Sawnee EMC will return $8 million to 130,000 eligible current and former members through a general retirement of patronage capital.

Around $8 million will be distributed to members, with the average refund being approximately $61. Existing Sawnee EMC members who are receiving a refund will get it in the form of a credit on their March 2023 electric bill. Former members who no longer have an active account with Sawnee and have a valid forwarding address on file will be mailed a check to their last known address on or around April 4.

The refunded amount includes funds assigned for all of 2005 and a portion of 2006, and it will be paid to individuals and businesses who received electric service from Sawnee at any time during those years.

Each member’s refund will vary based on the amount of revenue they contributed through their power bills.

Because Sawnee EMC is a nonprofit cooperative, each year its members receive an assignment of “patronage capital” – or “revenue in excess of operating costs and expenses” - in the records of the cooperative, as required by Georgia law.

The electric cooperative also retires patronage capital to the estates of deceased members.

Executors of the estates of deceased members who have not yet received their refund should contact Sawnee’s Customer Service Center at 770-887-2363, text 678-999-8124, or send an email to customerservice@sawnee.com.