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Big Flat Electric Cooperative

Our mission is to serve our members in Blaine, Phillips, and Valley Counties with first-rate, reliable electric service at the most reasonable rate.



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Recent News & Events

Rate Increase Effective April 1, 2026

As then Board President Alan Wasson reported at our October 11, 2025 annual meeting, a rate adjustment would be needed in 2026 due to a substantial increase in the cost of power from our power suppliers, coupled with inflationary pressures and increases to materials and equipment. The Board of Directors goal was to do the rate adjustments in two steps, to lessen the impact all at once.  Effective January 1, 2026 the demand (kW) rate increased by $0.75 per kW for all rate classes. Effective April 1, 2026 the energy (kWh) rate will increase by 5% for all rate classes.       

We understand that any rate change can be a concern, and we remain dedicated to transparency and assisting our members.  If you have any questions or would like information on your energy usage or billing history, please contact our office at 406-654-2040 or register your account through the SmartHub link on our website: www.bigflatelectric.com. Thank you for being a valued member of Big Flat Electric Cooperative.  We appreciate your understanding and continued support as we navigate these necessary changes.   

Increase Schedule

Coming May 1st - Big Flat Electric’s bills will feature a refreshed design, along with more information about your usage, billing history and important announcements.

New Bill

YOUR 2025 CAPITAL CREDIT ALLOCATION

In April 2026, each Big Flat Electric Cooperative Member that received and paid an electric bill in 2025 will be issued a Capital Credit Allocation Notice through the mail. 

Cooperatives are distinctly different from investor-owned utilities. For-profit electric utilities generate margins on behalf of investors and shareholders. In an electric cooperative, like Big Flat Electric, any margins (revenues remaining after all expenses have been paid) are allocated to Members in proportion to their electric usage payments. The more electricity you use, the more shares of the Cooperative you own.  That’s the power of cooperative membership. 

Capital Credit Allocations DO NOT represent available funds. Over time, allocations may be paid out to Members as funds are available. Payment is known as capital credit retirement. The decision to retire capital credits rests solely with our Board of Directors and is dependent on the financial condition of the Cooperative and the provisions of our Bylaws. Big Flat Electric’s current retirement cycle is 18 years, and we generally issue capital credit retirement checks in October of each year. 

For the year 2025, Big Flat Electric’s margins for allocation totaled $382,783. Each active Member received their allocation as a credit to their individual capital credit allocation account. The balance in your account is the sum of your allocations earned to date, minus any retired (paid) Capital Credits to date.      

Your Capital Credit Allocations never expire or go away. Once in your account, they are yours. Please notify our office of any future address changes so that you will receive your available payouts when processed. Allocated Capital Credits shown on your recently mailed allocation notice may not be used to pay electric bills or any other debit you may owe Big Flat Electric. 

If you have any questions, please call the office at 406-654-2040.  Thanks!

2026 Big Flat Electric and Trade School Scholarships

 $500.00 Big Flat Electric Scholarship - To be eligible, the applicant’s primary residence must be served by Big Flat Electric. Please complete and return to Big Flat Electric along with a copy of your high school transcript.

$1000.00 Trade School Scholarship - To be eligible, the applicant must be affiliated with a Big Flat Electric service.  Applicant must be a senior in high school, already attending a trade school, or going back to school for a trade to be eligible. 

Information and applications can be found by clicking above on “Member Services” and selecting "Big Flat Electric and Trade School Schorships".

Application must be return to our office no later than April 1, 2026

 

MONTANA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES’ ASSOCIATION 

2026 MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association will award four scholarships (one in each district) in the amount of $500 each. The scholarships are funded by individual contributions to the Memorial Scholarship Program. 

In order to apply for the scholarship, applicants, parents or guardians must be a member of an electric cooperative and the cooperative must be a member of Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association. All applications must be returned to the local electric cooperative in the applicants’ community.


Applicants must return their application form, transcripts and letters of reference to their local cooperative by March 6, 2025.

THE INFORMATION & APPLICATION CAN BE FOUND BY CLICKING ABOVE ON "MEMEBER SERVICES" AND SELECTING "MECA SCHOLARSHIP"

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