Kansas Electric Power Cooperative

What Kansas Electric Power Cooperative does

Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (KEPCo) is a not-for-profit generation and transmission (G&T) electric cooperative incorporated in 1975 and headquartered in Topeka, Kansas. It procures and supplies wholesale power to its 17 member distribution cooperatives, which collectively serve more than 77,000 consumer-members representing nearly 200,000 rural Kansans across two-thirds of the state. KEPCo's generation portfolio totals approximately 236 MW, combining co-owned baseload assets — a 6% interest in the Wolf Creek nuclear plant (70 MW, licensed through 2045) and a 3.53% interest in the Iatan 2 supercritical coal plant (32 MW) — with wholly owned Sharpe diesel peaking (20 MW), Prairie Sky Solar (1 MW), and federal hydro allocations from the Southwestern Power Administration (100 MW) and Western Area Power Administration (13 MW). Approximately 60-67% of the portfolio is from non-greenhouse-gas-emitting resources.

KEPCo's revenue model is a not-for-profit wholesale cost-of-service structure: it sells power to its 17 member cooperatives at Board-set rates, with margins stabilized through a Margin Stabilization Adjustment (MSA) rider that has returned approximately $176 million in credits to members through year-end 2024. In October 2009 KEPCo deregulated its wholesale rates from Kansas Corporation Commission ratemaking jurisdiction. Beyond power supply, the cooperative operates KEPCo Services, Inc. (KSI), a wholly owned for-profit subsidiary established in 1997 that provides engineering and consulting services — including construction work plans, substation design, sectionalizing studies, renewables planning, and arc hazard analysis — to member and non-member cooperatives on a fee-for-service basis. Supporting member programs include the USDA Rural Utilities Service REDLG zero-interest loan program, an Economic Development Rider for new large-load customers, and an Energy Efficiency Rebate Program covering high-efficiency water heaters and heat pumps.

The cooperative is governed by a 17-member board of trustees (one per member cooperative) with a seven-member executive committee, and its leadership team includes CEO Kevin T. Noblet (effective January 2025, formerly President of Liberty Utilities' Central Region), SVP & COO John Arthur, SVP & General Counsel Susan Cunningham, CFO Coleen Wells, and Director of Power Supply Laura Becker (joined from Evergy in late 2024). KEPCo is a member of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), participates in the SPP Integrated Marketplace, and partners with USDA RUS, National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), CoBank, NRECA, and Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. for capital, advocacy, and operational support. The cooperative celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025.

Name

Kansas Electric Power Cooperative

Legal name

Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://kepco.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kansas Electric Power Cooperative is a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative providing wholesale power supply to 17 distribution cooperative members across two-thirds of Kansas. It also offers engineering consulting via KSI subsidiary and economic development programs serving nearly 200,000 rural Kansans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Power Generation and Transmission

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Nuclear Electric Power Generation (221113), Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation (221112), Electric Bulk Power Transmission and Control (221121)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Network Upgrades & Capacity Additions (Reconductoring, Rebalancing, Voltage Optimization) (EUAEACAN)

Keywords

• Wholesale power supply
• Generation and transmission
• Electric cooperative services
• Power supply portfolio
• Rural electric utilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Topeka

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Power Supply: As a not-for-profit G&T cooperative, KEPCo procures power supply for its 17 distribution cooperative members at cost. Revenue is generated through wholesale power sales to member cooperatives, with rates set by KEPCo's Board of Trustees. The cooperative providesMargin Stabilization Adjustment (MSA) Rider enabling credits or surcharges when margins deviate from required levels.
2. KEPCo Services Inc. (KSI) Consulting: KSI operates as a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary providing technical and engineering consulting services to member and non-member cooperatives on a fee-for-service basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kansas Electric Power Cooperative (KEPCo) is a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative that provides wholesale electricity supply to its 17 member-owned electric distribution cooperatives across Kansas. The cooperative owns and contracts generation assets including nuclear, coal, natural gas, diesel, hydro, wind, and solar resources totaling approximately 236 MW, and delivers this power through participation in the Southwest Power Pool regional market.

