capital credits

What are Capital Credits?

High Plains Power is a private, non-profit 501-c(12) corporation. We sell and deliver electricity to our members at cost plus a small margin. The amount of revenue earned each year in excess of expenses is called the net margin. We use these margins to provide the working capital necessary to maintain the electric distribution system, upgrade facilities, and provide service to new members. Over the years these margins represent the member's equity in the assets of the cooperative. Every year each member has a share of the co-ops net margins allocated to them based on their patronage, or amount of electricity they have purchased. These allocations are referred to as capital credits.

As a cooperative we ultimately return these margins or capital credits to our member-owners. As the financial status of the co-op permits, the board of directors will decide to retire some of these capital credits by returning them to the members. Under current board policy, capital credits are being retired on a twenty-year rotation. This year High Plains Power retired $1,644,915 in capital credits that were allocated by Riverton Valley Electric in 1988-1989 and Hot Springs REA in 1991 - 1992. Capital credit checks were mailed out on December 19, 2006.

Are You Moving?

If you are currently a member and have plans to move out of the High Plains Power service area, you need to make sure our office has your forwarding address. This will allow us to send your capital credit check when it comes due.

Unclaimed Capital Credits

Unfortunately, many members leave our service area without leaving us their forwarding address. As a result, we are unable to contact them when their checks have been processed. We have thousands of dollars in unclaimed Capital Credits each year. We publish this list each year in our newsletter and this list is also available on our website.

If you suspect you may have unclaimed Capital Credits with High Plains Power or you are making a claim on behalf of a deceased individual, you need to call our office at (307) 856-9426 and speak with one of our customer service representatives.