Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative

What Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative does

Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative (ACEC) is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative founded in 1938 and headquartered in Postville, Iowa, serving residential and commercial members across Allamakee and Clayton counties. The cooperative operates a regulated electric distribution grid consisting of owned overhead power lines, substations, and transformers, delivering power directly to its member base within its franchise territory. Member account management, billing, and outage reporting are handled through the SmartHub online and mobile platform, with operations supported by an elected board of directors and a small staff including a dedicated system forester (Josh Mitchell, ISA Certified Arborist). The cooperative returned to its 87th Annual Meeting in September 2025 and has scheduled its 88th for September 14, 2026, reflecting over eight decades of continuous operation.

The product portfolio centers on core electric distribution but extends into adjacent member services. AC Skyways, a wholly-owned subsidiary (acskyways.com), provides fiber-to-the-premises broadband internet. ACEC SunSource and the Evergreen Program offer member-facing solar and renewable energy subscription options. The cooperative also delivers energy efficiency rebates, Budget Billing equal-payment plans, Direct Pay auto-pay, paperless billing, security lighting, standby generation consultation, and a 5-6 year vegetation management cycle executed by multiple contracted tree service partners. Community programs include Operation Round Up (voluntary bill round-ups funding local non-profits), the annual Youth Tour to Washington D.C., and the Hauschild Memorial Scholarship. The cooperative is a member of Touchstone Energy, a national cooperative brand association.

Revenue is generated primarily through subscription-based monthly electric charges billed on kilowatt-hour consumption, supplemented by AC Skyways fiber internet subscriptions and nominal fees for ancillary services. As a member-owned cooperative, margins are returned to members as capital credits rather than distributed to outside shareholders. Pricing is usage-based for electricity and subscription-based for fiber internet; specific rate schedules are not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer within the franchise territory, with member acquisition, retention, and engagement driven by community programs, a monthly newsletter, an annual meeting (held in drive-through format in recent years), and youth outreach rather than traditional marketing.

Name

Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative

Website

https://acrec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative founded in 1938, serving residential and commercial members across Allamakee and Clayton counties, Iowa with electricity, fiber internet (AC Skyways), solar programs, and community initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Electric Distribution Utility

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

DER Dispatch, Aggregation & Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Integration (EUADALAI), DER Aggregation & Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) (EUAMAJAC)

Keywords

• Rural electric distribution
• Electric cooperative services
• Fiber broadband internet
• Utility member services
• Renewable energy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Postville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric utility service: Recurring electricity distribution service to residential and commercial members in Allamakee and Clayton counties. Revenue is generated through monthly electricity charges based on consumption. Member-owned cooperative structure means margins are returned as capital credits.
2. AC Skyways Fiber Internet: Fiber broadband internet service provided through the co-op's subsidiary brand AC Skyways (acskyways.com), generating additional revenue from internet service subscriptions.
3. Rebates and efficiency programs: Energy efficiency rebates funded partly through tariffs, encouraging member conservation. Programs include DIY energy audits, energy savings guides, and the Together We Save initiative.
4. Operation Round Up: Voluntary member program rounding up electric bills to the nearest dollar, with funds distributed to local non-profits and charities. No direct revenue to co-op but builds community goodwill and member engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative is a member-owned rural electric distribution cooperative delivering reliable electric power to residential and commercial members across Allamakee and Clayton counties in Iowa. Core operations include monthly electricity distribution, outage response and vegetation management, supplemented by member programs such as SmartHub billing, Budget Billing, Direct Pay, Operation Round Up, energy efficiency rebates, security lights, and renewable programs (ACEC SunSource, Evergreen).

Product overview

Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative is a member-owned rural electric utility providing electricity distribution to residential and commercial members across Allamakee and Clayton counties in Iowa. The cooperative operates as a single unified service platform, with SmartHub serving as the primary member-facing portal for account management, billing, and payments. The product portfolio includes the core Electric Service alongside value-added services including ACEC SunSource (solar/renewable energy programs), AC Skyways (fiber internet service), Budget Billing and Direct Pay (payment options), Operation Round Up (community giving program), Rebates (energy efficiency incentives), Security Lights, Vegetation Management, and Standby Generation support. The cooperative also supports community development through Youth Tour, Scholarship programs, and Electric Vehicle education initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AC Skyways: Fiber internet service subsidiary
• SmartHub
• ACEC SunSource
• Evergreen Program

