Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation

What Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation does

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation (Sawnee EMC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative organized under Georgia law and headquartered in Cumming, Georgia. Founded in 1938, it distributes electricity to approximately 203,646 meters across seven counties in greater north Georgia (Cherokee, Dawson, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, and Lumpkin), operating over 12,542 miles of distribution line and delivering 3.7 billion kWh of energy annually for approximately $450 million in annual revenue. The cooperative is governed by a member-elected board and returns excess revenue to members through patronage capital refunds (~$10 million announced for 2025). It employs approximately 405 professionals and has received the J.D. Power customer satisfaction award among electric cooperatives five times, with a 94/100 ACSI score in 2025.

Sawnee EMC's core technology is its owned distribution grid infrastructure augmented by smart metering, the SmartHub online account management portal, and an outage management system. It operates a portfolio of demand-side management and renewable energy programs: the Cooperative Battery Program (integrating qualifying Enphase home batteries into grid dispatch events for member incentives of $50/kW enrollment plus $1/kWh dispatched), the Smart Savers program (demand response via seven smart thermostat brands including Honeywell, ecobee, and NEST offering up to $30/thermostat/year in credits), the Load Management program (radio-controlled HVAC switches with $30/annual credit per switch, operated 30+ years), Virtual Solar blocks ($25-31/month for 10 solar panels worth of generation), and Solar Renewable Energy Credits at 1 cent/kWh. The company also offers energy audits, EV-related services (Level 2 charger rebates up to $200, EV rate schedules, Level 3 fast charger support), energy efficiency rebates, and prepaid metering.

The business model is distribution-rate regulated: members pay monthly bills based on consumption and rate class, with a $5 one-time membership fee, a $65 connect service charge, and deposits ranging from $0-$550 based on credit. Revenue streams include core electricity distribution (the dominant stream), subscription/usage-based renewable programs, and an affiliate referral relationship with True Natural Gas (preferred provider since 2007, which contributed $100,000 to the Sawnee Electric Foundation in January 2025). The Sawnee Electric Foundation, established in 2003, administers the Operation Round Up charitable program and has contributed over $5.2 million to local organizations. GTM is direct-to-member via the website, SmartHub app, call center (770-887-2363), SMS, and community programs. Customers are segmented primarily into Residential, Commercial/Industrial, and Community Organization cohorts.

Name

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation

Legal name

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation

Website

https://sawnee.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sawnee EMC is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative founded in 1938, serving approximately 203,646 meters across seven north Georgia counties through 12,542 miles of owned distribution line and generating roughly $450 million in annual revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Distribution

NAICS

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

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Electric & Other Services Combined (4931)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Electric Distribution System Owners (Wires-Only Companies) (EUADABAI), Distribution Network O&M (MV/LV Lines, Switchgear, Transformers) (EUAEAGAE), Customer Grid-Edge Enablement Services (HEMS/DR Device Integration, VPP Enablement) (EUAEANAL)

Keywords

• Electric distribution services
• Cooperative electric utility
• Residential electricity supply
• Energy efficiency programs
• Demand response programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cumming

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Distribution Service: Sawnee EMC generates revenue through electricity distribution to approximately 203,646 meters across seven counties in north Georgia. As a not-for-profit cooperative, revenues fund operations, infrastructure maintenance, and patronage capital refunds to members. Total assets exceed $1 billion with annual revenue of approximately $450 million and energy sales of 3.7 billion kWh.
2. Solar Renewable Energy Credits (Solar RECs): Members can purchase Solar RECs for 50% or 100% of monthly energy usage at 1 cent per kWh, enabling participation in clean energy without installing panels.
3. Virtual Solar Program: Members can purchase blocks of solar energy generated at off-site facilities. Residential/small commercial pricing: $31/month April-September, $25/month October-March for one block (10 solar panels).
4. True Natural Gas Partnership: Sawnee EMC refers members to True Natural Gas as a preferred natural gas provider since 2007, earning referral consideration through this partnership.
5. Energy Efficiency Rebates and Incentives: Sawnee offers various rebates for energy efficiency improvements including attic insulation ($200 max), HVAC tune-ups ($20 max), pool pumps ($100 max), smart thermostats ($25), Level 2 EV chargers ($200 max), and commercial lighting upgrades ($750 max).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sawnee EMC distributes electricity and provides energy-related services to approximately 203,646 residential and commercial members across seven counties in north Georgia through 12,542 miles of owned distribution infrastructure. Core offerings include electric distribution service (3.7 billion kWh annually), the SmartHub online account management platform, demand response programs (Cooperative Battery Program, Smart Savers thermostat program, Load Management), renewable energy participation (Virtual Solar, Solar RECs), energy efficiency rebates, prepaid metering, and energy audits.

