Value of Membership

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The Value of Membership with Oregon Trail Electric Co-op includes reliable energy, affordable rates, community support, educational programs, and a voice in the cooperative's decisions, empowering members and enhancing their quality of life.

Being part of an electric cooperative means being part of something special!

As an OTEC member, you are not just a customer, but an owner of the cooperative.

As a co-op member-owner, do you know the difference between the three types of electric utility ownership?

  1. A cooperative (like OTEC): Owned by its members, who are also the consumers.
  2. An investor-owned utility: A for-profit business.
  3. A public power system: Owned by a city, state or federal government.

In general, co-ops like OTEC are based on the values of self-help, self responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. Following in the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, transparency, social responsibility and caring for others.

Want to learn more about cooperatives?

As a member of a cooperative, there are many benefits.

  1. You have a voice in the governance of OTEC. Members vote in the annual election of OTEC's Board of Directors, who set the vision and direction of the cooperative.
  2. Members receive a capital credit check in the mail for excess revenues above expenses. Learn more about capital credits here.
  3. Access to OTEC's generous rebate programs to upgrade energy efficient appliances and complete projects that help lower bills. Visit OTEC's rebate page here.
  4. OTEC awards scholarships for college, trade and lineman school. Scholarships are also offered for youth programs that support leadership development. Learn more about OTEC's scholarships here.
  5. OTEC is proud to sponsor Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which gifts free books for local children ages 0-5. Click here to learn more!
  6. OTEC supports economic development projects in the communities its serves and donates charitable contributions to local communities, schools and first-responder agencies. Learn more about OTEC's economic development efforts here.
  7. OTEC offers a plethora of convenient services and options to make it easy to conduct business.

7 Cooperative Principles

Voluntary & Open Membership

Cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all people able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership without gender, social, racial, political, or religious discrimination.