• Brunswick Electric exists to provide reliable electric service at the lowest possible cost, without a profit motive.
• Each year, funds that remain after paying operating expenses and planning for growth are set aside as “margins”.
• Each year, margins are assigned to your account in proportion to the amount of electricity you purchased during the year. This happens automatically because you’re a member, you don’t have to do anything to be assigned margins.
• The co-op uses margins to level out cash flow and reduce borrowing, allowing us to invest in infrastructure improvements and prepare for future growth. This model saves the membership money and keeps rates stable over time.
• Periodically, the board of directors assesses the financial stability of the co-op to determine when it is financially feasible to return margins, in the form of capital credits, to the membership.
• In general, capital credits are issued every two years, and you are sent a check for the amount of capital credits you are due, based on your electricity usage during a specific time period.
• If you move out of the service territory, your name, account number and capital credits remain on our books. As long as we have your current address at all times, you will receive your capital credits by mail.