Graham County Electric Cooperative

What Graham County Electric Cooperative does

Graham County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (GCEC) is a member-owned electric and water utility cooperative incorporated and operating in Pima, Arizona, within Graham County. Founded in 1946, GCEC has served its rural Arizona service territory for over 75 years, distributing electricity across more than 800 miles of power lines and providing water services to communities including Pima, Fort Thomas, and Ash Creek. The cooperative's customer base comprises three primary segments: residential members (the primary segment), commercial members (small and large), and agricultural irrigation accounts. Notable customer relationships include a major role in the Pima Fire Station renovation and rebuild. The cooperative is regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), with rates set through formal rate cases; the last general rate increase prior to 2018 was effective May 1, 2008, and the ACC approved a 2.4% overall increase in May 2018, while GCEC has filed a further Electric/Water 2025 Rate Case.

GCEC's core product portfolio consists of electric distribution service, water utility service, and an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system deployed in 2024 that enables remote metering of energy and water usage. Member-facing technology is delivered through the SmartHub online portal and mobile application for account management, bill payment, and usage visibility. Supplemental offerings include Energy Efficiency Programs, a Smart Thermostat Program, Solar Renewable Energy options, the Together We Save conservation initiative, Operation Round-Up charitable giving, and Home Repair Plans warranty products. GCEC is a wholly-owned operator of the Ash Creek Water System, awarded by the ACC in 2002. The cooperative is an all-requirements wholesale customer of Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO), which provides generation from coal, natural gas, and solar resources, and is also adding quick-start LM6000 natural gas turbines alongside additional solar fields.

The cooperative operates under a not-for-profit, member-owned business model in which revenue is generated primarily through subscription-style monthly billing for electricity and water service across multiple rate classes (residential, small commercial, large commercial, irrigation, and time-of-use). Because GCEC operates at cost, any excess revenues are allocated and retired to members as capital credits, with over $450,000 retired in July 2022 and over $400,000 retired in August 2021. The cooperative has not incurred long-term debt since 2011, achieved $1.7 million in combined margins for 2025 (per the 81st Annual Meeting in March 2026), and demonstrates a history of disciplined capital management, including building the Talley Substation using in-house crews at a $350,000 saving. Governance is exercised through an elected board of directors representing member districts, with Reuben McBride serving as Board President and Phil Cook serving as CEO and General Manager since 2020.

Name

Graham County Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Graham County Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://gce.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Graham County Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric and water utility cooperative serving residential, commercial, and agricultural irrigation members across Graham County, Arizona via 800+ miles of distribution lines for over 75 years.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric and Water Utility Cooperative

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 industries

Electric Distribution System Owners (Wires-Only Companies) (EUADABAI), Distribution State Estimation & Power Flow Applications (EUADAEAN)

Keywords

• Electric utility services
• Water utility services
• Cooperative energy services
• Advanced metering infrastructure
• Energy efficiency programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Pima

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Utility Services: As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, GCEC operates at cost to provide safe, reliable electricity to its members. Revenue comes from electricity sales, with rates regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission. Any excess revenues (margins) are allocated and retired to members in the form of capital credits.
2. Water Services: GCEC provides water services to members in addition to electric services, including water system operations and maintenance.
3. Capital Credits Retirements: Because electric cooperatives operate at cost, any excess revenues (called margins) are allocated and retired to members in the form of capital credits. GCEC has retired over $450,000 to members in July 2022 and over $400,000 in August 2021.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Graham County Electric Cooperative distributes electricity across more than 800 miles of power lines to residential, commercial, and irrigation members throughout Graham County, Arizona, and provides water distribution services in Pima, Fort Thomas, and Ash Creek. The cooperative delivers utility services through AMI smart metering and the SmartHub account management platform, while also offering energy efficiency programs, smart thermostat and solar programs, capital credits retirements, and community programs such as Operation Round-Up, Home Repair Plans, and the Washington Youth Tour.

