Profits are returned to members

Verendrye Electric is a not-for-profit organization. That means any margins, or revenues remaining after all expenses have been paid, are returned to the members in proportion to their usage of the co-op’s services. The amount of capital credits (equity) a member holds depends on how much electricity the member purchases each year.

Verendrye Electric Cooperative holds on to capital credits to use as working capital. Capital credits help Verendrye meet expenses of the co-op, such as paying for new equipment and repaying debt, and our lender, the Rural Utility Services (RUS), requires us to hold onto a percentage of capital credits.

Each year the Verendrye board determines the amount of capital credits to be returned to members based on the financial condition of the cooperative and debt to equity ratios required by the RUS. When capital credits are retired, payments are issued to members.