GRANTS, N.M. – If you received electric service from Continental Divide Electric Cooperative in 1991 and/or 2022, you may be owed money.
In November 2024, CDEC distributed capital credit checks to its members who purchased electricity during the years mentioned above. Since then, some of those checks belonging to former and current members remain unclaimed or uncashed. In many cases, checks go unclaimed because the member has moved, changed contact information, or has simply misplaced the original check.
“One unique benefit of being a member of your cooperative is capital credits,” said Angel Rochlitz, a member relations representative for Continental Divide.
Capital credits represent a co-op member's ownership in the cooperative and are proportionate to the amount of electricity the member used during the years the margins are retired.
“Unlike investorowned utilities, electric cooperatives operate as notfor-profit companies,” explained Rochlitz. “That means our goal is not to generate profits for outside shareholders or individual owners, it's to provide reliable electric service at the lowest reasonable cost for our members.”
Since a co-op does not earn profits, margins or revenues are one of the most significant sources of equity, reducing a coop’s cost to borrow money. As a cooperative's financial condition allows, its Board of Directors may authorize the retirement and payment of capital credits back to eligible members. “When you receive electric service through Continental Divide, you’re the stockholder,” Rochlitz said.
If you think you may be owed capital credits from the years 1991 and/or 2022, contact CDEC’s Grants office at (505) 285-6656, extension 1032 or 1046 or email us at capitalcredits@cdec.coop. Members and former members can also visit our website at cdec.coop/capital-credits to view the list of eligible members.
When contacting CDEC, please provide your name, any previous service addresses, account number, and the approximate years you received electric service. Also, update your mailing address and contact information to ensure you receive any future capital credit retirements.
On Nov. 30, 2026, any unclaimed capital credits from 1991 and/or 2022 will roll over to the Continental Divide Electric Foundation, per New Mexico law and CDEC’s Bylaws. They fund our scholarship program, details of which can be found at cdec.coop/foundation- scholarships.