Altamaha Electric Membership

What Altamaha Electric Membership does

Altamaha Electric Membership Corporation (Altamaha EMC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative founded in 1936 and headquartered in Lyons, Georgia. The cooperative distributes electricity to approximately 14,415 members across Emanuel, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Toombs, and Treutlen counties via 3,317 miles of distribution line and 21,273 installed meters, selling roughly 492.7 million kWh in the fiscal year ending September 2022. Its core technology stack centers on automated meter infrastructure (AMI) for cost control and reliability, with a 24/7 standby operations team supported by automated call routing and an online outage map portal.

Beyond core electric service, Altamaha EMC operates a portfolio of adjacent member programs: Pay-Your-Way prepay metering (marketed to reduce residential usage by up to 10%), the PowerUp Lending Program — a 9.9% APR energy-efficiency loan facility originated in partnership with Go Energy Credit Union — free home energy audits, cable location services, generator sales, and the Operation Round Up charitable donation program. Three physical offices (Lyons, Soperton, Swainsboro) with drive-thru service and 24/7 payment kiosks, plus online bill pay, automatic bank draft, and phone payment channels, constitute the member-service distribution network.

The company's most consequential forward initiative is the Altamaha Fiber broadband subsidiary, authorized by the 2019 Georgia SB2 legislation that permitted electric cooperatives to deliver internet service. This fiber overlay, expected to span a six-year construction cycle, is intended to serve the existing electric territory with high-speed internet while enabling smart-grid functionality on the distribution system. Altamaha EMC was recognized as Best Internet Provider and Best Utility in the 2024 Best of Greater Vidalia Chamber awards, consistent with partial operational rollout of the broadband service. The cooperative is owned entirely by its member-utility customers; there is no external equity, parent company, or public listing.

Name

Altamaha Electric Membership

Legal name

Altamaha Electric Membership Corporation

Website

https://altamahaemc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Altamaha EMC is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative distributing power to 14,415 residential and commercial members across seven rural Georgia counties via 3,317 miles of line and AMI metering, with a fiber broadband subsidiary (Altamaha Fiber) expanding into internet service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Services (Rural Electric Cooperative)

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Electric cooperative
• Rural electric service
• Fiber broadband
• Energy efficiency loans
• Prepay metering

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyons

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Service Revenue: Altamaha EMC generates revenue through electricity sales to its 14,415 members across 7 counties in Georgia. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, revenues are used to cover operating costs and maintain the electrical infrastructure.
2. Broadband/Internet Services: Altamaha EMC provides high-speed broadband internet services to members through their Altamaha Fiber subsidiary, funded by SB2 legislation and grants.
3. PowerUp Lending Program: Energy efficiency home improvement loans offered through Go Energy Credit Union partnership. Loans at 9.9% APR for various terms (24, 60, or 84 months) for HVAC, water heaters, windows, insulation, and weatherization improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Altamaha EMC is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative that distributes electricity to approximately 14,415 residential and commercial members across seven rural Georgia counties via 3,317 miles of distribution line. In addition to core electric service supported by automated meter infrastructure, the cooperative offers supplementary programs including Pay-Your-Way prepay metering, the PowerUp Lending Program for energy efficiency home improvements, cable location, free home energy audits, generator sales, and is deploying fiber broadband through its Altamaha Fiber subsidiary.

Product overview

Altamaha Electric Membership Corporation is a member-owned not-for-profit electric cooperative providing electricity to approximately 14,415 members across seven Georgia counties. The company offers a core electric distribution service enhanced by supplementary programs including Pay-Your-Way Metering (a prepay metering option), the PowerUp Lending Program for energy efficiency home improvements, cable location services, free home energy audits, generator programs, and payment kiosks. A high-speed broadband/fiber network is under development to provide internet service while also enabling smart grid infrastructure for improved electric service reliability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Altamaha Fiber: High-speed broadband fiber network being constructed to serve the electric service territory.
• PowerUp Lending Program
• Pay-Your-Way Metering
• Operation Round Up

Products and services

• Electric Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Members can reduce electricity usage by up to 10% through prepaid metering programs

Named customers1 record

Segments2 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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Go Energy Credit UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership with Go Energy Credit Union to offer the PowerUp Lending Program, providing 9.9% APR energy efficiency home improvement loans to Altamaha EMC members. The credit union processes loans and issues checks to members and contractors for approved improvements.
• Georgia Legislature (SB2)coreOthers · 1 January 2019Georgia SB2 legislation passed in 2019 authorized electric cooperatives to pursue broadband services, enabling Altamaha EMC to build fiber infrastructure for smart grid and high-speed internet delivery.
• Georgia EMCminorOthersAffiliation with Georgia EMC (state association of electric cooperatives) for industry representation and member magazine (Georgia Magazine).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oglethorpe Power Corporation: Generation and transmission cooperative supplying power to Georgia EMCs; comparable as a cooperative utility serving the same EMC ecosystem, though structured one tier upstream as a G&T provider rather than a distribution co-op.
• Georgia Power: Investor-owned regulated utility and the dominant electric provider in Georgia; comparable as a regulated distribution operator in the same state but operates across a much broader, non-cooperative service territory with generation assets.

Direct peers

• Cobb EMC: Member-owned electric cooperative in Marietta, Georgia operating distribution lines and member service programs; another like-for-like Georgia EMC with comparable cooperative structure, member services, and grid operations.
• Jackson EMC: Member-owned electric cooperative serving northeast Georgia; directly comparable as a Georgia EMC with regulated distribution operations, community programs, and an expanding broadband subsidiary of similar structure to Altamaha EMC.
• Planters Electric Membership Corporation: Small Georgia EMC serving rural eastern counties; comparable in scale, member-owned governance, and rural distribution profile to Altamaha EMC.
• Blue Ridge Mountain EMC: Georgia EMC serving rural mountain counties; comparable member-owned cooperative with similar distribution, broadband deployment ambitions, and community engagement programs.
• Oconee Electric Membership Corporation: Georgia cooperative utility serving central Georgia; another member-owned EMC with analogous electric distribution operations, member programs, and broadband subsidiary structure.
• Tri-County EMC: Georgia electric cooperative based in Gray; comparable as a member-owned distribution utility serving rural Georgia counties with similar scale and service offerings.
• Washington EMC: Member-owned electric cooperative headquartered in Sandersville, Georgia; directly comparable in operating model, rural distribution footprint, and member-driven programs in nearby east-central Georgia counties.

Others

• Georgia EMC (state association): Statewide trade association representing Georgia's electric cooperatives; an ecosystem partner rather than a competitor, providing member services, advocacy, and publications that Altamaha EMC also relies on.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AltamahaEMC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-altamaha-electric-membership-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Altamaha Electric Membership