ABOUT US

Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric cooperative serving primarily Freeborn and Mower Counties in southern Minnesota. We are committed to delivering safe and reliable power to our members. Our cooperative is governed by a nine‑member board, elected by our members and supported by a skilled local workforce dedicated to service and community strength. We strive to provide dependable energy solutions, helpful programs, and a positive experience for every member. As an equal opportunity provider and employer, we are devoted to supporting economic growth, local initiatives, and the long‑term well‑being of the communities we serve.

HISTORY

This local ownership, coupled with a deeply held sense of local accountability, is the basis for our longevity and success since our founding on December 8, 1936. We are indebted to the pioneers of rural electrification for fulfilling their vision through grit, back-breaking work, and determination.  Our cooperative was founded at a time when the countryside grew dark with every sundown. Only the flickering of kerosene lanterns lit rural homes and barns with dim circles of light. Water was pumped by hand, and there were no household conveniences. Refrigeration depended on blocks of ice that had been stored under mounds of sawdust. Cows were milked by hand, and there were no feed grinders or augers. Household tasks and farm chores were daily drudgery.

At the start of 2024, Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative served 18,405 member-owners and 21,092 account locations. Our service territory encompasses 1,235 square miles in southern Minnesota. We are an electric distribution entity that operates a total of 2,947 miles of electric line and 25 substations.

COOPERATIVE DIFFERENCE
To this day, this is what sets us apart from other electric utilities:

• Owned by the members we serve
• We're operated by local management and employees
• A nine-member board of directors is elected from fellow members 
• Not-for-profit organization
• Our members contribute to, and control the capital of the organization
• Profits, above expense, are returned to our members
• Organized under the Seven Cooperative Principles
• We've been part of the community for over 85 years.

Local ownership and a deep sense of accountability to our member-owners and communities are key aspects to meeting your energy needs - not just today, but for many years to come.