Butler County REC

What Butler County REC does

Butler County Rural Electric Cooperative (Butler County REC) is a member-owned electric distribution utility founded in 1938 and headquartered in Allison, Iowa. The cooperative distributes electrical power to approximately 5,111 consumers across portions of Butler, Bremer, Chickasaw, and Floyd counties in northeast Iowa, operating 1,862 miles of energized line and 26 substations. Wholesale power is sourced exclusively from Corn Belt Power Cooperative, and the cooperative participates in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives national brand alliance of more than 700 local member-owned electric cooperatives serving 30 million members nationwide.

The cooperative's product surface spans core distribution services (24/7 outage response, SmartHub online bill pay, Iowa Outage Map tracking, Watts Smart load management) and member-facing programs including energy efficiency rebates, EV/heat pump/solar calculators, Energy Wise Renewables interconnection support, security lighting, and the Co-op Connections discount card. Business-facing services include Services Beyond the Meter technical offerings (power quality, energy audits, infrared thermography) and industrial park development support. Education and workforce programs include the Youth Tour, multiple college scholarships, and technical-trade scholarships.

Revenue is generated through regulated monthly electricity distribution rates charged to residential, commercial, and industrial members; the cooperative executed a rate adjustment in 2025. As a not-for-profit cooperative under member economic participation principles, excess margins are returned to members through patronage dividends — including a $3.26 million allocation set aside from 2025 margins and a $1.67 million refund distributed in February 2026 covering 2008-2009 deferred margins. Governance is by a nine-member elected board of directors serving three-year terms, with members exercising one-member-one-vote democratic control.

Name

Butler County REC

Legal name

Butler County Rural Electric Cooperative

Website

https://butlerrec.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Butler County REC is a member-owned rural electric distribution cooperative founded in 1938 serving approximately 5,111 consumers across four northeast Iowa counties via 1,862 miles of line, sourcing wholesale power from Corn Belt Power Cooperative and returning excess margins to members through patronage dividends.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Electric Distribution

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Electric Power Distribution (221122)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

DER Aggregation & Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) (EUAMAJAC)

Keywords

• Rural electric distribution
• Member-owned cooperative
• Electricity distribution services
• Energy efficiency programs
• Outage management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Allison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Distribution Services: As a member-owned electric distribution utility, Butler County REC provides electrical power to over 5,000 consumers. Revenue is generated through electricity distribution rates charged to members for power delivery services.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Butler County REC is a member-owned rural electric cooperative that delivers electrical power and related services to approximately 5,000 residential and commercial consumers across Butler, Bremer, Chickasaw, and Floyd counties in northeast Iowa. It operates 1,862 miles of energized line and 26 substations, supports members with energy-efficiency rebates, load management, security lighting, online bill pay (SmartHub), renewable interconnection (Energy Wise Renewables), and economic development services for industrial parks. The cooperative operates under the Touchstone Energy brand and purchases wholesale power from Corn Belt Power Cooperative.

