Capital Credits
As a member of AHEC, you share in any margins, defined as money left over after expenses. Your share, called capital credits, is based on your energy usage costs during the year.
Margins of a cooperative provide an economical and immediate source of capital to rebuild and upgrade older lines and equipment, as well as to restore the distribution system following a severe storm or other emergency. If margins are not required to ensure the viability of the cooperative, the capital credits are refunded to you, the member.
Typically, capital credits are refunded in December approximately twenty years after they are accrued. Because of this cycle, it is essential that you keep AHEC informed of your mailing address if you leave the system.
Capital credits may also be paid to heirs of deceased members, by authorization of the Board of Directors.
In April of each year, all AHEC members receive an "allocation statement" in the mail that shows their "Patron's Capital" for the previous year. This is a record of the amount allocated to your capital credit account for the specified year. This amount may not be applied to your current bill. Save this card for your records. This is the amount that you will receive when that equity is refunded in the future.