-
My Account
-
-
Start, Stop or Transfer
-
-
My Energy
-
-
Energy Options
-
-
Outage & Safety
-
-
New Construction
-
-
Construction Projects
-
Construction Guides
-
-
-
News & Community
-
-
About Us
-
07/13/2021 - 11:08 AM
Title May/June Message from Mark A. Gabriel /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/CEO_Message.jpg?h=45932144&itok=pNegmSzP Monday | May 3, 2021 Card Teaser A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer. Committed to the Traditions & Principles that put Members First These are exciting times to be in the electric industry. We are witnessing a huge transition in the most critical commodity of our lives. The shift toward low or no carbon generation, the expansion of beneficial electrification and the development of innovative technologies generate engaging conversations with members and are driving some of the greatest changes we have seen in society in the past 75 years. I joined United Power in March, and as I enter my third month as the cooperative’s President and Chief Executive Officer, I could not be more excited to be here. United Power is one of Colorado’s largest rural electric cooperatives and one of the most innovative cooperatives in the country. It is an honor to be able to serve you, our members, as we plan for the future. United Power is already at the forefront of programs that will power our territory for decades to come. We have started to see significant growth in electric vehicles among our members. More than 6,000 members have installed rooftop solar systems on their homes. Farms, ranches and commercial members are becoming more connected as technology advances. Soon, electric tractor-trailers will be plying the roads in our communities. All of these emerging technologies require electricity. As we have seen in the past 14 months, electricity is the critical force in all our lives. It has allowed many of us to transition to working or attending classes from home. It has permitted families to shelter in the safety of their own homes and neighborhoods and businesses to adapt to this new normal. We must continue to focus on the need for security, quality, resiliency and availability of power for all our members. We must ensure members see the benefits of lower rates and lower carbon options. We must be proactive in removing barriers to things like energy efficiency and never forget the critical needs of our members, especially those whose circumstances may not enable them to take advantage of advances in technology. We must show flexibility in managing a changing electric grid while developing a two-way relationship with our members. As United Power’s President and CEO, I am committed to upholding the cooperative tradition and its principles in serving members first. As we close in on 100,000 meters this summer, I am excited to help guide the organization through these amazing times and work with United Power employees to support your needs. I welcome feedback from our members as we work together to define the future. Email Mark A. Gabriel03/13/2020 - 11:07 AM
Title Member Choice Grants /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MemberChoice.jpg?itok=xQRicKHr Friday | March 13, 2020 Card Teaser Member Choice Grants allow our members to nominate a nonprofit organization within the cooperative's service territory to receive grant funds from United Power. Within our service territory there are several nonprofit organizations that bring value to the community or communities they help support. Member Choice Grants allow our members to nominate a nonprofit organization within the cooperative's service territory to receive grant funds from United Power. These grants will help them continue to work toward accomplishing their mission and serve the local community. In this way, we are able to support the causes our members truly care about. Nominating an organization to receive a Member Choice Grant is as simple as filling out the form below and providing a brief reason why you feel the organization should receive the grant. In 2020, United Power will award six (6) nonprofit organizations nominated by our members with a $1,000 Member Choice Grant, announced in upcoming issues of the United Newsline. Nominations are now open. Member Choice Grants01/12/2021 - 07:00 AM
Title Member Choice Grants Renewed for 2021 /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MemberChoice.jpg?itok=xQRicKHr Monday | January 11, 2021 Card Teaser Members will be able to nominate their favorite local nonprofits to receive grant funds from the cooperative through the program. United Power members will once again be able to nominate their favorite local nonprofits to receive grant funds from the cooperative through the 2021 Member Choice Grant program. Within our service territory, there are many nonprofits that bring value to the communities we serve. Member Choice Grants, originally introduced in 2020, give our members a voice in what nonprofit organizations they’d like to see us support. The grant funds will help them continue to work toward accomplishing their mission and ensures we are supporting causes our members truly care about. This past year, our members recognized the needs of others who were trying to navigate difficult circumstances and focused their nominations on organizations that met essential needs. These organizations included food and clothing banks, mental health resources and positive recreation. Recipients of grant awards are determined based on member nominations throughout the year. Nominations are now open, and recipients will be announced in three rounds in the cooperative’s newsletter. For more information on Member Choice Grants and past recipients or to nominate a nonprofit that serves United Power members to receive grant funds, go to Member Choice.09/07/2022 - 12:16 PM
