Your Cooperative

Kenergy is an electric distribution cooperative.  As a co-op, it is member-owned and operates on a not-for-profit basis. Any net margins, which is the difference between revenue and expenses, are put back into the co-op to help run the business efficiently, or those net margins are returned to members through a refund called capital credits.  In September 2012, Kenergy returned nearly $2 million in capital credits. In June 2013, it will return $3.15 million.

Kenergy exists to provide safe and reliable electricity at an affordable price.

The cooperative was established in July 1999 through the consolidation of Henderson-Union Electric Cooperative(organized in 1936) and Green River Electric (organized in 1937). Henderson-Union was the first electric cooperative in the state to sell electricity to a member. Frank T. Street of Cardinal Farms in Henderson County received electricity from the co-op in October 1937. 

Kenergy has grown to serve more than 55,000 homes and businesses in 14 western Kentucky counties — Breckinridge, Caldwell, Crittenden, Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, Hopkins, Livingston, Lyon, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Union and Webster.  The cooperative maintains more than 7,000 miles of power line.

Headquarters is located at 6402 Old Corydon Road, Henderson. Service centers are: Hanson in Hopkins County, Hartford in Ohio County, Hawesville in Hancock County, Marion in Crittenden County and Owensboro in Daviess County. Kenergy is the third largest cooperative in Kentucky in terms of member accounts.  

Kenergy's membership elects the co-op's 11-member board, which meets monthly. Board members are:

Robert White , Sturgis; William H. Reid, Owensboro; Glenn E. Cox, Fredonia; Chris Mitchell, Clay; Randy Powell, Corydon; William Denton, Henderson; Larry Elder, Owensboro; John Warren, Jr., Owensboro; Brent Wigginton, Hawesville; Jonathan Ayer, Calhoun; Allan Eyre, Henderson (Industrial Director). For information on the districts they serve and contact information, go to Kenergy Board Members.

Management

Gregory Starheim, President and CEO; Ken Stock, Vice President of Operations; John Newland, Vice President of Engineering; David Hamilton, Vice President of Member Services; Keith Ellis, Vice President of Human Resources; Steve Thompson, Vice President of Finance/Accounting. To view their photos and contact information, please click here.

Kenergy is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, a network of locally owned electric cooperatives throughout the nation. Touchstone Cooperatives have a strong reputation for integrity, accountability, innovation and community service.

Wholesale power supplier: Big Rivers Electric Corp., Henderson.

Authorities and relationships: Kenergy is under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Public Service Commission, an agency of the state government, and receives a portion of its financing through the Rural Utilities Services, an agency of the U.S. government within the Department of Agriculture.

The cooperative is affiliated with the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives in Louisville and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in Washington, D.C. Both organizations give cooperatives the opportunity to act collectively and to keep abreast of issues affecting the industry.

Kenergy Facts & Figures (1/1/12)