric.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ozark Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric distribution utility founded in 1937, serving approximately 28,000 members across nine southwest Missouri counties through 4,800 miles of distribution lines, the SmartHub digital platform, and rate-based residential, commercial, and agricultural electricity service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Distribution

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

Utility-Integrated Distributed Energy Resources (DER) & Non-Wires Alternatives (EUACALAF)

Keywords

• Rural electric distribution
• Member-owned utility
• Electricity cooperative services
• Power distribution services
• Energy efficiency rebates

Headquarters

HQ city

Mount Vernon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Distribution: Monthly electricity distribution service to residential, commercial, and agricultural members. Revenue generated through facilities charges, energy charges (per kWh), demand charges (per kW), and power cost adjustments. Member-owned cooperative structure means margins are allocated as capital credits to members.
2. Security Lighting: Fixed monthly billing for security and street lighting services including electricity use and maintenance. Additional charges may apply for extra poles, transformers, and wire.
3. Surge Protection: Monthly fee for meter adapter surge protection device covering whole electrical system with limited product warranty.
4. Service Deposits: Refundable deposits based on credit rating for new member service setup. Deposits returned after 12 months of satisfactory payment history.
5. Ozark Electric Community Foundation: Round-up program beginning September 2026 where member bills are rounded to nearest dollar with extra change funding community grants, teacher programs, and scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ozark Electric Cooperative is a member-owned distribution electric cooperative providing safe, affordable, and reliable electricity to approximately 28,000 residential, commercial, and agricultural members across nine southwest Missouri counties. The cooperative operates approximately 4,800 miles of power lines and 36,000+ meters, billing monthly through single-phase, three-phase, and large power rate classes, and offers complementary member services such as security lighting, surge protection, smart meter demand monitoring, net metering interconnection, and energy-efficiency rebates.

Product overview

Ozark Electric Cooperative is a member-owned rural electric utility serving southwest Missouri across 9 counties with approximately 28,000 members. The cooperative operates as a three-tiered system receiving power from Associated Electric Cooperatives (generation) through KAMO Power (transmission) and distributing electricity to end members (distribution). The core offering is electricity distribution with SmartHub as the primary member-facing digital portal for bill payment, outage reporting, and usage tracking. The cooperative's product portfolio includes rate-based electricity service across single-phase, three-phase, and large power categories, security lighting and surge protection add-ons, demand management tools (Demand Estimator, Phantom Load Calculator), and comprehensive energy efficiency rebate programs covering ground source heat pumps, dual fuel heat pumps, mini-splits, thermostats, water heaters, and home energy audits. Renewable energy offerings include net metering for member-owned solar and wind systems with grid interconnection, plus geothermal heat pump guidance. Member benefit programs encompass capital credits retirements (annually distributed margins), the new Community Foundation round-up program, youth leadership programs (Youth Tour to Washington D.C., CYCLE Conference, Co-op Camp, Scholarships), educational initiatives (Energy in Today's Classroom, Power On Safety Presentations), and technical construction specifications for service installations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ozark Electric Community Foundation (OECF): A non-profit organization funded by members through voluntary bill round-ups, turning extra change from everyday bills into opportunities for good in the communities OEC serves.
• Electric Sparks