Product overview

Graham County Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric and water utility cooperative serving Graham County, Arizona for over 75 years. The cooperative provides a comprehensive suite of utility services including electricity distribution, water services, and energy efficiency programs. The core product portfolio includes electric and water utility services, supplemented by customer-facing platforms like SmartHub for account management, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) for remote reading, and various member benefit programs including Capital Credits, Operation Round-Up, and Home Repair Plans. Energy-related offerings include Energy Efficiency Programs, Smart Thermostat Program, Solar Renewable Energy, and the Together We Save conservation program. The cooperative also supports community development through the Washington Youth Tour and scholarship programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electric Utility Service Provides electricity distribution to residential, commercial, and irrigation members across Graham County, Arizona, through 800+ miles of power lines under a regulated service territory.
• Water Utility Service Provides water distribution services to members in Pima, Fort Thomas, and Ash Creek areas, with automated systems and water quality monitoring.
• SmartHub Online customer portal and mobile application that lets members view bills, pay bills, monitor usage, and manage their cooperative account online.
• Energy Efficiency Programs Programs designed to help members reduce energy consumption, including rebates, audits, and efficiency tips offered to GCEC members.
• Smart Thermostat Program Program offering smart thermostats to members to optimize energy usage and reduce household energy costs.
• Home Repair Plans Warranty programs covering repairs to home systems such as HVAC, appliances, and plumbing that members can purchase through the cooperative.

Quantifiable outcome

• Capital credits of over $450,000 returned to members in July 2022
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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 and minor.

• Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2026GCEC is an all-requirements member of Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO), which provides wholesale power supply to GCEC. AEPCO generates electricity using natural gas, coal, and solar resources. AEPCO is installing quick-start natural gas turbines (LM6000s) along with solar fields to provide backup, reliable, and economical power for member cooperatives like GCEC.
• Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative Association (GCSECA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2026GCSECA provides legislative advocacy and regulatory representation for GCEC and other Arizona electric cooperatives. GCSECA advocates and lobbies on behalf of member cooperatives at the state level on issues affecting electric cooperatives.
• Touchstone Energy CooperativesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCEC is affiliated with Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, a national brand for electric cooperatives that represents the cooperative difference in communities served by member co-ops.
• Southwest GasminorOthersGraham County Utilities (GCU) gas system was sold to Southwest Gas in January 2022. GCU merged with GCEC in January 2022. Southwest Gas now serves former GCU gas system members.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Anza Electric Cooperative: California-based electric distribution cooperative with rural members in Riverside County; offers comparable AMI, solar, and energy efficiency programs and the same member-owned capital credit model as GCEC.
• Otero County Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric distribution cooperative in southern New Mexico; similar rural service territory, AMI modernization, and cooperative governance structure, though operating under a different state regulatory regime.
• Navajo Tribal Utility Authority: Multi-utility (electric, water, natural gas, wastewater) serving the Navajo Nation across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah; comparable in offering both electricity and water services to rural members like GCEC's combined electric+water footprint.

Direct peers

• Mohave Electric Cooperative: Member-owned rural electric cooperative in northwest Arizona; operates as a distribution utility with similar ACC oversight, member capital credit mechanics, and service-territory economics to GCEC.
• Duncan Valley Electric Cooperative: Small Arizona electric cooperative serving rural members in Greenlee and Graham-like counties; structurally similar to GCEC with cooperative governance, ACC regulation, and territorial exclusivity.
• Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative: Also an Arizona-based member-owned electric cooperative serving rural/small-community territories; comparable in scale, governance, AMI modernization, and ACC-regulated rate-base economics to GCEC.

Broad incumbents

• Pedernales Electric Cooperative: One of the largest electric distribution cooperatives in the U.S. (Texas), serving a sprawling rural/suburban territory; comparable business model (member-owned, capital credits, AMI deployment) at significantly larger scale.
• Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO): Generation and Transmission cooperative that supplies wholesale power to GCEC and other Arizona distribution co-ops; directly comparable on member-owned utility economics and renewable/thermal generation mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gce.coop
• Xx.com/coop_gce
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/graham-county-utilities

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Graham County Electric Cooperative