Title Member Choice Grants Renewed for 2022 /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/EarlyFall2022_MemberChoice.jpg?itok=a3kXaAbk Wednesday | September 7, 2022 Card Teaser Nominate a local nonprofit to receive grant dollars from United Power by November 18. Electric cooperatives are unique from for-profit electric utilities, which are governed by investor decisions that boost revenue and profits. Instead, co-ops are defined by a set of core principles, chief among them a commitment to the communities they serve. United Power is an active supporter and participant in community events and programs, but depends on knowledge from members like you to ensure it is supporting causes you care about. The co-op launched Member Choice grants to provide a way for members to put their community knowledge into action – by nominating area nonprofits for United Power grant dollars. Nominating a local nonprofit for Member Choice grants allows you to have a voice in what organizations the cooperative is supporting. United Power has distributed more than $10,000 to nonprofits within its service territory through Member Choice grants since its launch in 2020. The first grants were awarded to local food banks early in the pandemic. Members recognized the need for additional resources at food banks as many families lost their source of income. Members also nominated nonprofits that provided for mental health needs and outdoor recreation. The cooperative renewed Member Choice grants for three rounds in 2021. Recipients provided a variety of needs, including animal rescue and adoption, youth job force training and empowerment, and ending the cycle of homelessness. Member Choice grants have been renewed again for 2022. Your nominations will help six worthy organizations receive a total of $12,000 in grant dollars to continue providing services to the communities they reach. To receive a Member Choice grant, nominated organizations must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit operating within the cooperative’s service territory and serving United Power members. Ineligible nonprofits include organizations that further religious doctrine or support the interests of political parties. United Power began accepting new Member Choice grant nominations in August. Nominations must be received by November 18 to ensure consideration for the next round of grants. Recipients will be notified at the end of November and posted in the cooperative’s December newsletter and on its website. For the nomination form, qualification requirements, and previous winners, please go to our Member Choice Grants page.03/08/2021 - 02:26 PM
Title Member Choice Recipient Announced for First Round of 2021 /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MemberChoice.jpg?itok=xQRicKHr Monday | March 8, 2021 Card Teaser Let Your Light Shine, located in Brighton, and the Highlandlake & Mead, Historical Society have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the first part of the year. United Power is proud to announce the recipients of its first round of Member Choice Grants for 2021. Let Your Light Shine, located in Brighton, and the Highlandlake & Mead, Historical Society have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the first part of the year. Member Choice Grants, which were introduced in 2020, give our members a voice in what nonprofit organizations they’d like to see us support. Members may nominate a local nonprofit, within the cooperative’s service territory, to receive grant funds, ensuring we are able to support causes our members truly care about. To nominate a nonprofit for the second round of grants, go to www.unitedpower.com/memberchoice. Highlandlake & Mead, Historical Society Established in 1921, Historic Highlandlake has grown over the years into a full-fledged historical society. The society is heavily invested in preserving the history of Highlandlake and the Town of Mead through educational outreach and hands-on community events that revive early pioneer living. Housed in the original Congregational Church, the society’s grounds also display other authentic buildings that have been preserved from the town’s early days. Let Your Light Shine Let Your Light Shine is a small nonprofit on a mission to empower individuals and families to move from homelessness to self-sufficiency. The nonprofit’s typical outreach was halted due to the pandemic in 2020, and it shifted to addressing community needs and the increased number of people facing food insecurity. In 2020, Let Your Light Shine distributed approximately 80,000 pounds of food to its clients, and has distributed nearly 30,000 pounds already this year.07/19/2021 - 10:18 AM
