What Moreau-Grand Electric Cooperative does

Moreau-Grand Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative headquartered in Timber Lake, South Dakota, founded in 1946 to bring Rural Electrification Administration-funded power to the sparsely populated Corson, Dewey, and Ziebach counties. It distributes electricity to approximately 3,915 member-owners (3,928 per current website display) across a 6,950-square-mile service area via 16 substations and 3,643-3,849 miles of distribution line. The cooperative is part of the Touchstone Energy national network of 740+ cooperatives serving 30 million members, and co-owns upstream generation/transmission assets through Rushmore Electric Power Cooperative (joined April 1983) and Basin Electric Power Cooperative (provides ~80% of power, including 271 MW from 181 GE wind turbines), with the remaining ~20% sourced from Western Area Power Administration hydroelectric facilities on the Missouri River.

The cooperative's core technology stack comprises automated meter infrastructure (deployed in the 1990s to replace member-read meters), radio-controlled remote switching for outage minimization, and the SmartHub digital platform for online bill payment, outage reporting, and usage monitoring. Member-facing programs include Capital Credits (cumulative $10.8 million returned since 1946), a Water Heater Rebate Program ($75-$200 rebates, capped at $500/year per member), a Demand Response Program ($50 enrollment incentive), Levelized Billing to smooth seasonal fluctuations, and community programs (Youth Tour to Washington D.C., scholarship programs, Cooperative Connections magazine).

The business model is a regulated rural electric distribution utility: revenue is generated through recurring facility charges, per-kWh energy charges, and demand charges for commercial/industrial/agricultural accounts. Members are simultaneously customers and owners, with one vote each regardless of consumption, governed by a 10-member elected board of directors. The cooperative is not VC/PE-backed, has no parent company, and operates approximately 23-25 full-time employees across headquarters in Timber Lake and satellite offices in Eagle Butte and McLaughlin.

Name

Moreau-Grand Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Moreau-Grand Electric Cooperative

Website

https://mge.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Moreau-Grand Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving approximately 3,915 residential, agricultural, and commercial members across 6,950 square miles of rural South Dakota via 3,643 miles of distribution line, operating within the Touchstone Energy network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Electric Distribution

NAICS

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

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Electric Distribution System Owners (Wires-Only Companies) (EUADABAI)

Keywords

• Rural electric distribution
• Member-owned cooperative
• Electric utility services
• Agricultural power supply
• Residential electricity service

Headquarters

HQ city

Timber Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Distribution Service: Distribution of electricity to members with multiple rate components including facility charges, energy charges per kWh, and demand charges for large accounts

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Moreau-Grand Electric Cooperative is a member-owned Touchstone Energy electric distribution cooperative that delivers electricity to residential, agricultural, and commercial/industrial members across Corson, Dewey, and Ziebach counties in central South Dakota. It operates 3,643 miles of distribution lines and 16 substations, sourcing wholesale power from Basin Electric Power Cooperative and WAPA, and serving members through physical offices in Timber Lake and Eagle Butte plus the SmartHub digital platform.

Product overview

Moreau-Grand Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric distribution utility serving Corson, Dewey, and Ziebach counties in South Dakota since 1946. The cooperative offers a unified set of member services centered around electricity distribution, including SmartHub for online bill payment and outage management, Capital Credits for member profit-sharing, and various rebate programs like the Water Heater Rebate and Demand Response Unit programs. Additional services include Levelized Billing for budget-friendly payment options, Youth Tour educational trips, Scholarship Programs, and the monthly Cooperative Connections publication. The cooperative is part of the Touchstone Energy brand network and receives power from Basin Electric Power Cooperative and Western Area Power Administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartHub: Online bill payment system and mobile app that allows members to pay bills, report power outages, and monitor energy usage.
• Cooperative Connections

