About Your Cooperative

Your Membership Matters

Beltrami Electric Cooperative (BEC) is a not-for-profit electric cooperative built by the communities we serve to deliver reliable, sustainable and affordable energy.  And, because we answer to local members like you, rather than out-of-town shareholders, our electric cooperative has a unique understanding of our local needs. In fact, our leaders and employees live right here in our communities.  

Established in 1940, BEC is a community-focused organization, providing jobs and investing in the community through programs like electric vehicle charging, community solar, Operation Round-up, Scholarships for Higher Education and a Youth Leadership Tour to Washington, D.C.  

Being a member of a cooperative distinguishes you from other electric utility consumers, as well as other business relationships, in important ways. 

• Co-op leaders are members of our local communities. Our nine board members live right here in our local area and are elected by co-op members just like you. Your membership matters because you have a vote in how your Cooperative is governed. Members elect the board of directors from their friends and neighbors. Board members serve three-year terms and elections are held at our annual meeting.  

• We belong to the communities we serve. Since we are a cooperative, any excess revenue is shared back with members, over time as capital credits.   

• We follow the same seven cooperative principles that all cooperative businesses follow.  

Though we are local and serve more than 18,250 members in Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca and Koochiching counties, we’re also part of something much bigger. Across the country, electric cooperatives work together to restore power during major outages, develop new technologies and build infrastructure that benefits us all.  

In addition to our energy efficiency programs, community solar garden program and our electric vehicle program, we’re always looking for new ways to help our members save energy, save money and take advantage of the technology that’s changing the way we live and work. 

The opportunity to provide an important service, while embracing traditional community values, has never been greater. It’s a passion we share with you, our members, for making our community a place we’re all proud to call home.  Your Membership matters because you matter to your Cooperative.

What is an electric cooperative?