Products and services

• Electricity Distribution Service Monthly electricity distribution to residential, commercial, and agricultural members across 9 southwest Missouri counties through single-phase, three-phase, and large power rate classes. Billed via facilities charge, energy usage charge, demand charge, and Power Cost Adjustment.
• Security Lighting Service Fixed-monthly outdoor lighting service for members including electricity use and maintenance, available in 100W, 250W, 400W, and 1000W options. Additional charges apply for extra poles, transformers, and wire.
• Surge Protection Service Monthly meter adapter surge protection device installed by the cooperative, covering the whole electrical system with a limited product warranty for covered appliances.
• SmartHub Digital Member Portal Web and mobile member portal providing bill payment, outage reporting, usage monitoring via Usage Explorer, demand tracking, early voting, and account management for residential and commercial members.
• Net Metering Interconnection Service Interconnection program for member-owned solar, wind, or other renewable generation systems with bidirectional metering; net energy accounting at retail rates up to monthly consumption, with avoided cost compensation for excess generation.
• Capital Credits Retirement Program Annual patronage capital allocation where cooperative margins are returned to members based on electricity purchases; in 2025, $2,573,703 was retired for 100% of 2006 and 75% of 2007 margins.
• Demand Estimator Tool Online calculator enabling members to estimate power demand by selecting household appliances and observing cumulative impact on demand charges, with summer/winter seasonal modes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Capital credits of $2,573,703 returned to members in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rural Missouri MagazinecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 October 2025Statewide member magazine produced by Missouri Electric Cooperatives, mailed monthly to nearly 600,000 cooperative members. Ozark Electric's Electric Sparks newsletter is distributed through this publication.
• KAMO PowercoreOthersKAMO Power in Vinita, Oklahoma serves as Ozark Electric's transmission cooperative supplier. Ozark Electric receives its power transmission from KAMO, which serves Ozark Electric along with 14 other cooperatives.
• Associated Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI)coreOthersAECI generates power for Missouri electric cooperatives from six transmission cooperatives in Missouri, Iowa, and Oklahoma using diverse sources including coal, natural gas, hydro, and wind. Ozark Electric receives power through this cooperative system.
• Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMEC is the statewide service organization for Missouri's 48 electric cooperatives, providing training, advocacy, risk management, communications support, and annual meeting coordination.
• Cooperative Action Network (CAN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolitical action group representing 42 million electric cooperative members served by 900 cooperatives across the US. Primary goal is keeping electricity affordable and reliable through legislative advocacy.
• Vaughts Tree ServiceminorOthersContractor performing mechanical clearing of right-of-way at multiple substations including Ash Grove, Bowers Mill, Clever, Greenfield, Round Grove, Billings, and Clarkson Springs.
• Kenny Singer ConstructionminorOthersContractor performing mechanical clearing of right-of-way at Butterfield, East Purdy, and Verona substations.
• Progressive SolutionsminorOthersContractor performing herbicide application for right-of-way maintenance at multiple substations including Brown Springs, Cape Fair, Cave Springs, Elsey, Flat Creek, Nixa, and Riverdale.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cuivre River Electric Cooperative: Member-owned distribution cooperative serving northeast Missouri. Same cooperative structure, distribution-only model, similar SmartHub platform, and overlapping AMEC membership — directly comparable to Ozark Electric.
• SEMO Electric Cooperative: Southeast Missouri distribution cooperative with similar member-owned model, rural territory, capital credits program, and AMEC affiliation. Operates an analogous distribution-only value chain sourced through AECI/KAMO.
• Sac Osage Electric Cooperative: Member-owned rural electric cooperative in west-central Missouri. Direct peer in size, geography, and business model — both are distribution-only co-ops serving agricultural and rural residential members.
• Boone Electric Cooperative: Central Missouri distribution cooperative with the same cooperative governance, capital credits, and SmartHub-style digital member services. Comparable in scale and rural-suburban membership mix.
• Black River Electric Cooperative: Southeast Missouri distribution cooperative with member-owned structure, capital credits retirements, and similar AMEC and AECI relationships. Operates as a near-clone of Ozark Electric's distribution-only business model.
• Intercounty Electric Cooperative: Member-owned distribution cooperative serving south-central Missouri. Comparable scale and operations, with overlapping AECI/KAMO power supply relationships and AMEC membership.
• Consolidated Electric Cooperative: Northeast Missouri distribution cooperative with similar member-owned model, rural territory, capital credits program, and energy efficiency rebate offerings. Same AECI generation supply chain.
• White River Valley Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. Direct peer with overlapping service territory adjacent to Ozark Electric, same distribution-only model and cooperative governance.
• Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative: South-central Missouri distribution cooperative operating under the same member-owned cooperative structure with capital credits and AMEC affiliation. Comparable rural distribution profile.

Others

• Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. (AECI): Generation-and-transmission cooperative supplying wholesale power to Ozark Electric and 14 other Missouri cooperatives. Listed as an OTHERS peer because it is an upstream supplier rather than a direct competitor, but it is structurally linked to Ozark's cost base and economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OzarkElectric
• Xx.com/ozark_electric

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Ozark Electric Cooperative