Title Member Choice Recipient Announced for Second Round of 2021 /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MemberChoice.jpg?itok=xQRicKHr Monday | July 19, 2021 Card Teaser Community Uplift Partnership, located in Commerce City, and the Soul Dog Rescue have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the second part of the year. Nominations are Now Open for the Third Round of Grant Recipients The second-round recipients of Member Choice Grants for 2021 have been selected. United Power is proud to announce Commerce City’s Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) and Soul Dog Rescue, out of Fort Lupton, have been selected from nominations submitted by our members to receive grants this round. The cooperative introduced Member Choice Grants in early 2020, asking members to nominate nonprofit organizations within the service territory they would like to see us help support. The grant nomination process gives members a voice and helps ensure we are supporting causes they truly care about. United Power has received several dozen nominations for nonprofit organizations providing a variety of services for those in need within the communities we serve. To submit a nomination for round three, go to www.unitedpower.com/memberchoice. Community Uplift Partnership Young adults are some of the most vibrant people in our communities. Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) reminds them they have value beyond a paycheck, strengthens them to conquer barriers to employment opportunities that provide sustainable wages and equips them to make better decisions for the future of their families. Soul Dog Rescue Soul Dog Rescue is an animal rescue located in Fort Lupton with the mission to spay/neuter and protect animals. Soul Dog performs collaborative, targeted work, primarily through spay/neuter, in underserved regions in order to create sustainable change and promote cultural shifts regarding the treatment of animals. Nominations are now open for the third round of Member Choice Grants, which will be announced in an upcoming issue of the United Newsline. Submit a nomination at www.unitedpower.com/memberchoice.12/28/2021 - 11:12 AM
Title Member Choice Recipients Announced for Final Round of 2021 /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MemberChoice.jpg?itok=xQRicKHr Tuesday | December 28, 2021 Card Teaser High Country Auxiliary and the Mead High School Band have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the final part of the year. The final round of Member Choice Grants for 2021 have been awarded. United Power is proud to announce Blawk Hawk’s High Country Auxiliary and the Mead High School Band have been selected from nominations submitted by our members to receive grants this round. The cooperative introduced Member Choice Grants in early 2020, asking members to nominate nonprofit organizations within the service territory they would like to see us help support. The grant nomination process gives members a voice and helps ensure we are supporting causes they truly care about. High Country Auxiliary High-Country Auxiliary has existed for more than 50 years to aid and support Timberline Fire Protection District, Gilpin County Animal Response Team, and other emergency service organizations within the district. This includes providing sustenance or purchasing items for first responders or providing scholarships for training classes. Mead High School Band The Mead High School Band takes great pride in offering a variety of performing ensembles, including an inclusive percussion ensemble for students with intellectual disabilities. The band seeks to balance performances in educational settings and festivals with performances in the Longmont and Mead communities.03/12/2024 - 03:10 PM
Title Members Invited to Attend the 2024 Annual Meeting /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/AM2023_1320x860.jpg?h=45932144&itok=0279N6WU Tuesday | March 12, 2024 Card Teaser United Power celebrates 85 years of service at this year’s Annual Meeting. United Power Celebrates 85 Years of Service at This Year’s Annual Meeting United Power has been proudly serving members along the Colorado Front Range for 85 years — setting the standard for innovative excellence in system performance, technological adoption and deployment, member engagement, and commitment to community growth and development. The cooperative has accomplished a lot in the past year as it prepares for the upcoming exit from its wholesale power contract in May, including record reliability and groundbreaking energy partnerships, a renewed dedication to supporting key accounts while maintaining the same level of local involvement, and expanding member programs and self-serve options. Members are invited to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting on April 17 and join