Membership

Your Membership
Membership is obtained by completing an application form and paying a membership fee and deposit. This entitles the new member to electric service. The fee and deposit are refunded when the consumer leaves the lines and all accounts for services are paid.

Membership Status
East Central Electric members are urged to keep the Cooperative informed of any changes in their membership status (including name and address changes) so that the records can be kept current.

This is especially important in the distribution of Capital Credit refunds as they are allocated and paid.

Capital Credits
Capital Credits (margins) are to a cooperative what profits are to a private business. Because we are a member-owned entity, ECE strives to operate all segments of operation at cost. As a result, any margins (profits) are returned to you the member. Your share of these margins is called Capital Credits.

At the end of the year, net margins are allocated to each member in proportion to the member's cooperative purchases during the year. The Board of Trustees decides when to retire Capital Credits based on the cooperative's financial condition in October or November.

In the meantime, ECE utilizes the money as working capital for operating and reinvesting in the cooperative until a determination is made.