The 25 electric distribution cooperatives serving members in Ohio (24 of the cooperatives are based in the state and get their electricity from Buckeye Power, Inc. (BPI); another, Midwest Energy Cooperative, based in Cassopolis, MI, serves about 1,000 members in sections of Fulton and Williams counties in northwestern Ohio.

BPI owns two of the three coal-fired generating units in the Cardinal Station, located about seven miles south of Steubenville at Brilliant, Ohio. Buckeye Power, Inc. is a generation and transmission cooperative established by Ohio's rural electric co-ops to produce and transmit electric power for the member systems throughout the state.

In early 2006, BPI will be entitled to an additional203 megawatts (MW) of baseload capacity through its participation in Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC). OVEC is owned by several investor-owned electric utilities in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky. OVEC owns two coal-fired plants with the following year-round, net generating capability: the Kyger Creek Plant (1,028 MW) at Cheshire, Ohio and the Clifty Creek Plant (1,228 MW) at Madison, Indiana.

Other generation resources available to BPI include the Robert P. Mone Station, a 510-MW facility that uses three gas- or oil-fired turbines to produce electricity at times of peak demand. BPI's member systems also receive a 55 MW entitlement to New York Power Authority (NYPA) hydropower.

BPI receives transmission services from two Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)-approved independent system operators (ISOs) — the PJM Interconnection LLC (for the American Electric Power (AEP), Dayton Power and Light (DP&L) and Allegheny transmission service areas, and the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO), covering the FirstEnergy and Cinergy transmission service areas.

In addition to providing a source of competitively priced and reliable electric power to its member-cooperatives, Buckeye Power also provides other services. A comprehensive consumer attitudes research program helps to better understand how the cooperatives are viewed and how the members of the cooperative think about issues such as service satisfaction. It also provides information on the types of products and services which interest co-op members.

A key service long provided by Buckeye is a comprehensive program promoting the efficient use of energy, which provides members with ways to better their lifestyles while also improving the performance of Buckeye and its member cooperatives. A cornerstone of this marketing effort is the electric water heater rebate program. Nearly 56,000 cooperative members have participated in this program.

Buckeye's marketing department promotes the use of new, energy-efficient technologies. One is geothermal space heating and cooling. This system uses a heat pump to extract thermal energy contained in the ground. Although it requires more of an initial investment than conventional systems, the low operating costs of the system allow it to soon offset the costs.

In addition to its marketing efforts, Buckeye also promotes economic development as a means of retaining existing businesses and attracting new businesses into member co-ops' service territories. A professional development staff assists in the selection of sites, offers guidance for state and federal incentive packages and helps bring together all parties necessary to complete a deal. The staff also assists the member-cooperatives in infrastructure and site improvements and developing programs to attract businesses.