Today, Ozark Electric Cooperative is one of 900 electric cooperatives that serve more than 40 million people (12 percent of the U.S. population) in 47 states. Breaking this down,cooperatives serve 17 million farms, homes, schools, churches, businesses--practically everyone with electricity needs in 80 percent of the counties in the United States-- and account for 5% of all electricity generated by the industry.

Electric co-ops own and maintain nearly half of the nation's distribution lines covering three quarters of the country, yet average only 5.8 consumers and $7,000 in revenue per mile of line.

By contrast, investor-owned utilities, or municipals, average 48 and $72,000 respectively. Here at Ozark Electric Cooperative, we serve more than 30,000 meters throughout Lawrence, Barry, Christian, Dade, Greene, Jasper, Newton, Polk and Stone counties with appproximately 4,700 miles of power lines.