Because Roanoke Electric is a cooperative, owned by its member-owners, it does not technically earn profits. Instead, any revenues over and above the cost of doing business are considered “margins.” These margins represent an interest-free loan of operating capital by the membership to the cooperative.
Capital Credit Refunds
Allocated capital credits appear as an entry on the permanent financial records of the association and reflect your equity or ownership in Roanoke Electric. When capital credits are retired, a check or account credit is issued to you and your equity in the association is reduced. Capital Credits are generally issued 18-20 years after the year in which the margins were earned.
You should receive an allocation notice annually after the finances for the previous year have been audited.
Capital credits are calculated by Roanoke Electric for everyone who purchased electricity during a year in which the utility earned margins. No special action is required to start a capital credits account. Your membership with Roanoke Electric activates your capital credits account.
The amount of capital credits you earn in a given year is based upon the amount of capital you contribute to the association through the payment of your monthly bills. The more electric service you buy, the greater your capital credits account – although the percentage will remain the same. The sum of your monthly bills for a year is multiplied by a percentage to determine your capital credits.
The percentage of your total payment that is allocated as capital credits varies from year to year depending upon the success of the cooperative. Capital credits are only allocated for a year in which Roanoke Electric earns margins. Since capital credits are member-owner's shares of the margins, no credits are allocated for a year with no margins. For years in which Roanoke Electric earned margins, the allocation generally ranged from 4 to 7 percent of annual bills.
No. Capital credits are calculated based on member-owners monthly bills. If you are billed for service for even one month, you will accumulate capital credits, if Roanoke Electric earned margins in that year.
No. Allocated capital credits may not be used to pay current bills. Your electric bill is due for existing usage, and the capital credits for that usage will be paid years later
The capital credits of a deceased member-owner may be paid without waiting for a general retirement. However, these estate payments are not automatic. A representative of the estate must request the credits by submitting an application and a copy of the death certificate. Fill out an application for an estate refund. These will be considered by the Roanoke Electric Board of Directors. If retirement is approved by the Board, a check will be issued to the estate and the account will be closed.
Not necessarily. The Board of Directors must authorize a retirement before you receive a check. When considering a retirement, the board analyzes the financial health of the company and will not authorize a retirement if Roanoke Electric cannot afford it. Active member-owners of Roanoke Electric will receive their payment in the form of a check. We do not issue check under 5 dollars. All other individuals owed capital credit monies will be sent a check. This is typically done in the month of August.