The co-op difference: Local. Member-owned. Not-for-profit.

In August, we will celebrate 83 years of “keeping the lights on” for homes and businesses along the Front Range. IREA was established as a cooperative and remains one to this day, and the relationship we have with you, our members, is unlike that offered by investor-owned, municipal and other types of utilities. We like to call this “the co-op difference.”

Local

IREA was established in 1938 by a group of local residents. Since then, we have grown to more than 165,000 members, making us the largest electric cooperative in Colorado and one of the largest in the U.S. We are partners to the communities we serve, donating to and supporting hundreds of charitable programs and local nonprofits.

Member-owned

IREA is owned by you and our other members, and each member has a say in how we do business. Every four years, members elect a district representative to serve as their voice on our board of directors. No other business model offers such a direct relationship between the utility and the people it serves.

Not-for-profit

IREA is not beholden to stockholders or investors. Our margins are invested back into the grid and, whenever possible, capital credits are returned to members. We have not increased general rates since 2013, and do so only when absolutely necessary.

We look forward to continuing to provide reliable service at affordable rates.