Product overview

Kansas Electric Power Cooperative (KEPCo) is a not-for-profit generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative that provides power supply services to its 17 distribution cooperative members across two-thirds of Kansas. The core offering is a diversified power supply portfolio combining owned generation assets (Wolf Creek nuclear at 70 MW, Iatan 2 coal at 31 MW, Sharpe diesel peaking at 20 MW, and Prairie Sky solar at 1 MW) with long-term hydropower allocations (113 MW combined from SWPA and WAPA) and purchased power agreements. Supporting the power supply business, KEPCo operates KEPCo Services, Inc. (KSI), a wholly owned engineering and technical consulting subsidiary that provides services including work plans, mapping, project management, substation design, and renewable energy planning to member and non-member cooperatives. KEPCo also offers member services including the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program, Economic Development Rider, and Energy Efficiency Rebate Program for appliances and heat pumps.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wholesale Power Supply Bulk electricity supply service provided to 17 member-owned electric distribution cooperatives serving rural and small-town Kansas communities.
• Owned Generation Portfolio Owned generation assets spanning nuclear (Wolf Creek), coal (Iatan 2, Sharpe), and solar (Prairie Sky) that contribute to the cooperative's diversified power supply mix.
• KEPCo Services, Inc. (KSI) Subsidiary offering engineering, operations support, maintenance, and consulting services to member cooperatives and other clients in the electric utility industry.
• Purchased Power Agreements Contracted power arrangements securing hydropower and other resources to supplement owned generation and ensure reliable, diversified supply.
• Southwest Power Pool Market Participation Engagement in the regional SPP Integrated Marketplace to buy, sell, and schedule wholesale electricity and ancillary services across the broader regional grid.
• Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) Program Pass-through lending and grant program funded by USDA Rural Utilities Service that supports job creation and community development projects in rural Kansas service areas.
• Economic Development Rider Special pricing rider designed to encourage new commercial and industrial load growth in member cooperatives' service territories by offering competitive electric rates.
• Energy Efficiency Rebate Program Funding pool that supports member cooperatives' energy efficiency programs by reimbursing qualifying conservation improvements.
• Power Supply Rate Riders Mechanisms such as the Margin Stabilization Adjustment Rider that adjust member billing to manage revenue variability and maintain cooperative financial health.
• Rural Leadership Development Program Training and leadership development program designed to build governance, management, and operational capabilities within member distribution cooperatives.

