What Cass County Electric Cooperative does

Cass County Electric Cooperative (CCEC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative founded in 1937 and headquartered at 4100 32nd Ave. S., Fargo, North Dakota. It distributes electricity across a 10-county service territory in North Dakota to roughly 60,000+ member accounts spanning residential, agricultural, and commercial segments. Wholesale power is purchased from Minnkota Power Cooperative, whose generation portfolio is approximately 58% coal, 33% wind, 7% hydro, and other resources; CCEC does not own generation but focuses on distribution, member services, and rate-setting via an elected member board.

The cooperative's core technology stack comprises an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system for grid monitoring and control, and a Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR) system that automatically detects and reroutes around faults to minimize outage duration. Since deploying FLISR in 2016, annual cable faults have dropped from roughly 200 to 38, supporting a 99.9429% average service availability index. CCEC also operates a 102 kW community solar array (Prairie Sun Community Solar, 324 panels installed 2016) and an in-house underground line-locating team. Member-facing tools include the SmartHub web portal and a mobile app for billing, outage reporting, and usage alerts.

Revenue is generated through (i) usage-based electricity sales billed per kWh at an average 11.7 cents/kWh, (ii) fixed monthly basic service charges, (iii) capital credits allocations that are periodically retired back to members, and (iv) ancillary programs (off-peak heating, time-of-day pricing, levelized budget billing, prepay, EV charging rates, and Operation Round Up donations). Annual electric revenue grew 4.3% in 2025 to an implied ~$155–162 million based on the reported $6.7 million increase, with electricity sold totaling 1.39 billion kWh. Margins are returned to members rather than external shareholders; $2.75 million was retired in 2026 and over $47.5 million has been returned since inception. The cooperative employs 200+ people and is governed by an 8-district plus at-large elected board of directors.

Name

Cass County Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Cass County Electric Cooperative

Website

https://casscountyelectric.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Distribution

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Electric Distribution System Owners (Wires-Only Companies) (EUADABAI), Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD)

Keywords

• Electric distribution services
• Rural electric cooperative
• Member-owned utility
• Energy management programs
• Community solar arrays

Headquarters

HQ city

Fargo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: Sale of electricity measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) to residential, agricultural, and commercial members. Revenue from energy charges calculated by multiplying kWh usage by unit cost, plus purchased power adjustment.
2. Basic Service Charge: Fixed monthly charge covering cost of maintaining electric system and providing service to each location
3. Capital Credits: As a not-for-profit cooperative, margins (revenues exceeding expenses) are allocated to members as capital credits based on electricity usage and returned when financial conditions permit
4. Operation Round Up Donations: Voluntary program where members round up monthly electric bills to nearest dollar, with funds returned to local communities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cass County Electric Cooperative operates an electric distribution system delivering electricity to approximately 60,000+ member accounts across a 10-county service territory in North Dakota. As a not-for-profit member-owned cooperative, it supplies electricity purchased wholesale from Minnkota Power Cooperative and offers member programs including off-peak heating, time-of-day pricing, levelized budget billing, prepay, EV charging incentives, community solar, and capital credit retirements.

Product overview

Cass County Electric Cooperative is a member-owned not-for-profit electric utility providing electricity to approximately 45,941 accounts across a 10-county service territory in North Dakota. The cooperative operates as a traditional vertically-integrated electric utility with wholesale power supplied by Minnkota Power Cooperative. The core product is electricity distribution service, complemented by a suite of member-facing digital tools (SmartHub, Mobile App), energy management programs (Off-Peak Program, Time of Day pricing, Levelized Budget Billing, PrePay), renewable energy options (Prairie Sun Community Solar), EV charging incentives, and community programs (Operation Round Up). The cooperative also provides safety education resources, capital credit retirements, and outage management services. These products and services are offered as standalone options that members can choose based on their energy needs, rather than an integrated platform architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Prairie Sun Community Solar: A 102-kW solar array established in Fargo, North Dakota in 2016 consisting of 324 solar panels owned by CCEC, available for lease by CCEC members.
• Operation Round Up
• Off-Peak Program

