Menard Electric Cooperative

• We are led by our consumer-members and governed by a Board of Directors elected by and from those members.

• We do not seek to earn profits; any margins we earn are returned as Capital Credits to the members we serve

• We were built by the communities we serve. Our employees live and work right here in our communities.

What We Do

We are an electric distribution cooperative that provides electricity and associated services at cost to our members.  We serve 10,900+ meters through 2,500+ miles of line spread across 2,400+ square miles of 8 counties (Cass, Logan, Macon, Mason, Menard, Morgan, Sangamon and Tazewell).  We provide electricity to rural and urban residences and small farms and businesses as well as large agriculture, commercial and industrial members.  The electricity we provide is produced and transmitted to us by our wholesale power provider Prairie Power, Inc., a cooperative located in Central Illinois.

How We Got Here

We were formed in 1936 by a small group of local residents who worked with the assistance of the Rural Electrification Administration to bring electricity to this area when investor-owned utilities would not. See our Articles of Incorporation.  We were founded on, and continue to be governed by, 7 Cooperative Principles: Voluntary and Open Membership; Democratic Member Control; Members Economic Participation; Autonomy and Independence; Education, Training and Information; Cooperation among Cooperatives; and Concern for Community.  Today, we are also a member of Touchstone Energy, and as such we adhere to their four core values of Integrity, Accountability, Innovation and Commitment to Community.

How to Get Electric Service in Your Name

• We are an electric cooperative, and that makes us unique. As a cooperative, we are led by our consumer-members; in order to have service with Menard Electric Cooperative you must first become a member.  To become a member you will need to fill out a new membership card and pay a one-time $25 new membership fee. We will run a utility credit check from the information on the card to determine if a security deposit is required, and how much. The quickest way to get your membership completed and service put in your name is to visit us at the office. If this is not possible, we can mail a membership card to you - please allow adequate time for receiving and returning the card and fee by mail.
• To connect a service, you will need to be a member and have paid a deposit if required. You will then need to call and provide us with the service location and/or meter number, and a date you wish to begin. Please allow us adequate time to transfer a service.
•  If you are building a new home or business on our lines, please contact us early in the process. It takes time to plan and build your service to have electricity available when your builder needs it. Give us a call or leave us a message.
• Sometimes electric service is placed under one persons membership and put in care of another individual. Please note that the membership the service is under is ultimately responsible for the service and any debts acquired. The membership also retains all capital credits allocated from all accounts.