the cooperative in celebrating the many ways it is “Here for Good.” Voting in the annual Director Election also provides United Power members the unique opportunity to have a voice in the cooperative’s future. Each year, your votes determine who will serve on the Board of Directors. Member participation in the election is crucial to helping the cooperative better serve you. Five candidates are running for election to the Board of Directors this year. One seat in the Mountain, North, Central, and South Districts is up for election. The director candidates are Stephen Whiteside (incumbent) in the Mountain District; Brian A. McCormick (incumbent) in the North District; Tim Erickson (incumbent) and Paige Wagner-Maul in the Central District; and Brad Case (incumbent) in the South District. Consider attending the Meet the Candidates event on March 19 to learn more about director candidates or read their candidate statements here. A bylaw amendment is included on this year’s ballot regarding director term lengths. Members are being asked if director terms should be changed from three years to four years. Balloting opens on March 15. United Power encourages all members to cast their votes in the election. Members may vote electronically through their online account or via mail ballots, sent to all members. Online and mail-in ballots must be received by 11:59 a.m. on April 16, or members can vote in person on April 17 at the meeting. Ballot drop boxes will not be available in cooperative offices this year, however a ballot drop box will be available on-site at the Annual Meeting from noon to 4 p.m. Directors represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members may cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own. Directors serve in geographic districts to ensure accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in the co-op’s governing body. Attend the Annual Meeting The 2024 Annual Meeting will be held at Riverdale Regional Park on April 17. Registration opens at 4:30 p.m. and balloting closes at the beginning of the official business meeting at 6:30 p.m. Members may also view a livestream of the meeting posted here.07/14/2020 - 09:15 AM
Title Members Prioritize Mental Health & Outdoor Recreation for Grants /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MemberChoice.jpg?itok=xQRicKHr Tuesday | July 14, 2020 Card Teaser Members focused again on relief for the community during this time, with a number of nominations for two organizations that support mental health and recreation. United Power introduced its new Member Choice Grants program earlier this year, asking members to nominate a nonprofit organization in its service territory they would like to see the cooperative help support. These grant nominations allow United Power to provide support for causes and organizations members truly care about. During the first round of nominations, members recognized food banks for meeting the needs of others during this time, awarding the Fort Lupton Food Bank and Carbon Valley Help Center with grants. Members focused again on relief for the community during this time, with a number of nominations for two organizations that support mental health and recreation. United Power is happy to announce the two nonprofits receiving $1,000 Member Choice Grants. Richard Lambert Foundation The foundation provides care, support and essential resources for bereaved children and adults, allowing them to create a foundation for hope, healing and survival. The grant will be used to ensure mental health and grief support is accessible. Barr Lake State Park Barr Lake State Park is a quiet lake just northeast of Denver. There’s something for every type of outdoors person at Barr Lake, from fishing and bird watching to boating and kayaking. Grant funds will be used to support Lake Appreciation Day on July 11. Nominations are now open for the third round of Member Choice Grants, which will be announced in the next United Newsline. To submit a nomination, fill out the form on our Member Choice page and provide a brief reason why you feel the organization should receive the grant.01/22/2019 - 04:06 PM
Title Mutton Busting: Toughest Sport on Wool /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/July2018_NL_MuttonBusting.png?itok=Be3Fj_SK Monday | July 2, 2018 Card Teaser For years, the Adams County Fair has provided an opportunity to channel that spirit into a popular rugrat rodeo activity – Mutton Bustin’. Mutton Bustin’ will return with the fair in August, but will introduce an exciting new change from previous event formats. Adams County Fair Returns August 1-5, 2018 The childhood spirit is one of nearly unbreakable confidence, unflinching resilience and endless tenacity. When toddlers get knocked down, they get back up, dust the dirt off and are ready to go another round (or five). For years, the Adams County Fair has provided an opportunity to channel that spirit into a popular rugrat rodeo activity – Mutton Bustin’. Mutton Bustin’ will return with the fair in August, but will introduce an exciting new change from previous event formats. In previous