Capital Credits

Co-ops are owned by the same people who purchase their goods or services. That being the case, making a profit would be self-defeating.

 Here’s how the capital credit refund works:

1. Walton EMC tracks the amount of money each customer-owner spends with the co-op each year.
2. At the end of each year, the co-op determines if there are excess revenues (co-ops call these margins).
3. Walton EMC allocates these margins to each customer-owner’s capital credit account based on the amount of money they spent with the co-op that year.
4. The co-op holds this money to retire debt, prepare for emergencies and keep the organization financially sound.
5. When Walton EMC’s financial condition permits, the board of directors (elected from the customer base) decides to retire – or pay – some of the capital credits.
6. The customer-owner receives their capital credit refund.

2023 Refund At-a-Glance

• Total returned this year: $9 million
• Customer-owners who had accounts in these years will get a refund: 2000, 2001, 2018, 2022
• When: Early December through early January
• How: Bill credit (less than $500) or check ($500 or more)
• All-time total capital credits refunded: $143 million

Walton EMC is an innovative, customer-owned and -focused electric utility serving accounts in 10 Northeast Georgia counties between Atlanta and Athens. In its long history of meeting customer-owners’ needs, the cooperative established successful natural gas and security subsidiaries as well as nationally recognized solar initiatives. For more information, visit waltonemc.com.

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