What Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative does

Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative (CBEC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit rural electric distribution cooperative incorporated on August 12, 1936, serving the rural sections of seven counties across Virginia (Craig, Roanoke, Botetourt, Montgomery, Alleghany, Giles) and West Virginia (Monroe). The cooperative distributes electricity across approximately 1,311 miles of power lines to roughly 7,400 meters (5.66 meters/mile density), with a residential-dominated membership base — 93% of members are residential and account for approximately 85.77% of power load. CBEC's core technology stack consists of conventional distribution infrastructure (substations with transformers, SCADA equipment, AMI/Advanced Metering Infrastructure being deployed since May 2024 starting with the Bessemer Substation, and distribution-connected battery energy storage systems under construction). Member-facing technology centers on the SmartHub portal (launched May 2023) for account management, billing, and outage reporting.

The cooperative generates revenue primarily through regulated electricity sales at cost (purchased from suppliers such as AEP), with rates adjusted via Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) line items and rate cases before the Virginia State Corporation Commission and applicable West Virginia bodies; a rate increase is pending for May 1, 2026 across both jurisdictions. A second revenue stream comes from the wholly-owned Bee Online Advantage (BOA) subsidiary, which delivers fiber broadband up to 1 Gbps and VoIP telephony to rural members in Botetourt and Roanoke counties, with expansion planned into Alleghany County. CBEC's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer member acquisition: members sign up via new service requests, participate in member governance through annual meetings and board elections, and receive patronage refunds through the capital credits retirement mechanism (approximately $700,000 was retired to members in 2024).

Operationally, CBEC is small (25 full-time employees) and serves a geographically dispersed, mountainous Appalachian service area with significant National Forest, Virginia Department of Forestry, and Appalachian Trail footprint. Recent strategic activity has focused on three vectors: (i) deploying AMI to enable Time-of-Use, pre-payment, and EV rate classes; (ii) extending the BOA broadband fiber footprint with grant funding; and (iii) participating in a 25 MW battery energy storage portfolio with Lightshift Energy and Blue Ridge Power Agency (five 5 MW projects, expected online in 2026) projected to collectively save the participating Virginia utilities approximately $100 million over 20 years.

Name

Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative

Website

https://cbec.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit rural electric distribution utility serving approximately 7,400 meters across 1,311 miles of line in seven counties of Virginia and West Virginia, with a residential-dominated membership base and a fiber broadband subsidiary (Bee Online Advantage).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Electric Distribution Services

NAICS

Electric Power Distribution (221122), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Rural electric distribution
• Electric cooperative services
• Fiber broadband services
• Member-owned utility
• Distribution energy storage

Headquarters

HQ city

New Castle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

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: As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, CBEC purchases power from suppliers such as AEP and distributes electricity to members. Revenue is generated through electricity sales at cost, with rates adjusted to cover purchased power costs, distribution infrastructure maintenance, and operational expenses. The cooperative returns margins to members as capital credits rather than distributing to investors.
2. Broadband Services (Bee Online Advantage): Broadband internet and Voice over IP phone services provided through the Bee Online Advantage subsidiary, serving rural areas with fiber network connectivity up to 1 Gbps.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit rural electric utility that distributes electricity across 1,311 miles of power lines to residential, commercial, and large power customers in seven counties in Virginia and West Virginia. The cooperative also delivers fiber broadband and VoIP services through its Bee Online Advantage subsidiary and provides member self-service through the SmartHub portal, with electricity rates regulated by the Virginia State Corporation Commission and applicable West Virginia regulators.

Product overview

Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative operates as a member-owned rural electric utility serving seven counties in Virginia and West Virginia. The cooperative offers a unified portfolio combining core electricity distribution with supplementary services: SmartHub (member account management portal with web and mobile access), Bee Online Advantage (broadband internet subsidiary), Net Metering programs for renewable energy, backup power resources, and EV support. The product ecosystem is centered on member services through SmartHub, which provides billing, usage tracking, and outage management, while Bee Online Advantage extends connectivity services to underserved rural areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bee Online Advantage (BOA): Broadband internet and voice over IP phone services subsidiary of Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative, providing fiber broadband connectivity to rural members in Botetourt, Roanoke, and Alleghany counties.