Product overview

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation operates as an electric distribution cooperative offering a comprehensive suite of energy products and services. The core offering is electricity distribution service to approximately 203,000 accounts across seven Georgia counties, supported by the SmartHub online account management portal. The company provides demand-side management programs including the Cooperative Battery Program (enabling battery-equipped members to earn incentives during grid stress), Smart Savers and Load Management Programs (using smart thermostats and switches to reduce peak demand), and the Virtual Solar Program (allowing off-site solar participation). Additional services include Solar Renewable Energy Credits, True Natural Gas partnership, PrePaid Metering, energy audits, EV charging infrastructure support, and various rebates for efficiency upgrades. The Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation administers community programs including youth scholarships, Operation Round Up charitable giving, and the Washington Youth Tour leadership program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• True Natural Gas: Preferred natural gas provider partnership since 2007 offering residential and commercial natural gas rates
• Sawnee Electric Foundation
• Cooperative Battery Program
• Virtual Solar
• Solar Renewable Energy Credit Program
• Smart Savers
• Load Management

Products and services

• Electric Distribution Service
• SmartHub Online Account Management Platform
• Cooperative Battery Program
• Smart Savers Thermostat Program
• Load Management Program
• Virtual Solar Program
• Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) Program
• PrePaid Metering
• True Natural Gas Partnership
• Energy Efficiency Rebates and Incentives
• Energy Audits
• Electric Vehicle Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 94/100 ACSI score, 20 points above investor-owned utility average
• +4 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

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• True Natural GascoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2007True Natural Gas is a preferred natural gas provider partner for Sawnee EMC members since 2007. Sawnee EMC refers members to True Natural Gas for natural gas service, and the company provides residential and commercial gas rates. True Natural Gas donated $100,000 to the Sawnee Electric Foundation in January 2025, demonstrating a deep strategic partnership. The relationship provides additional services to members under Sawnee's 'We're More Than Electricity' motto.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Georgia Power: Investor-owned utility serving the majority of Georgia including territories bordering Sawnee EMC's service area. Not a cooperative and far larger, but competes for commercial/industrial customers at service-area boundaries and offers overlapping DER programs.
• Oglethorpe Power Corporation: Generation-and-transmission cooperative that supplies wholesale power to many Georgia EMCs including, indirectly, Sawnee EMC. Comparable cooperative economics but upstream in the value chain (generation/transmission rather than last-mile distribution).
• MEAG Power: Joint-action agency supplying wholesale generation to Georgia municipal electric utilities. Operates at a similar cooperative-like wholesale layer as Oglethorpe but for municipal rather than member-owned distribution systems.

Direct peers

• GreyStone Power Corporation: Georgia member-owned electric cooperative serving portions of west-metro Atlanta. Directly comparable not-for-profit cooperative model, distribution-line-mile scale, and member-engagement/community-program approach to Sawnee EMC.
• Jackson EMC: Georgia-based member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving a comparable suburban/rural footprint in northeast Georgia. Operates the same cooperative business model with similar member-service, patronage capital, and demand-response programs as Sawnee EMC.
• North Georgia Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving north Georgia territory adjacent to Sawnee EMC's footprint. Same distribution-only cooperative structure, similar rate classes, and parallel demand-response/smart-thermostat programs.
• Cobb EMC: Georgia electric membership corporation serving members across Cobb and surrounding north-metro Atlanta counties. Closely comparable cooperative structure, residential/commercial mix, and SmartHub-style digital member services to Sawnee EMC.
• Walton EMC: Georgia electric membership corporation serving members east of Atlanta. Operates the same Touchstone Energy-affiliated cooperative model with comparable member programs, demand response, and community foundation initiatives.

Others

• Touchstone Energy Cooperatives: National alliance/cooperative brand of which Sawnee EMC is a member. Not a competitor but a peer-organization providing shared branding, ACSI benchmarking, and cooperative-governance standards against which Sawnee EMC is measured.

Regional players

• Habersham EMC: Georgia electric cooperative serving the northeast Georgia mountain region. Smaller scale than Sawnee EMC but identical cooperative model and member-facing programs; useful comparable for cost-to-serve benchmarking in rural service territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SawneeEMC
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Cumming/Sawnee-Electric-Membership-Corporation/254307853458
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sawnee

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation