Electric Co-ops Have Strong Showing in 2021 NCB Co-op 100 Despite Pandemic Recession

The Washington, D.C.-based National Cooperative Bank (NCB) recently released its annual Co-op 100, which ranks the nation’s top cooperative enterprises by annual revenue. Electric cooperatives made up nearly one quarter of this year’s ranked cooperative businesses with 17 generation and transmission (G&T) cooperatives, five distribution cooperatives and CFC.

Electric cooperatives, including CFC, accounted for a combined $21.5 billion in revenue in 2020. The highest-ranked G&T is North Dakota-based Basin Electric Power Cooperative at number 20 with $2.1 billion in revenue, while the highest-ranked distribution cooperative is Georgia-based Cobb Electric Membership Corporation at number 76 with $776 million in revenue. Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation moved up six spots to number 83 with $703 million in revenue. CFC came in at number 44 for the second year in a row. Georgia-based Jackson Electric Membership Corporation joined the top 100 at number 98 with $596 million in revenue.

The Top 100 Largest U.S. Cooperatives Posted $226.1 Billion in Revenue

Overall, the 100 largest U.S. cooperatives in 2020 posted revenue totaling $226.1 billion, a slight decrease from 2019, but still strong considering the economic disruptions caused by the pandemic last year. Agribusiness cooperative CHS, Inc., headquartered in Minnesota, topped the chart again with more than $28.4 billion.

There are around 65,000 cooperative businesses operating in the United States today, and one out of every three Americans is a member of a cooperative, according to the National Cooperative Business Association.

The NCB Co-op 100 is the only annual report to track the profits and successes of cooperative businesses in the United States. You can read the full report and see all 100 co-ops online.