years, children lined up in hopes of participating, but only a select few riders were able to compete on opening night before the event vanished from the Fair. However, due to high demand, the Adams County Fair plans to host Mutton Bustin’ all five days this year, allowing more children to experience the thrills of rodeo life. For those unfamiliar with mutton busting, also known as wool riding, the sport gently introduces children to the rough and tumble world of bull riding, but on the backs of more mild ewes. Youthful hopefuls between the ages of 4-7 weighing less than 60 pounds are able to compete. Riders don protective gear, including a vest and helmet with metal face guard, before straddling a sheep in an individual chute and awaiting their opportunity for glory. Much like their adult counterparts, who earned reputations on the backs of formidably powerful steers and bulls, wool riders must maintain perfect balance on the ewe in order to earn a score. Ride for six seconds, and a score is awarded. Highest score wins a round. While Mutton Bustin’ has certainly been a crowd favorite over the years, the Adams County Fair features several other exciting kid-friendly activities, including bounce houses, ropes courses, zip lines, laser tag and a toddler zone. On Friday, Aug. 3, 9NEWS Kids Day will return, featuring appearances from local mascots, including the Rockies’ Dinger, the Avalanche’s Bernie and Bronco cheerleaders, as well as a United Power booth.02/14/2022 - 02:38 PM
Title Myths of Energy Efficiency /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Feb2020_NL_EEMyths.jpg?itok=vFFnVeSz Monday | February 14, 2022 Card Teaser As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills. As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills. To help you make more informed decisions, we tackle some common energy efficiency myths in this column. Reducing Energy Use is Too Expensive A common and enduring myth about energy efficiency is cost. The stigma associated with it assumes it’s too expensive and not worth it. While costly energy efficiency upgrades are possible, many immediate steps you can take are simple behavioral and habitual changes. These include turning off lights in unused rooms, unplugging or shutting down unused electronics, closing doors to empty rooms while heating/cooling systems are running, limiting use of vents in the kitchen or bathroom and remembering to close your curtains in the summer – and conversely open them in the winter – to keep sunlight from affecting the temperature inside your home. Setting Thermostat Higher Heats Home Faster No matter what temperature you set your thermostat, your furnace will work equally as hard and fast to meet that goal. The only difference achieved by setting the temperature to a higher degree is that the system will work for a longer period of time, therefore using more energy. The same applies to air conditioners when set to a lower temperature than necessary. Although blasting your heater or air conditioning does not heat or cool your home more quickly, adjusting your thermostat up or down a few degrees, depending on the season, can help you save energy. Closing Vents in Unused Rooms Saves Energy Shutting vents in empty or unused rooms may seem logical to save energy. Heating or cooling an empty space does appear to waste energy. However, your system cannot detect closed vents and will continue trying to push air to them. When the air cannot escape, it reverses and can cause damage to your system. Instead of closing vents, practice closing doors to rooms that are not in use. When doors are open, it allows the hot or cold air from inside the room to escape and the air from outside the room to enter, which can force your system to work harder to maintain thermostat settings. Closed doors prevent air from entering or exiting so the system can properly heat or cool the room and maintain it more easily. Using energy more efficiently isn’t as difficult as you may believe. Small behavioral changes make a big difference. To review more ways to save, check out our website at www.unitedpower.com/energy-tips or contact an Energy Management Specialist at 303-637-1300. How to Monitor Your Energy Usage United Power members looking for ways to use energy more efficiently this year and save on their energy bills can utilize free resources available exclusively to the cooperative’s members. View Usage With Power Portal Power Portal was launched as an ancillary feature of the cooperative’s online account tool for members to view advanced data on their energy use over the course of days, weeks, months and more. The software breaks your energy usage down into 15-minute segments to provide you with a detailed picture of what activities or habits are controlling your energy usage. Members can even use the tool to evaluate on- and off-peak energy usage. Armed with the ability to diagnose behaviors that lead to excess energy usage, members can begin taking real steps toward using energy more efficiently. Members can even use this tool to gauge the effectiveness of energy efficient updates to their home. For more information, go to the Power Portal page. Demand Calculator Adding or upgrading an appliance in your home? United Power recently debuted its new demand calculator, which allows members to toggle different appliances on and off to see what demand they could require in your home. To use the calculator or learn more about the demand rate, go to the Understanding Demand page.02/22/2021 - 12:00 PM
