The Value of Cooperative Ownership
Pioneer Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative. That means every decision we make is guided by what’s best for our members and the communities we serve.
Being a member of Pioneer Electric means more than simply paying an electric bill. The value of your membership can be highlighted in several ways.
We provide safe, reliable electricity at cost. Because Pioneer is a not-for-profit cooperative, any margins are returned to the members we serve rather than distributed to outside investors. Our power supplier, Buckeye Power, operates under the same principles.
In 2025, Buckeye Power’s decision to own its own generation resources created an additional benefit for members. By selling excess power to non-members on the open market, Buckeye Power experienced higher-than-normal margins and is returning a portion of those margins to Pioneer in 2026.
As a result, Pioneer members will see a combined power cost savings on their bills of approximately $2.8 million over the next several months. While the power cost reduction on any individual bill may be modest, it reflects what makes the cooperative model unique: When we can return value to our members, we do.
Another important benefit of cooperative membership is capital credits. Capital credits represent your share of the cooperative’s margins based on the amount of electricity you use. Capital credits are member equity and cannot be redirected to operating expenses such as wages or benefits.
Because you are a member-owner — not just a customer — you share in the cooperative’s financial success and build equity in the co-op. Capital credits are retained and reinvested into infrastructure and reliability improvements, helping reduce the need for borrowing. When financial conditions allow, a portion of those capital credits is returned.
I’m pleased to share that in April 2026, Pioneer’s Board of Trustees approved returning $4.2 million in capital credits to current and former members. This marks the 45th consecutive year Pioneer Electric has returned capital credits to members.
Together, these benefits demonstrate how the cooperative model returns value to members in ways other utilities typically do not. Over time, those returns add up.
The energy industry continues to change, and costs can rise or fall from year to year. While this year has been positive, future years may look different. Pioneer will continue adapting —sharing savings in strong years and adjusting when conditions change.
Our mission remains simple: deliver safe, reliable electricity at the best possible value. Because value isn’t only about what you pay —it’s also about what you get back.
That’s the cooperative difference.
Tom Musick
President & CEO
