Cuivre River Electric Cooperative (CREC) is Missouri's largest electric distribution cooperative, serving more than 70,000 individual, family and business members in Lincoln, Montgomery, Pike, St. Charles and Warren counties. CREC is also a Touchstone Energy® Cooperative.
Touchstone Energy® Cooperative is a major electric utility brand that represents a nationwide alliance made of more than 800 local, member-owned electric cooperatives in 46 states. Touchstone Energy co-ops collectively deliver power and energy solutions to more than 40 million members each day. Electric cooperatives distribute power from 75 percent of the landmass in the United States with over 2.4 million miles of power lines.
Electric cooperatives were established to provide electricity to rural America, and now make up the largest utility network in the nation. Touchstone Energy is the national brand identity for the exclusive network.
CREC shares a common promise to provide your residential and commercial energy services while meeting the highest standards of accountability, integrity, innovation, and commitment to your community.
Our power is generated by Associated Electric Cooperative and Central Electric Power Cooperative using various generation methods including coal, natural gas, and alternative energy production using hydroelectricity, solar, and wind power. Electricity for CREC is delivered through Central Electric Power Cooperative.
CREC is an equal opportunity employer. We have more than 135 employees who work in our Troy headquarters and Lake Saint Louis branch offices. These employees live in the communities we serve.
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.
Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. The 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.
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. 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.
Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If they enter 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.
Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers and employees so the 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.
Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.
While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.