Named customers17 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Evergy, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvergy was formed by the merger of KCP&L and Westar Energy on June 4, 2018. Evergy provides clean, safe, reliable energy to 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. KEPCo co-owns generation facilities with Evergy companies and purchases a portion of its power supply requirements from Evergy through purchase power agreements. KEPCo is also a transmission customer of the Evergy companies.
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)minorOthersFERC is an independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil. FERC also reviews proposals to build liquefied natural gas terminals and interstate natural gas pipelines as well as licensing hydropower projects. KEPCo appears regularly in FERC proceedings to protect its interests as a wholesale customer of several FERC-regulated entities.
• Kansas Chamber of CommerceminorOthersThe Kansas Chamber of Commerce has been championing business since 1924. KEPCo has been a member of the Kansas Chamber since 1989.
• Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC)coreOthersKCC was established by the Legislature in 1933 to regulate electric, natural gas, pipeline, and telecommunications public utilities. In October 2009, KEPCo's rates were deregulated from KCC's regulatory oversight. The KCC retains jurisdiction over service territory, certain power sales, wire stringing, transmission line siting, and practices related to underground utility facilities.
• Kansas Department of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kansas Department of Commerce is the state's lead economic development agency. KEPCo is engaged in the economic development activities and programs sponsored by the Kansas Department of Commerce to help members grow their businesses.
• Kansas Economic Development Alliance (KEDA)minorOthersKEDA is an organization of professionals and volunteers involved in economic growth and development. KEPCo has been a member of KEDA since 2008.
• Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (KEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKEC is the Kansas statewide service organization for 28 electric distribution cooperatives and three G&T cooperatives. KEPCo is one of KEC's three G&T cooperative members.
• Liberty UtilitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiberty Utilities, formerly The Empire District Electric Company, provides electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater service to nearly 320,000 customers across six states. In addition to its retail operations, Liberty Utilities also provides transmission service in southeastern Kansas, of which KEPCo is a customer.
• Midwest Energy, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMidwest Energy is a customer-owned electric and natural gas cooperative, serving 93,000 customers in 40 counties in central and western Kansas. In addition to its retail operations, Midwest Energy also provides transmission service in central and west central Kansas, of which KEPCo is a customer.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRECA was established in 1942 by America's electric cooperatives to provide a unified voice and represents more than 900 consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. KEPCo is a member. NRECA provides employee benefits plans, federal government relations activities, management and director training, communications, advocacy, and public relations initiatives.
• Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPP was founded in 1941 when eleven regional power companies pooled their resources. Today SPP oversees the bulk electric grid and wholesale power market in the central United States in 14 states. KEPCo is a member of SPP.
• Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWPA was established in 1943 by the Secretary of the Interior as a Federal Agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. SWPA markets hydroelectric power in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas from 24 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams. KEPCo has a 100 MW allocation of peaking and supplemental hydropower from SWPA.
• Sunflower Electric Power CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunflower was formed in 1957 by six distribution cooperatives serving western Kansas. KEPCo purchases a portion of its power supply requirements from Sunflower through purchase power agreements. KEPCo is also a transmission customer of Sunflower.
• Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAPA is one of four Power Marketing Administrations within the U.S. Department of Energy. WAPA markets and transmits wholesale electricity from multi-use water projects across a 15-state region. KEPCo has a 13 MW allocation of firm hydro power from WAPA.
• Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (WCNOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCNOC operates Wolf Creek Generating Station near Burlington, Kansas. Wolf Creek's ownership is divided between Evergy (94%) and KEPCo (6%). Wolf Creek began commercial operation in 1985 with its license extended to 2045. The plant generates enough energy to power more than 800,000 homes.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sunflower Electric Power Corporation: Kansas-based generation and transmission cooperative formed by six distribution cooperatives. Directly comparable as another Kansas G&T cooperative; KEPCo purchases a portion of its power supply from Sunflower and is also a transmission customer.
• Oglethorpe Power Corporation: Member-owned generation and transmission cooperative serving 38 Electric Membership Corporations in Georgia. Closely analogous G&T cooperative model with diversified owned generation and long-term PPAs supplied to distribution members.
• Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative: Member-owned G&T cooperative serving seven distribution cooperatives in Michigan. Comparable cooperative G&T supplying wholesale power to distribution members across a defined regional footprint.
• Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc. Generation and transmission cooperative serving nine distribution cooperative members in Florida. Comparable cooperative-owned wholesale power supplier with owned generation assets and PPA-based supply portfolio.
• Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. Generation and transmission cooperative serving six regional and 51 distribution cooperative members in Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Comparable cooperative G&T structure with member-owned governance and diversified power supply.
• Midwest Energy, Inc. Customer-owned electric and natural gas cooperative serving 93,000 customers across central and western Kansas. Comparable as a Kansas-based member-owned utility that provides transmission service of which KEPCo is a customer.
• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: One of the largest G&T cooperatives in the U.S., serving member systems across nine states. Comparable as a generation and transmission cooperative with a diversified portfolio including coal, natural gas, and renewables, supplying distribution cooperative members.
• Hoosier Energy Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. Generation and transmission cooperative serving member distribution systems in Indiana and Illinois. Comparable cooperative-owned wholesale electricity supplier with diversified owned and contracted generation resources.

Broad incumbents

• Evergy, Inc. Investor-owned utility serving 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. Co-owner of Wolf Creek and Iatan 2 with KEPCo, power supply counterparty, and transmission provider — a critical incumbent partner rather than direct wholesale competitor.

Others

• National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC): Member-owned cooperative finance institution serving electric cooperative members across 49 states. Comparable not-for-profit cooperative ecosystem participant and one of KEPCo's core financial partners rather than a market peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kansas-electric-power-co-op

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Kansas Electric Power Cooperative