Products and services

• SmartHub Member Portal Member account management portal available via web and mobile app providing bill payment, energy usage tracking, outage reporting, customer service requests, and email/SMS notifications for bills, usage thresholds, and important notices.
• Bee Online Advantage Broadband (BOA) Fiber broadband internet offering speeds up to 1 Gbps and Voice over IP phone service for rural homes and businesses in Botetourt, Roanoke County, and coming soon to Alleghany County.
• Net Metering Program Program under Schedule NEM-10 allowing members to install renewable-fuel generation, interconnect with CBEC's distribution system, and receive credits for excess electricity exported to the grid.
• Small Generator Interconnection Service Online portal and process for interconnecting small generation facilities (such as solar and generators) with CBEC's distribution system.
• Electric Distribution Service Core regulated electricity distribution service delivering safe, reliable electric service across 1,311 miles of power lines to residential, commercial, and large power members in rural sections of seven counties in Virginia and West Virginia under SCC-approved rate schedules including RS-15, CS-15, LP-15, OL-15, and LED-6.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of members are residential users consuming 85.77% of power load, demonstrating concentrated residential market focus
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lightshift EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Lightshift Energy is developing and operating five 5-megawatt battery energy storage systems in partnership with the Blue Ridge Power Agency. The projects are designed to reduce transmission and capacity costs by storing electricity during low-demand periods and releasing it during peak times, with anticipated collective savings of $100 million over 20 years for the participating utilities including CBEC.
• Blue Ridge Power AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Blue Ridge Power Agency collaborated with Lightshift Energy to deploy a portfolio of battery energy storage projects across rural Virginia in partnership with Central Virginia Electric Cooperative, Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative, and City of Salem Electric Department. The first five projects are under construction with expected completion in 2026.
• Roanoke CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 2021CBEC partnered with Roanoke County to receive a $1,581,584 VATI grant for universal broadband coverage. The project passes approximately 495 addresses and provides up to 1 Gbps fiber broadband service. Roanoke County Economic Development Authority also contributed $839,208 to the project.
• Central Virginia Electric CooperativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three Virginia electric utilities participating in the battery energy storage portfolio project with Lightshift Energy and Blue Ridge Power Agency.
• City of Salem Electric DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three Virginia electric utilities participating in the battery energy storage portfolio project with Lightshift Energy and Blue Ridge Power Agency.
• Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI)coreOthersCommonwealth of Virginia program providing grant funding for broadband infrastructure expansion in underserved areas. CBEC and Roanoke County received $1,581,584 to construct fiber network in Roanoke County.
• Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNon-profit organization founded in 2009 providing energy efficiency services including home energy assessments and solar installations. LEAP partners with CBEC to help community members reduce energy consumption.
• ElecTelminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides Energy Efficient Loans for residential improvements including electric heat pumps, weather stripping, electric/solar water heaters, insulation, windows, doors, and other energy star items.
• Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation providing educational programs including Youth Tour to Washington DC, scholarship foundation awarding $1,000+ scholarships, Girl Power events for high school girls, and annual cooperative conferences. VMDAEC awarded $80,000 in scholarships with $4,500 going to four CBEC area students.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rappahannock Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving parts of Virginia. Comparable as a Virginia-based rural electric distribution cooperative with similar member-ownership structure, AMI deployment, and broadband initiatives through fiber subsidiary.
• BARC Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving rural communities in Virginia. Direct peer with similar member-owned governance, rural distribution focus, and cooperative capital credits model operating in an adjacent Virginia geography.
• Central Virginia Electric Cooperative: Member-owned rural electric cooperative serving central Virginia. Direct peer as one of three Virginia utilities participating in the same Lightshift Energy battery storage portfolio with CBEC, with overlapping service territories and similar cooperative governance model.
• Blue Ridge Power Agency: Joint action agency coordinating power supply and battery storage projects for Virginia electric cooperatives including CBEC. Comparable as a cooperative-owned entity aggregating member utility demand for power supply and shared infrastructure investments.
• City of Salem Electric Department: Municipal electric utility in Salem, Virginia, partnering with CBEC and Central Virginia Electric Cooperative in the Blue Ridge Power Agency battery storage projects. Comparable as a small Virginia electric distribution utility serving residential and commercial customers.

Broad incumbents

• Appalachian Power Company (AEP): Investor-owned electric utility serving southern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia. Acts as CBEC's wholesale power supplier but also serves overlapping geography as a regulated distribution utility, making it a broad incumbent comparable for scale, infrastructure, and rate-regulated operations.

Others

• Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC): Trade association serving electric cooperatives across Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. Provides education, advocacy, and shared services to member cooperatives including CBEC; comparable as a cooperative ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
• Monroe County Commission (WV): Local government entity in Monroe County, WV where CBEC operates distribution services. Connected as the regulatory and community stakeholder in CBEC's West Virginia service territory where rate increases are pending.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CraigBotetourtElectricCooperative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/craig-botetourt-electric-coop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative