Salt River Electric

What Salt River Electric does

Salt River Electric is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative (Salt River Electric Cooperative Corporation) incorporated in 1937 in Bardstown, Kentucky, and operating continuously for nearly 90 years. It distributes electricity to over 57,000 residential, commercial, and industrial members across 10 counties in central Kentucky (Bullitt, Nelson, Spencer, Washington, Marion, Mercer, Anderson, Jefferson, LaRue, and Shelby) through an owned infrastructure footprint of 4,400+ miles of distribution line and 12 substations. The cooperative is part of the Touchstone Energy national alliance and operates on a not-for-profit, cost-of-service basis in which revenue above cost is returned to members as capital credits.

The cooperative's product surface is anchored by a Meridian-powered online customer portal, a Quick Pay feature, the SR Electric mobile app, and a real-time web outage viewer (outage.srelectric.com) supported by MFA authentication. Beyond core distribution, Salt River offers a layered set of energy services: heat-pump retrofit rebates ($500-$1,000), the Button Up weatherization program, the Touchstone Energy Home Construction rebate, HomeServe electrical coverage plans (starting at $5.99/month), temporary power rentals ($300 non-refundable installation fee plus monthly charges), and security-light installations. Renewable and grid-edge offerings include Cooperative Solar (community solar), Net Metering, Envirowatts green-energy credits, a SimpleSaver smart-thermostat demand-response program, a Virtual Energy Assessment tool, and an EV Pilot Program. Members are supported through four physical county offices, the digital portal, and a mobile app, with community engagement via youth programs, scholarships, and cooperative alliances.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through monthly electric service charges to members based on kilowatt-hour usage, with ancillary fee-for-service revenue from temporary power rentals, security lights, and partnership commissions. The cooperative's not-for-profit structure means traditional PE/VC value-creation levers (equity raises, M&A, IPO) are structurally absent; growth is organic, rate-regulated, and tied to member additions, kWh volume, and incremental service-territory expansion. Leadership is provided by President & CEO Tim Sharp, supported by a county-representative board of directors, with Nicky Rapier serving as CIO and Zach Epperson as Manager of Communications.

Name

Salt River Electric

Legal name

Salt River Electric Cooperative Corporation

Website

https://srelectric.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Salt River Electric is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving 57,000+ residential, commercial, and industrial members across 10 Kentucky counties since 1937, operating 4,400+ miles of line, 12 substations, and an expanding suite of energy-efficiency, renewable, and digital service programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Distribution

NAICS

Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Electricity distribution
• Electric cooperative services
• Energy efficiency rebates
• Outage management
• Residential electric service

Headquarters

HQ city

Bardstown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Service Revenue: Member-owned cooperative providing electricity distribution to over 56,000-57,000 members across 10 Kentucky counties. Revenue generated through monthly electric service charges based on usage (kilowatt hours). Not-for-profit model means revenue above cost of service is returned to members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Salt River Electric is a member-owned electric cooperative that distributes electricity to over 56,000-57,000 members across 10 central Kentucky counties. The cooperative sells electric service, energy efficiency rebates, temporary power rentals, security lights, solar and renewable energy options, and home emergency coverage through partner programs, supported by an online customer portal, mobile app, and real-time outage viewer.

Product overview

Salt River Electric is a member-owned electric cooperative serving over 57,000 members across 10 Kentucky counties since 1937. The company offers a comprehensive suite of products centered on electricity distribution and energy services. The core customer-facing platform is the Meridian-powered Customer Portal and Quick Pay system for account management and payments, supplemented by the Web Outage Viewer for real-time outage tracking. Energy management products include the Virtual Energy Assessment, SimpleSaver Program, EV Pilot Program, and Space Heater Calculator. Rebate programs cover Heat Pump Retrofit & Upgrade, Button Up Weatherization, and Touchstone Energy Home Construction. Solar offerings include Cooperative Solar (community solar), Net Metering, and Solar 101 education. Additional services encompass Temporary Power Rental, Security Lights, HomeServe Partnership for home emergency coverage, Co-op Connections discount program, Gift of Light bill assistance, and Levelized Billing for predictable payments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Touchstone Energy: A national alliance branding initiative of local, member-owned electric cooperatives providing high standards of service and affordable energy rates; Salt River is a member of this cooperative network.

