Clearwater Power Company is a not-for-profit electric cooperative. If you receive electric service from Clearwater Power, you are a member of the cooperative.

One of the benefits of a being a member is patronage capital credits.  Patronage capital credits comes from margins, or money left over at the end of the year after all expenses have been paid.  These margins are allocated to each member's capital credits account based on how much electricity the member purchased that year.  The allocated margins are retained and used by Clearwater Power for operating capital.  This reduces the amount the cooperative has to borrow.

Each year the Board of Directors determines if the cooperative is financially able to pay prior years' capital credits back to the members. When so approved, the cooperative refunds designated prior year's capital credits, by check, to members who used electricity during the designated years.

To date, Clearwater Power has refunded the capital credits on a first-in, first-out basis.  We have refunded capital credits every year since 1988.  In October 2008, over $360,000 was refunded to members that received electric service from us in 1987.

Even if you move and are no longer a member of the cooperative, the capital credits remain in your account.  Be sure to update your address with Clearwater Power if you move so we can send future capital credit checks to the correct address.