Products and services

• Residential & Commercial Electricity Service Traditional electric utility service providing electricity to homes, businesses, farms, and industries across Cass County Electric Cooperative's 10-county service territory in North Dakota.
• Mobile App (kWh Mobile) Smartphone application for viewing outages, paying bills, managing account settings, setting usage alerts, reporting outages, and adjusting billing preferences for cooperative members.
• SmartHub Online Account Management Web-based platform for viewing and paying bills, managing accounts, and accessing energy usage information for cooperative members.
• Prairie Sun Community Solar 102-kW community solar array of 324 solar panels owned by CCEC and available for lease by members to receive solar energy benefits without home installation.
• Off-Peak Program Dual-fuel heating program using electricity as primary heat source with propane or fuel oil as backup during peak demand periods, offering reduced electric rates for off-peak loads.
• Time of Day (TOD) Program Time-based electricity rate plan where power costs vary by time of use - higher rates during on-peak hours (weekdays 6-9 AM and 4-8 PM) and lower rates during non-peak hours.
• Levelized Budget Billing Averaging billing option that spreads energy costs evenly across the year so members pay the same amount each month, helping manage seasonal bill spikes.
• PrePay Electricity Pay-as-you-go electricity service allowing members to pay for electricity in advance and monitor usage in real time.
• Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Program EV charging program offering off-peak rate ($0.056/kWh) and straight rate ($0.089/kWh) options, plus a $50/kW rebate (up to $500) for Level 2 home chargers.
• Operation Round Up Voluntary program where members round up their monthly electric bill to the nearest dollar, with funds supporting local charitable organizations and community initiatives.
• Safety Education Resources Safety brochures and educational materials for first responders, contractors, and general public covering electrical safety topics including downed power lines, digging safety, harvest safety, and holiday safety.
• Outage Management System Real-time outage tracking map and notification system for members to view current outages in the service area and report new outages.
• Capital Credits Not-for-profit cooperative model where margins are allocated to members as capital credits based on electricity usage, with periodic retirements returning funds to members when financial conditions permit.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.9429% average service availability index (excluding major storm)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Capital Credits MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026As a not-for-profit cooperative, members receive capital credits based on electricity usage. $2.75 million returned in 2026 for 2005 usage. Over $47.5 million returned since inception.
• Applied DigitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026AI data center near Harwood, ND that CCEC is preparing to serve. Planning to ensure no compromise to service reliability or rate increases for legacy members.
• Ronald McDonald HouseminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Featured charity for Giving Hearts Day 2026. CCEC employees raised nearly $200 and assembled Valentine's Day goodie bags. Organization provides lodging for families with children receiving medical care.
• Fraser, Ltd.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025North Dakota's longest-serving nonprofit (130+ years). CCEC sponsored Festival of Trees at FARGODOME and donated holiday cookie cutters for grab bags.
• Barnes Rural Water DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership to enhance outage communication across five counties. CCEC provides power to booster stations maintaining water pressure.
• West Acres Shopping CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1971Partnership since 1971 when CCEC provided power and loans for electrical equipment during mall's founding. CCEC continues to provide off-peak heating, time-of-use rates, and service reliability.
• Minnkota Power CooperativecoreTechnology or IntegrationCCEC's wholesale power supplier providing electricity generation and transmission. Minnkota uses diverse generation portfolio including coal (58%), wind (33%), hydro (7%), and other resources. CCEC works with Minnkota on power supply resource planning and new generation acquisition.
• Milton R. Young StationcoreTechnology or IntegrationCoal-based power plant near Center, ND operated by Minnkota. Unit 2 primary crusher and feeder systems replaced during planned maintenance outages every 3 years to ensure reliability and efficiency.
• ND One Call (811)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner811 service notifies utilities of planned digging, allowing CCEC to mark underground lines within 48 hours to prevent accidental damage.
• Marvin WindowsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor customer adjacent to Cardinal IG plant. Cardinal IG sells 80% of its product directly to Marvin Windows.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Xcel Energy: Large investor-owned utility operating across the upper Midwest including North Dakota with overlapping electric distribution service territory. Comparable core product (electric distribution) but at vastly larger scale and with different ownership/capital structure.
• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Large generation-and-transmission cooperative serving many distribution co-ops across the upper Midwest; broader scope than CCEC but directly comparable as a cooperative wholesaler counterpart to Minnkota and a structural peer in the cooperative utility ecosystem.

Direct peers

• North Central Electric Cooperative: North Dakota member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving rural members with similar products (off-peak heating, capital credits, community programs) and a comparable Minnkota-supplied wholesale arrangement.
• Pedernales Electric Cooperative: Large member-owned electric distribution cooperative in Texas with comparable member-owned economics, off-peak/TOU programs, capital credit retirements, capital credits, and AMI/grid-modernization investment — comparable scale and operating model outside the immediate region.
• Minnkota Power Cooperative: CCEC's wholesale power supplier and direct partner providing generation and transmission services. Minnkota operates coal, wind, and hydro generation across the same North Dakota/Minnesota region and supplies CCEC's 1.389B kWh annual volume — making it the most economically linked peer.
• McLean Electric Cooperative: Rural North Dakota electric distribution cooperative with similar scale, member-owned model, agricultural customer mix, and Minnkota wholesale supply relationship — a structurally comparable peer in the same regulatory and operating environment.
• Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative: Member-owned North Dakota electric distribution cooperative with rural/agricultural member base, capital credit retirements, and Minnkota wholesale supply — directly comparable operating model and customer segments.
• Verendrye Electric Cooperative: North Dakota electric distribution cooperative serving a similar rural/agricultural member base with comparable member-owned cooperative economics, AMI/FLISR investments, and reliance on Minnkota for wholesale power. Most direct same-state peer.
• KEM Electric Cooperative: Rural North Dakota electric distribution cooperative with similar size, agricultural/residential member mix, and Minnkota wholesale dependency — comparable on scale, business model, and product offering.

Regional players

• Otter Tail Power Company: Investor-owned utility serving portions of North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota with overlapping rural service territory. Comparable in offering traditional electric distribution and renewable programs but differs in ownership structure (IOU vs. cooperative).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CassCountyElec
• Facebookfacebook.com/CassCountyElectric
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cass-county-electric-cooperative
• Instagraminstagram.com/casscountyelectric
• Xx.com/CassCountyElec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Cass County Electric Cooperative