Central Electric Membership

What Central Electric Membership does

Central Electric Membership Corporation is a private, member-owned electric distribution cooperative headquartered at 128 Wilson Road in Sanford, North Carolina. Founded in 1941, it holds regulated franchise authority to distribute electricity across five North Carolina counties (Chatham, Harnett, Lee, Moore, and Randolph) and serves more than 24,000 homes and businesses through its power distribution infrastructure. The cooperative operates within a fixed service territory as the sole licensed retail electricity distributor, with no competing distribution utilities inside its footprint.

The cooperative's product surface centers on electricity delivery and member account services built around a My Account Portal, a mobile application on iOS and Android, FlexPay (a no-deposit prepaid electricity product), Budget Billing, and a Checkout by PayGo cash-payment channel at retail locations. Adjacent offerings include surge protection via PowerGuard, Generlink portable-generator transfer switches, outdoor and area lighting, solar programs (residential/commercial solar, community solar, large-scale renewable energy, NC GreenPower), electric vehicle programs, an Outage Center for reliability communications, and a suite of energy-efficiency engagement tools (Energy Advisor, Heat Pump Calculator, Lighting Calculator, Comfort Loan Program, Residential Energy Audits, Loans and Rebates). Community programs include Bright Ideas Grants, Operation Round Up, Youth Tour, and Cooperative Leadership Camp.

The business model is a regulated at-cost cooperative revenue model: electricity service fees are collected from members, expenses and reserves are retained, and the residual margin is allocated to members as capital credits, which are rotated back over time (over $19 million returned across 17 consecutive years, including $1.1 million in 2025). There are no external shareholders, no parent company, and no external funding; the cooperative is governed by a member-elected board of directors. Tiered pricing covers subscription monthly billing, pay-as-you-go prepay, and transaction-based cash payment with a $1.50 per-transaction convenience fee, supported by distribution channels that include direct in-territory service delivery, an online application portal, phone-based inside sales, and retail payment kiosks.

Name

Central Electric Membership

Legal name

Central Electric Membership Corporation

Website

https://cemcpower.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Central Electric Membership Corporation is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving more than 24,000 homes and businesses across five North Carolina counties, delivering regulated retail electricity alongside FlexPay prepaid billing, solar and EV programs, and at-cost capital credit returns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122)

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

• Electric utility services
• Cooperative electricity distribution
• Power grid services
• Renewable energy programs
• Energy efficiency solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Sanford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Service Provision: As a cooperative electric utility, Central Electric generates revenue through electricity service fees charged to members. The cooperative operates at-cost, meaning revenue remaining after covering annual expenses is allocated to members in the form of capital credits, which are returned over time rather than distributed as profit to outside investors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Central Electric Membership Corporation is a member-owned electric cooperative that distributes electricity to more than 24,000 homes and businesses across five North Carolina counties (Chatham, Harnett, Lee, Moore, and Randolph). The cooperative operates at-cost, delivering reliable power alongside member benefit programs such as prepaid billing (FlexPay), capital credits retirement, energy efficiency tools, surge protection, and community grants.

Product overview

Central Electric Membership Corporation is a member-owned electric cooperative serving over 24,000 homes and businesses across five North Carolina counties. The company operates as a unified platform combining essential electricity delivery services with member benefit programs. Core products include the My Account Portal and Mobile App for account management, FlexPay prepaid electricity, and an Outage Center for reliability services. The product ecosystem includes energy efficiency tools (Energy Advisor, Heat Pump Calculator, Lighting Calculator, Comfort Loan Program), renewable energy options (Residential/Commercial Solar, Community Solar, Electric Vehicles, NC GreenPower), surge protection and generator services (PowerGuard, Generlink Transfer Switch), and cooperative-specific member benefits (Capital Credits, Budget Billing). Community engagement programs include Bright Ideas Grants and Operation Round Up, while additional services cover Commercial Services, Residential Energy Audits, Water Heater Maintenance, and Outdoor/Area Lighting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Capital Credits: A cooperative benefit program where members receive refunds representing their share of the cooperative's margins after expenses and reserves.
• FlexPay
• PowerGuard
• Bright Ideas Grants
• Operation Round Up

Products and services

• FlexPay Prepaid Electricity Prepaid electricity plan that allows members to prepay for electricity as they go, with no deposit and no reconnection fees.
• Checkout by PayGo Cash payment option allowing members to pay their electric bill at participating retail locations using a barcode system; a $1.50 convenience fee applies per cash payment.
• PowerGuard Surge Protection Surge protection program for residential and commercial members to protect electrical equipment from power surges.
• Generlink Transfer Switch Transfer switch service allowing members to connect portable generators to their homes safely.
• Residential/Commercial Solar Solar energy programs for residential and commercial properties, including installation support and renewable energy integration.
• Community Solar Community solar program allowing members to subscribe to solar energy without installing panels on their own property.
• Electric Vehicles Program Programs and resources supporting electric vehicle adoption, including charging infrastructure and incentives.
• NC GreenPower Program allowing members to support renewable energy by purchasing green power credits.
• Area/Outdoor Lighting Outdoor lighting services for residential and commercial properties, including area lighting solutions.
• Loans and Rebates Financial assistance programs including loans and rebates for energy efficiency upgrades and improvements, including the Comfort Loan Program for financing energy efficiency improvements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $19 million returned to members over 17 years through capital credits
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cemcpower
• Facebookfacebook.com/cemcpower
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cemcpower

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Central Electric Membership