Member-owners to receive checks
(FARMINGTON, MN) January 27, 2026 – The Dakota Electric board of directors approved the retirement of $4.2 million in capital credits to be paid back to members. Member-owners who lived on Dakota Electric’s lines from 2003 to 2010 were mailed a check in mid-December reflecting their share of ownership in the cooperative.
When members receive electricity from Dakota Electric Association®, they become member-owners of the cooperative. As part of that ownership, members earn capital credits, which represent their share of the cooperative’s margins. These margins are allocated annually based on each member’s electricity usage and are reinvested to reduce borrowing and support system reliability, helping keep electric rates affordable. Over time, those margins are returned to members as capital credits.
This year, a check will be mailed to members reflecting their ownership in Dakota Electric for the remaining 2007 allocation, 75% of the 2010 allocation, and the remaining 54% of the 2003 allocation from our power provider, Great River Energy.
“Dakota Electric is proud to return these capital credits to our valued member-owners,” said Ryan Hentges, President and CEO of Dakota Electric. “As a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative, we prioritize the financial well-being of our members and strive to provide safe, reliable and affordable electricity. Returning capital credits is one way we fulfill our commitment to our members.”
If you were a former member and did not receive a capital credits check, review the unclaimed capital credits list and submit an unclaimed capital credits payment request. We request that former members keep us up to date with their current address. If we attempt to send you a capital credit check and the post office returns it due to an outdated address, we must comply with state unclaimed property laws. We continue to carry unclaimed capital credit amounts on our books for up to seven years. If, after the required time, we still have not located you, the law requires us to either remit the funds to the state or donate them to a charitable organization. Our current policy, as set by the board of directors, is to donate all unclaimed capital credits money to local community colleges and schools for student scholarships and educational purposes.
The cooperative has set a goal to retire these credits on a 15-year rotation by 2025, as approved by the board of directors. Please keep us informed of your current address by calling 651-463-6212 or emailing [email protected].
Questions? Email [email protected] and include your check number. To learn more about capital credits, visit www.dakotaelectric.com/aboutus/capital-credits.
About Dakota Electric Association:
Dakota Electric Association is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving over 117,000 members in and around Dakota County. Established in 1937, Dakota Electric is committed to providing its members with reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity while actively engaging with the community and promoting energy efficiency. For more information, visit www.dakotaelectric.com or follow Dakota Electric on X, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.
