Medina Electric Cooperative

What Medina Electric Cooperative does

Medina Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative serving approximately 340,000 member-owners across 17 South Texas counties (Atascosa, Brooks, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, Frio, Jim Hogg, Kinney, La Salle, McMullen, Medina, Real, Starr, Uvalde, Webb, Zapata, and Zavala). Founded in the 1940s and headquartered in Hondo, Texas, the cooperative operates approximately 10,000 miles of power lines and related distribution infrastructure to deliver electricity acquired wholesale from South Texas Electric Cooperative (STEC). Its primary customer segments are residential members and small commercial businesses, served through monthly subscription-style billing with capital credits returned to members in profitable years.

The cooperative's member-facing technology platform is SmartHub, a web and mobile application providing bill payment, outage reporting, energy usage tracking, SMS/push notifications, and Consumer Analytics powered by Bidgely's third-party energy disaggregation engine for appliance-level insights. Supporting programs include prepaid electricity, load management, distributed generation/solar offerings, an energy efficiency rebate catalog, vegetation management, a Life-Support Registry for medically dependent members, and an Avian Protection Plan. Revenue is generated through regulated electric distribution rates — with the customer charge held flat for nine years before an adjustment effective April 1, 2026 — and supplemented by ancillary programs such as Co-op Connections discounts, scholarships ($50,000 annually), Operation Round Up community assistance ($227,000+ since 2006), and the Sharing Success charitable partnership with CoBank. The organization is governed by a nine-person elected board, advised by CEO Trey Grebe, and operates with a small direct workforce supplemented by contractors.

Name

Medina Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Medina Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://medinaec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Medina Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution utility serving approximately 340,000 members across 17 South Texas counties, delivering electricity through owned infrastructure and a SmartHub digital platform, with community programs funded through cooperative margins.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Distribution Utility

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

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), Medium/Low-Voltage Power Distribution (MCCs, Panels, UPS, Grounding) (EUAEAFAB)

Keywords

• Electric distribution services
• Member-owned cooperative
• Energy efficiency rebates
• Outage management platform
• Community grant programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Electric Distribution Service: Medina Electric Cooperative generates revenue through providing electricity distribution services to approximately 340,000 member-owners across 17 South Texas counties. As a not-for-profit cooperative, revenues above operating costs are returned to members as capital credits. Rate adjustments (such as the April 1, 2026 adjustment affecting General Service, Seasonal and Small Commercial rate classes) reflect increases in materials, equipment and infrastructure costs while maintaining stable customer charges for nine years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Medina Electric Cooperative distributes electricity to approximately 340,000 member-owners across 17 South Texas counties through roughly 10,000 miles of owned power lines, substations, and meters. As a not-for-profit cooperative, its core offering combines regulated electric distribution service with the SmartHub digital member platform, consumer energy analytics, outage management, energy efficiency rebates, prepaid electricity, distributed generation integration, and member community programs such as scholarships, Operation Round Up, and the Community Empowerment Program.

