We’re Fighting for the Future of America’s Rural Electric Cooperatives
Rural Electric Cooperatives have transformed the lives of millions of rural Americans since their creation in the New Deal of the 1930s. However, much of that promise has been lost—now, rural democratic movements must reclaim their cooperatives in order to strengthen local democracy, improve lives, and ensure energy affordability.
Who We Are
The Rural Power Coalition is leading the national movement for rural electric cooperative democracy.
RPC is led by place-based organizations representing member-owners across the country.
We’re fighting for Rural Electric Cooperatives that:
are democratically controlled
advance equity and affordability
support healthy environments
create high-paying rural jobs
build community wealth
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800+ Rural Electric Cooperatives:
42M
Power 42 million people across the US
56%
Cover 56% of the nation’s land mass
92%
Serve 92% of US persistent poverty counties
21M
Electrify 21 million member-owner’s homes, farms, schools, and businesses
$40B
Generate more than $40 billion dollars in annual revenue
Learning Series
Rural Data Center Forum
Data centers are being developed and deployed all around the United States, with pronounced impacts on rural communities’ energy costs, quality of life, and air, soil, and water quality.
The Rural Data Center Forum is a series of virtual presentations focused on the impacts of data centers, and how communities are responding.
This series elevates the knowledge and experiences of researchers and practitioners, and inform thinking around data centers, in the Rural American context.
Power by the People
Member-Owner Training
In the spring of 2026, the Rural Power Coalition hosted a four-part training series focused on how rural electric cooperatives work, and how people can get started organizing neighbors and friends, in order to move electric co-ops toward more democratic, responsive, and community-led practices.
This training series is relevant to anyone wanting to learn more about local efforts focused on energy affordability and programs that benefit rural residents.
Electric Co-op Explainers
Rural electric cooperatives are member-owned utilities that are often unfamiliar to people. They offer significant, yet-untapped potential for rural
This series of videos sheds light on how these cooperatives work, how people are getting involved in them, and explores some key types of programs that can be deployed to improve grid reliability and lower energy rates.
This series was developed in partnership with the Story of Stuff Project.