Product overview

Butler County REC is a member-owned rural electric cooperative providing electrical power distribution to approximately 5,000 consumers across northeast Iowa. The cooperative offers a unified set of services centered on electricity delivery and member support: core services include power distribution, Online Bill Pay through SmartHub, outage management via the Iowa Outage Map, and energy efficiency rebates. The cooperative provides various member benefit programs including the Co-op Connections Card for discounts, Youth Tour scholarships, and load management programs. Business services include Services Beyond the Meter (power quality, energy audits), industrial park development, and economic development rates. Educational tools include calculators for EVs, heat pumps, and solar installations. The cooperative operates as part of the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives network and receives power from Corn Belt Power Cooperative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electric Distribution Service Core electricity distribution service delivered to residential and commercial members across Butler, Bremer, Chickasaw, and Floyd counties in northeast Iowa through 1,862 miles of energized line and 26 substations.
• Online Bill Pay (SmartHub) Members can view and pay their electric bills online, access account information, view usage history, and manage payment methods through the SmartHub platform.
• Energy Efficiency Rebates Members receive monetary incentives for new equipment purchases and energy-efficiency upgrades, including rebates for various energy-saving improvements at home or business.
• Energy Wise Renewables Program supporting renewable energy adoption and interconnection for members interested in solar or other renewable installations.
• Watts Smart Load Management Load management program that helps balance energy demand across the cooperative's distribution system and can reduce costs for participating members.
• Security Lights Outdoor security lighting services provided on member properties for safety and visibility.
• Co-op Connections Card Member savings card providing discounts on local and national deals, pharmacy savings, hotel savings, cash back shopping, and event discounts through the Touchstone Energy Connections network.
• Services Beyond the Meter Technical support services for business members including power quality concerns, energy audits, infrared thermography, and bill consolidation.
• Iowa Outage Map Real-time outage tracking map showing power outage status across Iowa electric cooperatives' service territories for members to monitor and report outages.
• Industrial Parks Services Economic development services supporting six industrial parks in the region with electric infrastructure, financing assistance, and business recruitment through the Iowa Area Development Group partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• Return of excess margins to members through patronage dividends on 19-year payback schedule

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Corn Belt Power CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholesale power supplier providing electricity generation to Butler County REC. Corn Belt Power Cooperative is based in Humboldt, Iowa and projects fuel mix emissions annually for its member cooperatives including Butler County REC.
• Touchstone Energy CooperativescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational brand identity alliance of 700+ local member-owned electric cooperatives across 46 states serving 30 million members. Provides cooperative branding, standards, and national network presence.
• Iowa Area Development GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner assisting with industrial site development, financing, and business recruitment in the service territory.
• Iowa Lakes Community CollegeminorOthersPartnership for Wind Energy and Turbine Technology scholarship program. Corn Belt Power Cooperative partners with the college to offer one $500 scholarship annually for students in the wind energy program.
• Northwest Iowa Community CollegeminorOthersPartnership for powerline and electrical technology scholarships. Four $500 scholarships awarded annually to students in powerline, powerline technology, or industrial and commercial wiring programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange: Cooperative insurance provider serving electric cooperatives nationwide. Comparable in cooperative member-ownership structure but adjacent rather than directly competitive in distribution services.
• Touchstone Energy Cooperatives: National brand alliance of 700+ local electric cooperatives that Butler County REC belongs to. Serves as a marketing and services network rather than a direct distribution competitor.
• NRECA (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association): National trade association representing more than 900 U.S. electric cooperatives including Butler County REC. Indirect comparable as the industry's umbrella organization rather than a direct peer.
• Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives: Statewide trade association for Iowa electric cooperatives including Butler County REC. Comparable ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor; relevant for shared services and policy.

Direct peers

• Hawkeye REC: Iowa rural electric cooperative providing distribution service to member-owners in northeast Iowa. Comparable in scale, geographic setting, and governance model to Butler County REC.
• Buchanan County Rural Electric Cooperative: Iowa REC distributing electricity across Buchanan and neighboring counties under the same cooperative framework. Highly comparable in customer count, infrastructure scope, and partnership with Corn Belt Power Cooperative.
• Grundy County Rural Electric Cooperative Association: Neighboring Iowa rural electric distribution cooperative serving members in Grundy and adjacent counties. Directly comparable business model, scale, and Touchstone Energy membership to Butler County REC.

Regional players

• Butler Electric Cooperative (Nebraska): Member-owned rural electric distribution cooperative based in Nebraska with similar scale and service area profile. Directly comparable business model but serves a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Large generation-and-transmission cooperative serving distribution co-ops across multiple states. Comparable in cooperative ownership model and electric utility focus, but operates at much larger scale and scope.
• Corn Belt Power Cooperative: Wholesale generation-and-transmission cooperative supplying power to Butler County REC and other member distribution co-ops in Iowa. Operates one level upstream in the value chain but materially comparable in cooperative structure and energy focus.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/butlercountyrec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/butler-county-rural-electric

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Butler County REC