Kootenai Electric Cooperative, Inc. (KEC) is a member-owned electric utility in Rathdrum, Idaho. Our mission is to provide our members exceptional service and dependable electric power at competitive rates. KEC is governed by an independent seven-member elected Board of Directors. KEC has more than 30,000 meters and approximately 2,300 miles of electric line in parts of Kootenai, Benewah, Bonner and Spokane counties. Kootenai Electric employs more than 100 people and is the largest electric cooperative in Idaho. KEC purchases the majority of the electricity it sells from the Bonneville Power Administration. Learn more about our fuel mix. Kootenai Electric is a private, nonprofit electric utility owned by the members it serves. We sell power at cost. In the early 1930s, prior to the establishment of electric cooperatives like KEC, nearly 90 percent of rural America was without electricity. While more populated areas had power, it was not cost effective for investor-owned electric utilities to bring power out to the rural areas. In 1936, Congress acted by creating the Rural Electric Administration. The agency offered the loans to rural citizens wishing to form locally-owned electric cooperatives. On May 19, 1939 KEC began supplying power to 385 members. Since then KEC has been steadily growing and provides power to our member-owners the Cooperative Way.