Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association
Encyclopedia
Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association (WH) is a non-profit, member-owned energy and service cooperative
located in Rockford, Minnesota
. The company serves more than 45,000 electric accounts in western Hennepin County, Minnesota
and most of Wright County, Minnesota
.
After that rejection, the farmers joined together and created an electric cooperative. Each person who joined WH became a "member" and took one share of ownership of the cooperative. Nine members are elected to serve on the Board of Directors. They determine the cooperative's strategic direction, provide financial oversight, set electric rates, and provide other governance for the cooperative.
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
located in Rockford, Minnesota
Rockford, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,484 people, 1,296 households, and 929 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,021.2 people per square mile . There were 1,333 housing units at an average density of 773.3 per square mile...
. The company serves more than 45,000 electric accounts in western Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
and most of Wright County, Minnesota
Wright County, Minnesota
Wright County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1855. As of 2010, the population was 124,700. Its county seat is Buffalo.-History:...
.
History and background
In 1937 farmers in rural Wright and western-Hennepin counties tried to get electricity to their homes. The investor-owned utilities would not work with them because they couldn’t profitably serve the rural area, where homes and businesses were further apart and more equipment investments would need to be made.After that rejection, the farmers joined together and created an electric cooperative. Each person who joined WH became a "member" and took one share of ownership of the cooperative. Nine members are elected to serve on the Board of Directors. They determine the cooperative's strategic direction, provide financial oversight, set electric rates, and provide other governance for the cooperative.