Title Myths of Energy Efficiency /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Feb2020_NL_EEMyths.jpg?itok=vFFnVeSz Friday | February 5, 2021 Card Teaser As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills. As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills. In a previous newsletter, we tackled some common energy efficiency myths. This follow up to that article dives into a few more myths to help you make more informed decisions. Reducing Energy Use is Too Expensive The first and most common misconception about energy efficiency is cost. There’s a stigma associated with it that assumes it’s far too expensive to be worth it, which is incorrect. While members can begin to see increased savings by upgrading insulation and replacing old appliances, many of the immediate steps you can take toward using energy efficiently are behavioral changes. Some of these will be addressed below, but others include turning off lights when you leave a room, limiting use of kitchen and bathroom vents, closing doors to empty rooms while heating or cooling systems are running, and remembering to close your curtains in the summer – and conversely open them in the winter – to keep sunlight from affecting the temperature inside your home. Myth or Truth: Myth Adjusting the Thermostat Saves Energy Adjusting your thermostat up or down a few degrees, depending on the season, can help you save energy. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates this little behavioral change could save consumers as much as 10 percent per year on their energy bills. Since heating and cooling our homes accounts for approximately half of our annual energy usage, that could result in significant savings. To see additional savings on your energy bills, you can adjust the thermostat a few more degrees when you and your family won’t be home. It is recommended to practice adjusting your thermostat 6-8 degrees when your home will be empty for several hours, such as when you’re at work. It’s important to note you may not see savings from this practice when you’re only away from the home for a couple hours. This practice is easily paired with a smart thermostat, which can either adjust your thermostat automatically based your location relative to the home or on a pre-programmed schedule. If you and your family are traveling for the holidays, you can set your thermostat to an even lower temperature, roughly 50 degrees, to both save energy and protect your pipes from winter temperatures. In certain situations, it may even be possible to turn your system off altogether, such as a family vacation in the summer or at night when you can allow Colorado’s mild climate to cool your home naturally by opening windows. Myth or Truth: Truth Ceiling Fans Keep Rooms Cool Sitting in a room with a running ceiling fan may feel more comfortable than a room without one, but that’s not because the ceiling fan is actually cooling the air in the room. Instead, the room feels cooler because the ceiling fan keeps air in the room flowing constantly, cooling those who are in the room rather than the air itself. To use ceiling fans efficiently, run them only in occupied rooms while adjusting your thermostat up a few degrees. Leaving a ceiling fan running in an empty room just wastes energy. Myth or Truth: Myth. Setting Thermostat Higher Heats Home Faster No matter what temperature you set your thermostat, your furnace will work equally as hard and fast to meet that goal. The only difference achieved by setting the temperature to a higher degree is that the system will work for a longer period of time, therefore using more energy. The same applies to air conditioners when set to a lower temperature then desired. Myth or Truth: Myth Appliances Don’t Use Power When Turned Off You may have heard the term “vampire loads,” but do you know what causes them? When you turn off an electronic device or appliance, many don’t actually turn off. They go into a “standby” mode, which still draws a small amount of energy. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates these loads are approaching nearly 10% of our annual energy usage, due in large part to the increased number of electronics we use daily. To save energy, make sure your electronics are turned off rather than in standby and unplug unused chargers. Using a smart power strip may be an effective way to combat these loads, as well. Myth or Truth: Myth Using energy more efficiently isn’t as difficult as you may believe. Many of the quickest ways to see results are to make small behavioral changes. If you’re curious about more ways you can save, check out our website at www.unitedpower.com/energy-tips or contact an Energy Management Specialist at 303-637-1300.