Product overview

Medina Electric Cooperative operates as a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility serving 17 South Texas counties. The core product offering centers on SmartHub, a comprehensive member account management platform available via web and smartphone app, which serves as the primary interface for bill payment, outage reporting, energy usage tracking, and account management. The cooperative's portfolio includes energy efficiency programs (rebates for HVAC, appliances, thermostats), load management services, prepaid electricity options, and distributed generation/solar programs. Community-focused offerings include scholarship programs ($50,000 annually), Operation Round Up emergency assistance, Community Empowerment Program grants, Sharing Success nonprofit matching donations, and Youth Tour educational trips. Additional member services include the Life-Support Registry, vegetation management, avian protection initiatives, and Co-op Connections discount programs. SmartHub powers sub-brands including Consumer Analytics (powered by Bidgely), Outage Alerts via SMS, and Texas Co-op Power magazine access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SmartHub Member Platform Web and smartphone member account management portal enabling bill payment, outage reporting, energy usage tracking, and SMS/email/push notifications for outages, billing, and usage updates.
• Outage Alerts SMS text message notifications sent to members when their meter detects a power outage and again when power is restored, requiring a verified mobile number in the member's SmartHub account.
• Consumer Analytics Advanced analytics feature within SmartHub that breaks down household energy usage by appliance using Bidgely meter-data disaggregation, identifies which appliances drive bills and by how much, and offers energy cost analysis, home profile building, projected bill, and personalized savings tips.
• Electric Distribution Service Core electric distribution service under General Service, Seasonal, and Small Commercial rate classes delivered across the 17-county South Texas service territory, billed monthly to member-owners.
• PrePaid Electricity Pay-as-you-go electricity option allowing members to purchase electricity in advance, providing budget flexibility and more control over energy spending.
• Load Management Program to manage electricity demand and reduce peak usage via load control switches that allow Medina EC to cycle participating appliances during high-demand periods.
• Distributed Generation (Solar by Medina EC, Renewables, Generators) Renewable energy programs including customer-owned renewables, Solar by Medina EC offerings, and generator solutions that support distributed generation integration for member premises.
• Energy Efficiency Rebates Rebate program for energy-efficient upgrades (HVAC tune-up $60, water heater blanket $10, programmable thermostat $25, Energy Star appliances $35–$50, heat pump replacement $400, central AC replacement $200), with a limit of one of each type per member per year.
• Life-Support Registry Critical Care designation for members relying on electrically operated health aids, providing advance notice of planned outages when possible; updated prescription required every 24 months.
• SmartHub Outage Center Online outage map showing current power outages, with reporting options via SmartHub app or phone, restoration process information, and safety tips for downed lines and generators.
• Vegetation Management Right-of-way clearing and tree trimming program maintaining approximately 40 feet around power lines, using certified arborists and contractors for pruning, brush removal, and herbicide application to prevent outages and ensure safe access.
• Avian Protection Plan Environmental stewardship program that assesses and mitigates risks to birds and wildlife from electric infrastructure hazards, installs protective equipment, and maintains a certified Monarch Waystation at the corporate office.
• Scholarships Scholarship program providing $2,000 awards to graduating high school seniors and adults pursuing higher education; twenty-five scholarships awarded annually totaling $50,000 to members or their dependents.
• Operation Round Up (ORU) Community assistance program funded by members rounding up electric bills, employee payroll deductions, and one-time donations, helping families and organizations with medical bills, home fire recovery, therapies, and food bank support; over $227,000 awarded since 2006.
• Sharing Success CoBank partnership program matching Medina EC donations dollar-for-dollar to local 501(c)(3) nonprofits, up to $15,000 per organization and up to four organizations selected annually; over $215,000 donated since 2012.
• Community Empowerment Program Capital improvement grants for local governments and nonprofit organizations up to $10,000 annually for projects supporting community and economic development across the 17-county service area, funded by unclaimed capital credits; over $89,000 invested since 2015.
• Youth Tour Annual trip to Washington D.C. for high school sophomores and juniors, with three winners receiving an all-expenses-paid trip plus a $2,000 college scholarship, including visits to memorials, museums, Capitol Hill, and a Kennedy Center performance.
• VFD Truck Giveaway Donation program providing retired cooperative vehicles to Volunteer Fire Departments serving the 17-county service area, with a multi-year waiting period between awards.
• Co-op Connections Touchstone Energy discount card program providing savings at participating local businesses and national retailers, including pharmacy, dental, vision, diabetic supplies, hearing aids, lab testing, MRI/CT scan, and chiropractic benefits, available via mobile app for Android and Apple and physical card.
• Texas Co-op Power Magazine Monthly cooperative magazine featuring award-winning stories about Texas people, places, food and history, plus contests and local cooperative content, available digitally and in print.
• Payment Processing Upgrade Upgraded payment processing capability within SmartHub that processes bill payments with an updated credit card entry screen on web and mobile applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• HVAC tune-up rebate can reduce heating and cooling bills by more than 8% annually (Department of Energy)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South Texas Electric Cooperative (STEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026G&T cooperative that provides wholesale power to Medina EC and eight other member distribution cooperatives. STEC serves 47 Central and South Texas counties with more than 340,000 members. Medina EC's power supplier that recently acquired 768 MW of natural gas-fired generation assets (Braes Bayou and Brotman power plants) for $768 million from PROENERGY to support Texas' growing energy demand.
• NRECA InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Program that sends cooperative journeymen from around Texas and the US to help establish safe, reliable and affordable electricity in developing countries. Medina EC journeyman Edward Varnador helped build power lines in Matasano, Zacapa, Guatemala in 2023. Medina EC donated $10,000 to support NRECA International's global electrification mission.
• CFI GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-party research firm administering Medina EC's Member Satisfaction Survey in partnership with Touchstone Energy. Conducts objective, professional research to help the cooperative improve services and better serve its community.
• Touchstone EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Member Satisfaction Survey administration and cooperative branding. Touchstone Energy is a national alliance of electric cooperatives providing resources including home energy adventure games and efficiency analysis tools linked on Medina EC's Energy Savings page.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Oncor Electric Delivery: Largest electric transmission and distribution utility in Texas. Operates the broader Texas distribution grid that contextualizes Medina EC's distribution-only business; broad incumbent with overlapping functional activities but different ownership (investor-owned) and scope.

Direct peers

• Pedernales Electric Cooperative: Largest electric distribution cooperative in Texas, serving the Texas Hill Country and Central Texas. Directly comparable as a member-owned, not-for-profit EC operating regulated distribution infrastructure with similar community programs and capital credits structure.
• Central Texas Electric Cooperative: Texas electric distribution cooperative serving communities south of Austin. Direct comparable in cooperative distribution model, regulatory environment, and member programs.
• San Bernard Electric Cooperative: Electric distribution cooperative serving rural Texas communities. Compares as another Texas rural EC with similar cooperative governance, member-owned structure, and focus on agricultural/residential service territory.
• Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative: Texas electric distribution cooperative headquartered in Giddings serving members across multiple counties. Direct comparable in scale, distribution-only model, and cooperative governance structure.
• Magic Valley Electric Cooperative: Electric distribution cooperative serving the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. Compares as a South Texas EC with similar membership demographics, distributed generation programs, and member-owned capital credits structure.
• Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative: Electric distribution cooperative serving a South/Central Texas service territory adjacent to Medina EC's, including Gonzales and surrounding counties. Closely comparable business model, regulatory regime, and member-owned structure.
• Bandera Electric Cooperative: Smaller Texas electric distribution cooperative serving the Texas Hill Country/bandwidth region near Medina EC's service territory. Highly comparable cooperative operating model with similar community-driven programs.

Regional players

• CPS Energy: Municipal utility serving greater San Antonio and surrounding South Texas region. Regional adjacent player with overlapping territory but as a publicly-owned vertically integrated utility rather than a member-owned EC.

Others

• South Texas Electric Cooperative (STEC): Generation and Transmission (G&T) cooperative that supplies wholesale power to Medina EC and 8 other member ECs across 47 South Texas counties. Indirect partner/supplier relationship rather than direct competitor, but highly relevant ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MedinaECtalks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Medina Electric Cooperative