During my first nine months here at United Power I have had the tremendous opportunity to experience “the cooperative difference” as we serve our rapidly growing base of members.

What is the cooperative difference? It is the way we are all member-owners of this great organization. It is the way we interact in serving your communities and it is the way we recognize the importance of supporting the United Power “family.” Many different types of organizations provide power, but cooperatives do it in unique fashion.

Here are just a few of my experiences since coming to United Power:

• In November we commissioned a generator in Gilpin County that will provide the school system and emergency responders a reliable source of power should there be an extended outage. The school is at the end of a radial line in the rugged and beautiful community we serve in the mountains. This automated generator will kick in should power be curtailed in a storm or other challenging event. More importantly, this will offer the members of the community a place of refuge in times of crisis. Working with the Gilpin County School District and the Office of Emergency Management, United Power engineers and linemen made sure the system was up and running for this winter.
• In support of the Metro North Lead Program, I had the chance to meet with the up-and-coming leaders from around our service territory and engage in a discussion about the history – and coming changes – in the electric industry. I had a similar opportunity to speak with the Weld County Board of County Commissioners. We had a lively engagement on the future of electric generation and transmission, as well as the impact of the growing natural gas and oil businesses.
• Our crews are out every day making sure the system is strong and resilient. They are there, rain, snow or shine, understanding the critical nature of electricity. And, behind every one of them are the dispatchers, financial analysts, member service representatives, engineers and other employees working hard to keep rates low and reliability high. As we all know, these jobs are even more difficult as we continue to manage in a COVID workplace.
• A number of members have reached out to me on a variety of topics, from electric vehicles to renewables and coal, with ideas for the system. I respond to each personally as working at United Power is more than just my vocation but is my avocation as well. I encourage you to contact me with questions, concerns and opinions at www.unitedpower.com/CEO.

The next few years will bring remarkable changes to the energy industry across the country. The cooperative difference means we have a special lens, asking not only what we can do to improve our system but how can we improve the lives of our members. The flexibility of the cooperative model means your input is solicited and valued. Your Board of Directors is a direct pipeline to our organization, and they represent you with passion.

During the next several months we will be having conversations across the communities we serve focused on our 10-Year Working Plan that lays out a vision and priorities for the coming decade. We want to ensure there is an aligned vision for the future as we take advantage of the technologies, societal changes and improved environmental footprint at United Power. We must welcome the changes our members require with open arms as electric vehicles, solar panels, battery storage and yet-to-be-determined technologies expand across our footprint. As a cooperative we are anxious to help our communities thrive and are driven to ensure an even brighter future.

Whether it is providing technical information, working with developers who are expanding housing and business opportunities to our local economy or partnering to bring efficiencies to industry, the cooperative difference is in our DNA. It is why we exist, what we strive for every day and how we live our values.