The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is the organization that represents over 900 electric cooperatives in the United States. Independent electric utilities are not-for-profit and are owned by their members. The Association, which was founded in 1942, unites the country's generation, transmission and distribution cooperatives which are found in 47 states and serve over 42 million people. It is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
Electric cooperatives serve 12 percent of the nation's population, yet own 42 percent of America's distribution lines, which covers three-quarters of the country. Currently, over 90% of electric cooperatives include renewable generation in their portfolios, receiving 11 percent of renewable power compared to 8 percent for the entire utility sector.