Products and services

• Electric Distribution Service Core electric distribution service delivering power to residential, agricultural, and commercial/industrial members across Corson, Dewey, and Ziebach counties in South Dakota through 3,643 miles of distribution lines and 16 substations. Members connect as owners of the Touchstone Energy cooperative and pay facility, energy, and (where applicable) demand charges.
• SmartHub Digital Member Platform Online and mobile account management portal where members can view bills, monitor energy usage, set usage alerts, manage account profiles, and pay bills. Members can also report service issues through SmartHub.
• Levelized Billing Optional billing plan that smooths members' monthly electric bills by averaging annual usage, helping members avoid seasonal spikes in payments.
• Automatic Bill Pay (ACH Autopay) Automated bank-draft payment option that pulls monthly electric bill payments directly from the member's bank account.
• Water Heater Rebate Program Rebate incentive program that issues credits on members' electric bills when they install qualifying electric water heaters, encouraging energy-efficient equipment in homes and farms.
• Demand Response Units Load-management devices installed for members that allow the cooperative to cycle non-critical loads (such as electric heating or water heating) during peak periods to manage system demand.
• Capital Credits Program Member profit-sharing program in which the cooperative allocates margins back to members in the form of capital credits that may be refunded in future years based on cooperative board decisions.
• High Energy Usage Audits Member-facing audit service to help owners of high-energy-use homes and farms identify usage patterns and opportunities to reduce consumption.

Quantifiable outcome

• Capital Credits returned: $10.8 million total to members since 1946
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Rushmore Electric Power CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoreau-Grand joined Rushmore Electric in April 1983 to pool resources with seven other cooperatives for purchasing electricity. MGEC members co-own Rushmore Electric as a generation and transmission cooperative.
• Basin Electric Power CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBasin Electric provides 271 megawatts of wind energy from 181 GE wind turbines. Almost 80% of cooperative's power purchased from Basin Electric. MGEC members co-own Basin Electric as a generation and transmission cooperative.
• Western Area Power AdministrationcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides approximately 20% of cooperative's power from dams on the Missouri River (hydroelectric)
• Touchstone Energy CooperativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational brand identity network of 740+ local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives in 46 states serving 30 million members. Touchstone Energy co-ops collectively deliver power over 2.4 million miles of line covering 75% of U.S. land mass.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Large generation and transmission cooperative providing approximately 80% of Moreau-Grand's power, including 271 MW of wind capacity. The wholesale supplier and co-owner of Moreau-Grand's upstream power assets.
• NorthWestern Energy: Investor-owned utility operating in South Dakota and neighboring states, providing electricity and natural gas service. Comparable regional electric utility competitor for benchmarking cooperative vs. IOU performance.
• Black Hills Energy: Investor-owned utility serving electric and natural gas customers across South Dakota, including areas adjacent to Moreau-Grand's territory. Provides a regional benchmark for rates and service offering comparisons.

Others

• South Dakota Rural Electric Association: Statewide trade association representing South Dakota's electric distribution and G&T cooperatives. Moreau-Grand participates through shared outage mapping and advocacy infrastructure.
• Touchstone Energy Cooperatives: National brand alliance of 740+ consumer-owned electric cooperatives that Moreau-Grand belongs to for shared branding, marketing, and member services resources. Indirect peer through cooperative network affiliation.

Direct peers

• Central Electric Cooperative: South Dakota rural electric distribution cooperative serving Mitchell and surrounding areas. Comparable member-owned cooperative structure and electricity distribution business model.
• FEM Electric Association: Rural electric distribution cooperative serving members in north-central South Dakota with similar member-owned structure, distribution infrastructure model, and member services like capital credits. Direct comparable in scale and geography.
• Rushmore Electric Power Cooperative: Generation and transmission cooperative in western South Dakota that Moreau-Grand joined in April 1983 to pool resources for wholesale electricity purchasing. Operates the same member-owned cooperative model serving distribution co-ops in the region.
• East River Electric Power Cooperative: Major South Dakota generation and transmission cooperative serving 25 member distribution co-ops across eastern South Dakota and parts of Minnesota and Iowa. Comparable G&T cooperative structure and rural distribution focus.
• Sioux Valley Energy: Member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving southwestern Minnesota and southeastern South Dakota with comparable rural distribution operations, capital credit returns, and Touchstone Energy affiliation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@JJMartin-gj3gw
• Facebookfacebook.com/moreaugrand
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moreau-grand-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 Moreau-Grand Electric Cooperative