Products and services

• Electricity Distribution Service Core electric service to over 56,000-57,000 members across 10 central Kentucky counties, delivered through 4,400+ miles of distribution lines and 12 substations.
• Online Customer Portal Web-based self-serve portal for members to manage accounts, make payments, view billing history, analyze bills, transfer credits, manage alerts, and view usage history.
• Quick Pay Payment option allowing members to pay electric bills without logging into the full customer portal, accessed via phone number and billing zip code.
• Web Outage Viewer Online interactive map displaying real-time power outage information across the service territory, accessible to members and the public.
• SR Electric Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android allowing members to report outages, manage their accounts, and receive utility information on the go.
• Temporary Power Rental Rental service providing temporary electric service for construction purposes at new homes or businesses, with a $300 non-refundable installation fee plus monthly meter, usage, and $15 rental fees.
• Security Lights Outdoor security lighting service offering installation of various lighting styles at member homes or businesses, billed as a monthly fee.
• HomeServe Electrical Coverage Plans Electrical coverage plans offered in partnership with HomeServe USA, starting at $5.99/month, providing home emergency electrical repair services for eligible members.
• Heat Pump Retrofit & Upgrade Program Rebate program offering $750-$1,000 in incentives for members replacing electric resistance heating or aging heat pumps with new, more efficient heat pump systems.
• Button Up Weatherization Program Weatherization incentive program offering $100 per thousand Btuh of heat loss reduced for eligible improvements including insulation, window upgrades, door replacements, and crawl space encapsulation.
• Touchstone Energy Home Construction Program Home construction program offering a $750 rebate to members building new homes that meet Touchstone Energy standards for energy efficiency.
• Cooperative Solar Community solar option allowing members to access solar energy benefits without installing their own panels, offered in partnership with Cooperative Solar.
• Net Metering Program for members installing their own solar panel systems, allowing them to receive credit on their electric bills for excess energy sent back to the grid.
• SimpleSaver Smart Thermostat Program Smart thermostat enrollment program offering members a $100 one-time bill credit and $20 yearly credits for participating in energy-saving demand response, in partnership with TogetherWeSaveKY.
• EV Pilot Program Pilot program offering potential savings on at-home electric vehicle charging for Salt River Electric members who own EVs, in partnership with TogetherWeSaveKY.
• Co-op Connections Program Discount program providing Salt River members with access to local and national discounts from participating merchants, with no card required.
• Gift of Light Program Bill assistance program allowing Salt River members to make donations toward other members' electric bills to help those in need.
• Envirowatts Renewable energy program allowing members to purchase green energy credits supporting environmentally friendly energy generation.

Named customers4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HomeServe USAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSalt River Electric has partnered with HomeServe to offer eligible members electrical coverage plans starting at $5.99/month. HomeServe provides repair services for home electrical systems, protecting members from unexpected repair expenses.
• Touchstone EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational alliance of local, member-owned electric cooperatives providing high standards of service and affordable energy rates. Salt River is part of the Touchstone Energy network serving 44 states and more than 17 million members. Provides cooperative branding, shared values (Integrity, Accountability, Innovation, Commitment to Community), and national marketing support.
• Spencer County Fiscal CourtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpencer County received a $330,000 interest-free loan from Salt River Electric (originally from USDA's REDLG program) to help construct a new animal shelter for the county.
• Ronald McDonald House CharitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSalt River Electric participates in annual Wish List Drive with other Kentucky Touchstone Energy Cooperatives to collect items for Ronald McDonald Houses in Lexington and Louisville, supporting families with hospitalized children.
• Ronald McDonald House LouisvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLouisville location receiving donations from Salt River's Wish List Drive campaign. Kentucky co-ops have delivered more than $18,000 worth of items each year.
• Ronald McDonald House LexingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLexington location receiving donations from Salt River's Wish List Drive campaign.
• Cooperative SolarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRenewable energy option available to all Salt River Electric members through the Cooperative Solar program. Allows members to access solar energy without installing their own panels.
• Co-op Connections ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgram offering local and national discounts to Salt River members. No card required.
• EnvirowattsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRenewable energy program available to Salt River Electric members for purchasing green energy credits.
• SimpleSaver ProgramminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSmart thermostat demand response program in partnership with TogetherWeSaveKY. Members receive $100 one-time bill credit and $20 yearly credits for enrolling compatible thermostats.
• EV Pilot ProgramminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorElectric vehicle charging program offering potential savings on at-home charging for Salt River members who own EVs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Blue Grass Energy Cooperative Corporation: Member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving central Kentucky residential, commercial, and agricultural members. Directly comparable to Salt River as a Kentucky-based Touchstone Energy RECC with similar residential/agricultural customer mix and rebate-driven energy efficiency programs.
• Nolin Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation: Kentucky-based electric distribution cooperative serving rural members across multiple counties. Directly comparable in scale, customer profile (residential and agricultural), member-owned governance, and Touchstone Energy affiliation.
• Jackson Purchase Energy Corporation: Member-owned electric cooperative serving western Kentucky. Comparable as a Touchstone Energy RECC with similar distribution-only model, residential/agricultural customer mix, and energy efficiency program portfolio.
• Meade County Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation: Kentucky electric distribution cooperative serving members in and around Meade County. Comparable as a small-to-mid-sized Kentucky RECC with similar geographic scale and member-owned structure.
• Shelby Energy Cooperative: Kentucky-based member-owned electric cooperative serving Shelby and surrounding counties—a neighboring territory to Salt River's service area. Directly comparable business model, customer profile, and Touchstone Energy membership.
• Farmers Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation: Kentucky electric distribution cooperative with residential and agricultural member base. Comparable as a Touchstone Energy RECC operating on cost-of-service rates in a rural Kentucky territory.
• Inter-County Energy Cooperative Corporation: Central Kentucky member-owned electric cooperative serving multiple counties. Comparable business model, regulatory environment, customer segments, and energy efficiency program offerings.
• Owen Electric Cooperative: Kentucky-based member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving residential, commercial, and industrial members across multiple counties. Comparable scale, customer mix, and cooperative governance structure.

Broad incumbents

• Big Rivers Electric Corporation: Generation and transmission cooperative supplying wholesale power to Kentucky distribution cooperatives including Salt River. Comparable as a Kentucky cooperative in the same value chain, but operates at the wholesale generation level rather than retail distribution.

Others

• Touchstone Energy Cooperatives: National alliance of 750+ local, member-owned electric cooperatives spanning 44 states and 17+ million members. Comparable as the cooperative network that Salt River belongs to; provides shared branding, marketing, and operational support rather than directly competing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/saltriverelectric
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXXXXXXXXX
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/salt-river-electric-cooperative-corporation

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 Salt River Electric