Central Electric Cooperative workers activate the Tumalo Substation. CEC was created in 1940 to bring electricity to rural residents of Central Oregon.

Central Electric Cooperative will return $170 to each of the members who purchased electricity in 1997 and 1998, according to the nonprofit.

The board of directors said Thursday it would provide $2.8 million worth of capital credits to about 11,482 members. The reimbursements are part of the nonprofit utility’s bylaws authorizing the board to pay members. The capital credit comes from members and from borrowed money. 

The cooperative, which started in 1941, services 36,400 accounts held by 29,396 members in its 5,300-square-mile service territory in Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson counties. It also has members in parts of Lake, Linn, Wasco and Grant counties.