Ozarks Electric Cooperative

What Ozarks Electric Cooperative does

Ozarks Electric Cooperative is a private, member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative founded on May 16, 1938, under the federal Rural Electrification Act to bring electricity to rural areas unserved by investor-owned utilities. Headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the cooperative serves over 92,000 meters (residential, commercial, agricultural, and public-sector members) across nine counties in Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma, maintaining 7,451 miles of power lines through a regulated franchise model. Operations span electric distribution, energy solutions (residential and commercial audits, advanced energy analytics, EV charging programs), and a wholly-owned telecommunications subsidiary, OzarksGo, launched in 2016 to deliver fiber internet (up to 2,500 Mbps), TV, and telephone services to underserved rural communities.

The cooperative's underlying technology stack includes advanced metering infrastructure with smart grid capabilities, a patented energy analytics platform using disaggregation algorithms to derive appliance-level consumption from meter data, UAV-based inspection systems operated by FAA-licensed pilots, and fiber optic infrastructure integrated into transmission line modernization projects. Member account management is delivered through the MyOzarks platform (powered by NISC's SmartHub), accessible via web and mobile apps on iOS and Android, supporting billing, payments, outage reporting, and energy usage analytics.

The cooperative generates revenue primarily through regulated electricity distribution and subscription-based broadband services, with surplus revenue returned to members as capital credits rather than external profit distributions. In 2026, $3 million in capital credits were distributed (bringing the historical total to over $62 million). Electric rates are regulator-approved and adjusted periodically (2.03% increase in Arkansas and 1.33% in Oklahoma in 2026) to reflect upstream wholesale cost changes. The GTM motion is direct-to-consumer across the membership base, served through four physical offices, the MyOzarks digital platform, phone support, and community-based member engagement programs including scholarships, youth tours, and safety education.

Name

Ozarks Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Ozarks Electric Cooperative

Website

https://ozarksecc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ozarks Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative founded in 1938, serving over 92,000 meters across nine counties in Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma, with a wholly-owned fiber broadband subsidiary (OzarksGo) and energy solutions offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Distribution

NAICS

Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Electric Power Distribution (221122), Utilities (22)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Electric & Other Services Combined (4931)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Electric Distribution System Owners (Wires-Only Companies) (EUADABAI), Distribution System Planning (DSP) & Non-Wires Alternatives (NWA) (EUADAGAB)

Keywords

• Electric utility services
• Fiber broadband internet
• Rural electrification
• Energy efficiency solutions
• Member-owned cooperative

Headquarters

HQ city

Fayetteville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Distribution Services: Regulated electric distribution services provided to over 92,000 homes, farms, businesses, and industries across 9 counties in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Revenue generated through electricity sales with rates approved through regulatory processes.
2. OzarksGo Broadband Services: Subsidiary company providing high-speed fiber internet, TV, and telephone services to members. Launched in 2016 to extend connectivity to underserved rural communities.
3. Capital Credits Distribution: As a not-for-profit cooperative, surplus revenue is returned to members as capital credits. In 2026, $3 million distributed, bringing total refunds to over $62 million.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ozarks Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative delivering regulated electricity service to more than 92,000 homes, farms, businesses, and industries across nine counties in Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary OzarksGo, the cooperative also sells fiber-based broadband internet, television, and telephone services, and it offers residential and commercial energy audit and rebate programs.

Product overview

Ozarks Electric Cooperative operates as a member-owned not-for-profit utility providing electric service to over 92,000 members across nine counties in Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma. The company offers a unified portfolio combining core electric utility services with technology-enabled offerings through its wholly owned subsidiary OzarksGo (fiber internet, TV, and phone services) and the MyOzarks digital platform for account management. Energy solutions include residential and commercial energy audits, advanced energy analytics, EV charging programs, and various rebate offerings. The MyOzarks platform serves as the central hub for billing, payments, outage reporting, and energy usage insights, while OzarksGo extends the cooperative's infrastructure expertise into telecommunications services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OzarksGo: Wholly owned subsidiary providing high-speed fiber internet, TV and telephone services to members.
• MyOzarks
• Ozarks Connections

Products and services

• Electric Distribution Service Regulated electric distribution service delivering power across more than 7,400 miles of lines to residential, commercial, agricultural, and public-sector members in Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma.
• OzarksGo Internet Fiber internet service offering symmetric upload and download speeds up to 2,500 Mbps to homes and businesses in the cooperative's service territory.
• OzarksGo TV Television service with flexible channel packages, cloud DVR, Start Over and Replay features delivered over the OzarksGo fiber network.
• OzarksGo Phone Unlimited, crystal-clear telephone service carried over the OzarksGo fiber network for residential and business members.
• Home Energy Solutions Residential energy audit and retrofit program offering walk-through inspection, blower-door leak testing, air duct leak testing, and implementation of energy efficiency improvements through the CHESS (Comprehensive Home Energy Saving Solution) program.
• Commercial Energy Audits No-cost energy audits for business, commercial, and public-sector members analyzing facility energy use including lighting, air sealing, duct sealing, insulation, HVAC systems, and equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 36,000 members restored within one week following May 2025 tornado
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Arkansas State University-NewportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOzarks Electric partners with ASU-Newport to award an annual High Voltage Lineman Scholarship covering tuition, materials, and tools for the 10-month Technical Certificate in High Voltage Lineman Technology program. The 2026 scholarship to Aaden Istre is valued at over $10,000, supporting workforce development in the electric utility industry.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative: Electric distribution cooperative serving northeastern Oklahoma, directly overlapping Ozarks Electric's Oklahoma service territory. Comparable cooperative structure, scale, and rural distribution focus.
• Oklahoma Electric Cooperative: Electric distribution cooperative serving central Oklahoma. Directly comparable as a member-owned cooperative operating in overlapping Oklahoma service territory with similar distribution-focused business model.
• Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. Generation and transmission cooperative serving six regional cooperatives including Ozarks Electric. Comparable as a cooperative G&T partner providing wholesale power to member distribution cooperatives.
• Carroll Electric Cooperative Corporation: Electric distribution cooperative serving Northwest Arkansas with similar member-owned structure. Directly comparable as a neighboring Arkansas electric cooperative serving rural and suburban members with similar scale and operational profile.
• First Electric Cooperative Corporation: Electric distribution cooperative serving central and eastern Arkansas. Comparable as an Arkansas-based electric cooperative serving rural members with similar operational profile and member-ownership model.
• Co-Mo Connect: Fiber broadband subsidiary of Co-Mo Electric Cooperative in central Missouri. Directly comparable as an electric cooperative that launched a fiber broadband subsidiary to extend high-speed internet to underserved rural members, mirroring OzarksGo's strategy.
• Craighead Electric Cooperative Corporation: Electric distribution cooperative serving northeastern Arkansas. Comparable as a neighboring Arkansas electric cooperative with similar member-owned structure, rural distribution focus, and scale.
• Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative: Generation and transmission cooperative serving member distribution cooperatives across Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Comparable as a regional electric cooperative with G&T function serving similar rural territories.

Broad incumbents

• Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E): Investor-owned electric utility serving Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Comparable as a major incumbent electric provider operating in Ozarks Electric's service region with broader scale and resources.
• Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO): Investor-owned utility serving parts of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and surrounding states. Comparable as a larger incumbent electric utility operating in overlapping territory, providing a contrast between IOU and cooperative models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ozarkselectric
• Facebookfacebook.com/OzarksElectric
• Instagraminstagram.com/ozarkselectric
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ozarks-electric-cooperative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Ozarks Electric Cooperative