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Board of Directors and Members
Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.
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Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements as
a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report
that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not absolute assurance
and therefore is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with GAAS and Government
Auditing Standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. The risk of not detecting a
material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve
collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
Misstatements are considered material if there is a substantial likelihood that, individually or in the
aggregate, they would influence the judgment made by a reasonable user based on the consolidated
financial statements.
In performing an audit in accordance with GAAS and Government Auditing Standards, we:
Exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit.
Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements,
whether due to fraud or error, and design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks.
Such procedures include examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and
disclosures in the consolidated financial statements.
Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures
that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the
effectiveness of Associated’s internal control. Accordingly, no such opinion is expressed.
Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant
accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluate the overall presentation of the
consolidated financial statements.
Conclude whether, in our judgment, there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate,
that raise substantial doubt about Associated’s ability to continue as a going concern for a
reasonable period of time.
We are required to communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the
planned scope and timing of the audit, significant audit findings, and certain internal control-related matters
that we identified during the audit.
Other Reporting Required by Government Auditing Standards
In accordance with Government Auditing Standards, we have also issued our report dated February 10,
2023, on our consideration of Associated’s internal control over financial reporting and our tests of its
compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts and grant agreements, and other matters.
The purpose of that report is solely to describe the scope of our testing of internal control over financial
reporting and compliance and the results of that testing, and not to provide an opinion on the internal control
over financial reporting or on compliance. That report is an integral part of an audit performed in accordance
with Government Auditing Standards in considering Associated’s internal control over financial reporting
and compliance.
Springfield, Missouri
February 10, 2023