Member-owners to receive checks

(FARMINGTON, MN) January 27, 2026 – The Dakota Electric board of directors approved the retirement of $4.2 million in capital credits to be paid back to members. Member-owners who lived on Dakota Electric’s lines from 2003 to 2010 were mailed a check in mid-December reflecting their share of ownership in the cooperative.

When members receive electricity from Dakota Electric Association®, they become member-owners of the cooperative. As part of that ownership, members earn capital credits, which represent their share of the cooperative’s margins. These margins are allocated annually based on each member’s electricity usage and are reinvested to reduce borrowing and support system reliability, helping keep electric rates affordable. Over time, those margins are returned to members as capital credits.

This year, a check will be mailed to members reflecting their ownership in Dakota Electric for the remaining 2007 allocation, 75% of the 2010 allocation, and the remaining 54% of the 2003 allocation from our power provider, Great River Energy.

“Dakota Electric is proud to return these capital credits to our valued member-owners,” said Ryan Hentges, President and CEO of Dakota Electric. “As a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative, we prioritize the financial well-being of our members and strive to provide safe, reliable and affordable electricity. Returning capital credits is one way we fulfill our commitment to our members.”

If you were a former member and did not receive a capital credits check, review the unclaimed capital credits list and submit an unclaimed capital credits payment request. We request that former members keep us up to date with their current address. If we attempt to send you a capital credit check and the post office returns it due to an outdated address, we must comply with state unclaimed property laws. We continue to carry unclaimed capital credit amounts on our books for up to seven years. If, after the required time, we still have not located you, the law requires us to either remit the funds to the state or donate them to a charitable organization. Our current policy, as set by the board of directors, is to donate all unclaimed capital credits money to local community colleges and schools for student scholarships and educational purposes.

The cooperative has set a goal to retire these credits on a 15-year rotation by 2025, as approved by the board of directors. Please keep us informed of your current address by calling 651-463-6212 or emailing capitalcredits@dakotaelectric.com.

Questions? Email capitalcredits@dakotaelectric.com and include your check number. To learn more about capital credits, visit www.dakotaelectric.com/aboutus/capital-credits.

About Dakota Electric Association:
Dakota Electric Association is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving over 117,000 members in and around Dakota County. Established in 1937, Dakota Electric is committed to providing its members with reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity while actively engaging with the community and promoting energy efficiency. For more information, visit www.dakotaelectric.com or follow Dakota Electric on X, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Educational grants funded by unclaimed capital credits

(FARMINGTON, MN) November 15, 2025 – Dakota Electric Association® awarded $50,000 in educational grants to support local students and schools through its four-year rotating school grant program. The funding—made possible through unclaimed capital credits—was distributed among Independent School Districts 199 (Inver Grove Heights), 197 (West St. Paul–Mendota Heights–Eagan), 196 (Rosemount–Eagan–Apple Valley), and Inver Hills Community College.

Each year, Dakota Electric reinvests unclaimed capital credits into local education, helping to strengthen communities and empower the next generation of leaders. This year’s grants will enhance student learning, advance district goals, and support innovative programming across the service area.

Districts 199 and 197 will use their grants to bolster Career and College Readiness programming through the TriDistrict Centers for Advanced Professional Studies (TriDistrict CAPS). The funds will help cover transportation for students without reliable transit and support start-up costs for a new CAPS center, giving students increased access to real-world career exploration and internship opportunities.

District 196 will use its grant to expand waste reduction efforts across its high schools by adding compost bins, educational signage, and waste audits—efforts that empower students to take the lead in sustainability initiatives and reduce the district’s environmental footprint.

“In recent years, our students have challenged the district administration to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across our district,” said Peter Olson-Skog, Ph.D., superintendent of School District 197. “By expanding recycling programs, starting composting in our cafeterias, and engaging students through education campaigns, we believe we can make a difference—both for the environment and our school communities. This project will reduce our landfill contributions and lower the energy footprint tied to school waste management. It’s through student advocacy that we continue to evolve how we manage learning environments while exploring additional ways to impact our overall emissions.”

Inver Hills Community College will use its portion of the grant to remove barriers to student success by addressing basic needs and providing financial assistance, helping students remain focused on their education.

“This money is being donated to help reduce barriers to student success, improve retention, and foster a more equitable learning environment,” said Peggy Johnson, community relations director at Dakota Electric. “By addressing basic needs and providing financial assistance, we know we are helping students focus on their education.”

Through this grant program, Dakota Electric continues its long-standing commitment to empowering local students, supporting education, and investing in the communities it serves. By transforming unclaimed capital credits into meaningful opportunities, the cooperative helps ensure that the benefits of member ownership extend beyond reliable electricity—creating lasting impact for future generations.

About Dakota Electric Association:
Dakota Electric Association is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving over 117,000 members in and around Dakota County. Established in 1937, Dakota Electric is committed to providing its members with reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity while actively engaging with the community and promoting energy efficiency. For more information, visit www.dakotaelectric.com or follow Dakota Electric on X, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.

$160,000 in unclaimed capital credits endowed to students

(FARMINGTON, MN) July 1, 2025 – Local high school students receiving electrical service from Dakota Electric Association received scholarships from the electric cooperative, empowering them to pursue their post-secondary education. Along with the more than 100 talented high school students receiving the scholarships, students enrolled at Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College will be granted scholarships this fall. In total, $160,000 in unclaimed capital credits was allocated.

Since 1990, Dakota Electric has demonstrated its commitment to supporting students in pursuing their educational aspirations by donating over $2,000,000 toward post-secondary education to students in the service territory.

“This is something we look forward to announcing every year,” said Peggy Johnson, community relations director at Dakota Electric. “Being able to support local students in this manner is a highlight. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, we follow the Seven Cooperative Principles, and I think gifting these scholarships demonstrates two of them: Concern for Community, and Education, Training, and Information. Congrats to all the recipients, we can’t wait to see the amazing things you accomplish.”

The following students have been selected as scholarship recipients for this year:

About Dakota Electric Association:
Dakota Electric Association is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving over 117,000 members in and around Dakota County. Established in 1937, Dakota Electric is committed to providing its members with reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity while actively engaging with the community and promoting energy efficiency. For more information, visit www.dakotaelectric.com or follow Dakota Electric on X, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.