About Us
Not For Profit Cooperative
About Flint Energies
Incorporated in 1937, Flint Energies is a not-for-profit member-owned
electric cooperative that provides energy services to residential,
commercial, industrial and agricultural members in parts of 17 central
Georgia counties. Flint has 230 employees and serves more than 250,000
Georgians through 82,100 meters. Flint's physical plant consists of more
than 6,250 miles of distribution line and 49 substations located within
Bibb, Chattahoochee, Crawford, Dooly, Harris, Houston, Macon, Marion,
Monroe, Muscogee, Peach, Schley, Sumter, Taylor, Talbot, Twiggs and
Upson Counties. The system also includes the Museum of Aviation at
Robins Air Force Base and the Fort Benning military post. Flint is the
eighth largest of Georgia's 42 EMCs and the 38th largest of the nation's
nearly 1,000 rural electric cooperatives.
Flint Energies is also a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, part of a
nationwide family of electric cooperatives exhibiting the core values of
integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community.
Flint’s members give their cooperative an American Customer Satisfaction
Index (ACSI) score of 79, which rates higher than most investor-owned
utilities in the country.
What Is A Member?
Any individual or entity that is uses electricity from Flint
Energies. They are entitled to participate in cooperative elections and
vote and to share in patronage capital allocations.
What Are Capital Credits?
The retained margins left over at the end of the year at a not for
profit electric cooperative. Capital credits are the most significant
source of equity for most cooperatives. Capital credits are somewhat
similar to the dividends that investor-owned utilities pay to their
shareholders. The difference is that the Cooperative’s “shareholders”
are also the people that it serves and the “dividends” (capital credits)
are distributed to those member/consumers. Capital credits reflect each
member’s ownership in the cooperative. It is also called patronage
capital or equity capital.
Read More About Capital Credits
What Are the Seven Principles that Distinguish Co-ops from Other Electric Suppliers?
Voluntary and Open Membership
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.
Democratic Member Control
Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled
by their members who actively participate in setting their policies and
making decisions. Men and women serving as 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.
Member Economic Participation
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. The 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.
Autonomy and Independence
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.
Education, Training and Information
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.
Cooperation Among Cooperatives
Cooperatives serve their members most effectively
and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through
local, regional, national and international structures.
Concern for Community
While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work
for the sustainable development of their communities through policies
accepted by their members.