Members of Bluestem Electric Cooperative are eligible for cash rebates for installing electric heating equipment and/or water heaters provided they meet qualifying requirements.

Payment Procedure: Bluestem will make a check payable to its member after a representative of the cooperative has certified the installation.

Note: All rebates are subject to periodic review and change by the Bluestem Board of Trustees.

Water Heater Qualifying Requirements

  1. Electric water heaters must have a minimum capacity of 40 gallons and a maximum connected wattage of 5500 watts.This requirement is intended to insure installations which will contribute to improved load factors. This requirement may be waived on a case-by-case basis, particularly in commercial applications, where a larger wattage or smaller capacity may be installed but the installation contributes to an improved system load factor. The efficiency rating for electric water heaters has been set at such an efficient level that Bluestem will no longer require a minimum efficiency, or EF rating, to qualify for a rebate. 

  2. All electric water heaters manufactured after April 16, 2015 and installed after April 16, 2016 shall not be required to have a minimum EF rating in order to be eligible for a rebate. On-demand (tankless) water heaters are ineligible for a rebate.

  3. A Bluestem representative must verify proof of purchase and installation.

  4. The electric water heater must be permanently installed on Bluestem’s system.

  5. All water heaters must be equipped with a safety pressure relief valve.

  6. The REC member must agree to allow Bluestem to install a load control device if contacted to do so.

Rebate Amounts

The rebate for a qualifying electric water heater will be $100.00 for a standard electric water heater and $150.00 for a lifetime electric water heater.

Electric Heat Pump Qualifying Requirements

1.  Air Source Heat Pump

  • Must be Energy Star Certified
  • No minimum unit size
  • Must have a minimum Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 14.5
  • Must have a minimum Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) of 8.2

2. Ground Source Heat Pump

  • Minimum unit size of two tons
  • Open loop – Must have a minimum Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 3.6 and a minimum Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) of 16.2
  • Closed loop – Must have a minimum Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 3.3 and a minimum Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) of 14.1

Rebate Payment Levels

1. Air Source Heat Pump

  • $100.00 per ton for a 14.5 SEER
  • $150.00 per ton for a 16.0 SEER
  • $200.00 per ton for a 17.0 SEER and above

2. Ground Source Heat Pump

  • $125.00 per every 1/2 ton with a minimum unit size of 2 tons. There is no cap.