Kootenai Electric Cooperative

Overview

Energizing Connections

Kootenai Electric Cooperative (KEC) is Idaho’s largest electric cooperative, providing reliable electric service to over 30,000 meters across four counties. Guided by cooperative principles and a commitment to exceptional service, KEC sought to modernize its website to better reflect its values of trustworthiness, innovation, and local connection. Partnering with Powerful, KEC aimed to create a website that was welcoming, intuitive, and member-focused. Their primary goals included increasing the use of online tools to reduce phone inquiries, ensuring content was up-to-date, and delivering a design that was professional yet approachable.

Keeping Members Informed

Many visitors come to KEC’s site during outages, seeking fast and accurate updates. KEC wanted a visitor-friendly way to provide critical outage information while reducing the need for members to call in. Understanding this, Powerful reimagined KEC’s Outage Center into a visualized page. From a checklist for first steps when the power goes out to a detailed explanation of KEC’s Outage Management System, every element is designed for clarity. Visual aids and intuitive buttons, such as those for viewing the outage map or signing up for text updates, empower members to find answers quickly.

This visualized Outage Center page simplifies stressful moments for members during outages. For example, if a severe winter storm disrupts power, members can follow step-by-step guidance, report outages through SmartHub, and track restoration progress—all without needing to call. The enhanced design demonstrates KEC’s proactive care for its community, fostering trust and reducing phone traffic. By addressing one of the top reasons for site visits, KEC achieved its goal of encouraging online engagement and improving the member experience.

Amplifying the Cooperative Spirit

KEC wanted to better highlight their commitment to cooperative principles, particularly democratic member control. Members needed a simple way to understand which district they belonged to and who represented them on KEC’s Board of Directors.

Powerful implemented an interactive KML map, transforming how members interact with this critical information. Members can enter their address to instantly identify their district and board representative. From there, they are seamlessly directed to a detailed profile of their board member, complete with a photo and bio, through Powerful’s Staff Directory app. This feature ensures members feel connected to their cooperative leadership.

These interactive tools celebrate the cooperative principle of democratic member control. By showcasing the local individuals serving on KEC’s board, the website reminds visitors that their cooperative is truly run by neighbors, family, and friends. This integration builds trust and empowers members to actively participate in cooperative governance.