Understanding Capital Credits

May 1, 2018

Along with receiving cost-based electricity and local, democratic control, capital credits represent one of the biggest, most visible cooperative differences.

While investor-owned utilities hold on to profits or use margins to pay stockholders, electric cooperatives return margins to their members in the form of capital credits.

WREC is mailing capital credit checks at the beginning of May to every member with a total retired amount of at least $10. Each member receives a capital credits allocation—their share of revenue in excess of expenses—according to their use. The member-elected board of directors votes each year on a retirement amount to be returned to members.

Eligible members should receive the capital credit check by the end of the month.

$10 — The minimum retired amount to receive a capital credits check. $447,279.83 — The amount of capital credits being retired and returned to members this year. 30+ — Consecutive years the WREC Board of Directors has returned capital credits to members. 15 Billion Dollars — Capital Credits retired by electric cooperatives since 1988.