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