R E S T O R I N G D E M O C R A C Y A N D A D VA N C I N G C L E A N E N E R G Y
RE-MEMBER-ING RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES
John Farrell Director of Energy Democracy, Institute for Local Self-Reliance
March 29, 2016
75% of land area, 42% of distribution lines, 11% of population
H E AV Y O N C O A L
S T U C K I N L O N G C O N T R A C T S
Great River Energy
Tri-State
Seminole Electric
Basin Electric
Expiration date
0 17 34 51 6820502032 2084
Typical power contract expiration date for members co-ops of…
2066
2045
2050
2055
2070
Ave
rag
e m
emb
er-v
ote
r tu
rno
ut
80%-100%
60%-80%
40%-60%
30%-40%
20%-30%
15%-20%
10%-15%
5%-10%
2%-5%
<2%
0 50 100 150 200
82
30
27
12
4
0
4
0 50 100 150 200
73
158
193
L O W PA R T I C I PAT I O N
Number of cooperatives
7 2 % H AV E L E S S T H A N 1 0 % AV E R A G E T U R N O U T !
Average turnout in cooperative board elections
C O - O P T U R N O U T L O W E R T H A N M O S T O T H E R E L E C T I O N S
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Presidential elections
National mid-term elections
Municipal elections
Co-op board elections
Num
ber
of M
emb
ers
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
200,000
Voter Turnout
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
LARGER COOPERATIVES HAVE LOWER TURNOUT
Median turnout: 6.2%
State regulates co-ops“Other” form of regulationNo regulation
Source: GAO, April 2015: http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/669881.pdf
MINIMAL STATE REGULATION
n/a
S I G N S O F I M P R O V E M E N T
R E S T O R I N G L O C A L C O N T R O L
FERC says local co-operatives can break out of long-term contracts with locally procured power*
E N A B L I N G M E M B E R I N V E S T M E N T
“pay as you save”
Commission-approved tariffsExisting programs
Midwest Energy
NH Elec. Co-op
Roanoke Elec. Co-op
How$mart KY
Several co-ops offer on-bill repayment tariffs
Central Elec. PowerOuachita Electric
Clean Energy Works Portland
E X P E R I M E N T I N G W I T H C O M M U N I T Y S O L A R
INCREASING TRANSPARENCY
www.ilsr.org
C H A N G I N G T H E R U L E S
P R O V I D I N G T O O L S
1 0 0 % R E N E WA B L E L O C A L E C O N O M Y
H U M A N S C A L E
L O C A L O W N E R S H I P
D E M O C R AT I C A U T H O R I T Y
I L L U S T R AT I N G T H E V I S I O N
www.ilsr.org
D O W N L O A D O U R F U L L R E P O R T
R E A D M O R E
@johnffarrell