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Address: 6590 State Highway 27, P.O. Box 66 Wheaton, MN 56296 USA

Phone Number: Toll-free phone: 800-927-5443 || Local phone: 320-563-8616

Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

 

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What is a Cooperative

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  1. Cooperative
  2. What is a Cooperative

The Seven Cooperative Principles

Cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political, or religious discrimination.

Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. The elected representatives are accountable to the membership. In primary cooperatives, members have equal voting rights (one member, one vote) and cooperatives at other levels are organized in a democratic manner.

Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the cooperative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing the cooperative, possibly by setting up reserves, part of which at least would be indivisible; benefiting members in proportion to their transactions with the cooperative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership.

Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.

Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives. They inform the general public, particularly young people and opinion leaders, about the nature and benefits of cooperation.

Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional, and international structures.

While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.

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Contact Info

Traverse Electric Cooperative
6590 State Highway 27
P.O. Box 66
Wheaton, MN 56296 USA

Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
(Central Time Zone)

Toll-free phone: 800-927-5443
Local phone: 320-563-8616

This institution is an equal opportunity provider & employer

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©2025 Traverse Electric Cooperative. All Rights Reserved.

  • Home
  • Member Services
    • Budget Billing
    • Capital Credits
    • Distributed Generation
    • General Billing Information
    • Payments
    • Rebates
    • Service Rates
      • Cogeneration & Small Power Production
      • General Service - Single Phase
      • GENERAL SERVICE - TIME OF USE - SINGLE PHASE
      • Irrigation
      • 5/7 Interruptible Rate
      • Multi-Phase Service & Large Single Phase
      • Railroad Rate
      • Renewable Energy Credit Rate
      • Report an Outage
      • Seasonal Service
      • Service Request
      • Small Commercial
      • Special Electric Heat Rate
  • Home and Business
    • AMI Metering
    • Electrical Inspectors
    • Electrician Services
    • Energy Assistance
    • Energy Calculator
    • Generators
    • Rebates and Incentives
    • Renewable Energy Program
    • Underground Utilities
    • Water Heaters
  • Cooperative
    • About Touchstone Energy
    • Board Meeting Highlights
    • Board Meetings
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact Us
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Monthly Newsletters
    • Service Territory
    • Staff
    • Touchstone Energy Savings
    • What is a Cooperative
    • Policies
      • Charges for Property Damage - Building Moves - Etc
      • Cold Weather
      • Consumer Credit Card Use
      • Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Generator Program
      • Energy Resources Conservation Loan Program
      • Glossary of Terms and Definitions
      • Identity Theft - Privacy Policy
      • Liability
      • Load Management
      • Nature and Quality of Service
      • Neutral-to-Earth Voltages
      • Safety, Reliability and Service Quality
      • Standard Rules, Regulations and Pricing
      • Statement of Nondiscrimination
  • Community
    • Announcements
    • Annual Meeting
    • District Meeting
    • Links
    • Recipes
    • REED Fund
    • Scholarship Information
    • Who Powers Who
    • Youth Tour
    • Outage Tools
      • Storm Center
    • Safety
      • Safety Checklist
      • Safety Quiz
  • Employee Intranet