Cooperatives are non-profit businesses organized by and for the people they serve. So any profits are allocated to special accounts set up for each member. These allocations are pro-rated among the membership according to patronage - the more energy you purchased during the year, the bigger  your share of the margins.

Before being returned to members, the money is put to work financing part of the cooperative's construction and maintenance costs. That's why your share of the margins are called capital credits. You've been credited for the capital you've supplied and eventually you'll get a check for it. If Todd-Wadena did not use capital credits to fund construction, we would have to borrow additional capital and added interest expense on this debt would affect all members in the form of higher rates.

Cooperatives pay out capital credits as soon as it makes economic sense to do so. Todd-Wadena currently returns its capital credits after about 20 years. Checks are mailed in December.