Products and services

• Electric Service Core electricity distribution service providing reliable electric power to residential and commercial members throughout the Allamakee and Clayton county service territory.
• AC Skyways Fiber Internet Fiber broadband internet service offered by the cooperative through the AC Skyways subsidiary brand (acskyways.com), providing high-speed connectivity to residential and commercial members in the service area.
• ACEC SunSource Solar Program Solar and renewable energy program allowing members to subscribe to or purchase solar panel installations for their homes or businesses.
• Evergreen Renewable Energy Program Renewable energy program allowing members to invest in renewable energy credits for environmentally conscious electricity consumption.
• Energy Efficiency Rebates Energy efficiency incentive programs offering rebates to members for purchasing and installing energy-efficient appliances, equipment, and home improvements.
• Security Lights Outdoor security lighting service providing members with mounted lights on poles or property for safety and crime deterrence.
• Vegetation Management Proactive tree trimming and vegetation clearance service performed on a 5-6 year cycle to maintain power line reliability and safety for members.
• Standby Generation Safety guidance and consultation for members installing backup generators, including information on transfer switches and proper installation requirements.
• Co-op Connections Card Discount program providing members with reduced pricing on various products and services from participating national businesses.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Asplundh Tree Expert CominorOthersTree trimming and vegetation management contractor used by ACEC. Asplundh is a national tree services company contracted annually to clear lines and right-of-ways on a scheduled basis as part of ACEC's vegetation management program. ACEC maintains a 5-6 year tree trimming cycle across its service territory.
• Clear Line LLCminorOthersTree trimming and line clearance contractor used by ACEC for vegetation management along power line rights-of-way.
• Cranks Tree ServiceminorOthersLocal and regional tree services contractor engaged by ACEC for vegetation management and line clearance work.
• Davey Resource GroupminorOthersVegetation management contractor engaged by ACEC. Davey Resource Group provides vegetation management services including line clearance and brush spraying around co-op substations.
• New Age Tree ServiceminorOthersTree services contractor used by ACEC for vegetation management and line clearance operations.
• Zielies Tree ServiceminorOthersTree services contractor used by ACEC for vegetation management and line clearance operations.
• Touchstone EnergycoreOthersACEC is a member of Touchstone Energy, a national cooperative brand association. The partnership provides co-op branding, safety programs (Safe Electricity), interactive safety resources, and member communications. Touchstone Energy provides the cooperative's interactive Electrical Safety Checklist tool and safety campaign materials. ACEC participates in the broader Touchstone Energy cooperative network.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• ITC Midwest: Independent transmission operator owning high-voltage transmission lines in Iowa that interconnect with distribution co-ops like ACEC. Not a direct competitor but a key infrastructure counterparty and ecosystem participant.
• Touchstone Energy: National cooperative brand network of which ACEC is a member. Not a competitor but a shared-services and brand association providing safety programs, marketing, and operational resources to co-ops comparable to ACEC.

Regional players

• Corn Belt Power Cooperative: Iowa-based generation and transmission cooperative supplying power to member distribution co-ops in the region. Operates in the same Iowa cooperative ecosystem as ACEC, though at the wholesale rather than retail distribution level.

Direct peers

• Eastern Iowa Light & Power Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving rural eastern Iowa with comparable distribution-only operations and member programs. Strong comparability on scale, customer mix, and service offering breadth.
• Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative: Rural Iowa electric distribution cooperative with overlapping Touchstone Energy membership and similar member services (rebates, broadband, renewable programs). Closely comparable operating profile to ACEC.
• Dairyland Power Cooperative: Touchstone Energy-affiliated generation and transmission cooperative serving rural distribution co-ops across the upper Midwest. Directly comparable cooperative ownership model and rural service area focus.
• Hawkeye Rural Electric Cooperative: Iowa-based member-owned rural electric cooperative distributing electricity across a similar rural service territory. Directly comparable in business model, regulatory treatment, member-owned structure, and Touchstone Energy affiliation.

Broad incumbents

• Alliant Energy: Investor-owned utility providing electric and natural gas service across Iowa and Wisconsin. Operates in overlapping Iowa service territory and competes/coordinates at the distribution interface with rural electric co-ops like ACEC.
• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Large-scale generation and transmission cooperative serving member distribution systems across multiple states. Comparable cooperative ownership and rural focus, but operates at substantially greater scale and geographic reach.
• Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO): Generation-and-transmission cooperative serving multiple Iowa distribution co-ops including potentially ACEC. Comparable cooperative model but operates at a higher tier of the value chain and is substantially larger in scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AllClayElectric
• Facebookfacebook.com/AllamakeeClaytonElecCoop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/allamakee-clayton-electric-cooperative-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative