-
My Account
-
-
Start, Stop or Transfer
-
-
My Energy
-
-
Energy Options
-
-
Outage & Safety
-
-
New Construction
-
-
Construction Projects
-
Construction Guides
-
-
-
News & Community
-
-
About Us
-
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
Myths of Energy Efficiency Monday | February 14, 2022 As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills. Read more >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 303-637-1300.04/29/2019 - 01:35 PM
Title National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18, 2019 /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MarApr2019_NL_LinemanAppreciation.png?itok=_0a5T26q Friday | March 1, 2019 Card Teaser United Power is dedicated to keeping our members’ lights on. That wouldn’t be possible without the help of our skilled linemen, who work each day behind the scenes to improve our system and prevent outages before they happen. United Power is dedicated to keeping our members’ lights on. That wouldn’t be possible without the help of our skilled linemen, who work each day behind the scenes to improve our system and prevent outages before they happen. On April 18th, we will join in celebrating National Lineman Appreciation Day, honoring the hard work, innovation and dedication of America’s electrical lineworkers. Linemen must be prepared to face daily situations that may be less than ideal, regularly tasked with resolving intricate and hazardous problems in unknown or perilous conditions. During the past year, our linemen have had to help restore power to members following severe hail storms and high winds, which caught many offguard. When severe weather hits our service territory, our linemen are ready to assess the situation and begin the process of restoring power. When the skies are clear and the wind is calm, our linemen are monitoring our system and making improvements to prevent outages where possible. Our linemen are on call 24 hours a day, ready to respond to any situation in any type of weather. So next time you lose power, rest assured a highly trained United Power crew is on the way, dedicated to getting the lights back on quickly and safely. Without our linemen, the power that makes our member’s homes comfortable wouldn’t be possible. We invite our members to take a moment to thank our United Power linemen for the work they do. Use #ThankALineman on social media to show your support, or take a moment to drop a kind note in the mail. United Power Thank a Lineman 500 Cooperative Way Brighton, CO 8060309/13/2023 - 10:32 AM
National Preparedness Month 2023 Wednesday | September 13, 2023 This year’s theme, “Preparing for Older Adults,” touches how to plan ahead. Read more >03/08/2021 - 02:38 PM
Title National Work Zone Awareness Week /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MarApr2021_WorkZone.jpg?itok=S4-K7aoX Monday | March 8, 2021 Card Teaser National Work Zone Awareness will be Recognized April 26-30, 2021. National Work Zone Awareness will be Recognized April 26-30, 2021 United Power would like to remind our members of the importance of staying aware when entering and exiting roadside work zone areas for both your safety and our crews’ safety. Transportation accidents are one of the leading causes of on-the-job deaths nationwide. As an electric utility, our work is fundamentally different from most highway construction work zones. When United Power conducts roadside construction work, it usually involves small crews working for short periods of time when compared to major highway and road construction. This poses challenges to keeping our lineworkers safe. Major traffic construction will warn drivers in advance with signs posted hundreds of feet or even miles prior to the beginning of work. However, because the nature of our work is different, our crews use different warning techniques when preparing for roadside work. Traffic cones are typically used to delineate our work, which are quicker and easier for our crews to haul and set up when work near roadways is required. Much of our electrical infrastructure is located in high traffic areas, such as shoulders and right-of-ways, intersections and road medians. To maintain high-powered electrical lines and equipment, our crews work in large vehicles, such as a bucket truck. When you see a United Power bucket truck located on a roadside, remember to look for signs and cones that it may be a work zone. Slow down and move over when possible to give our crews a wide enough path to continue working safely. Please try to avoid distractions like cell phones or changing radio stations when entering a roadside work zone and be prepared for the unexpected. We thank you for helping keep our crews safe!02/05/2021 - 01:23 PM
Title New Fort Lupton Payment Kiosk /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Feb2021_NL_FTLKiosk.jpg?itok=4p_stnn9 Friday | February 5, 2021 Card Teaser United Power members living in and around Fort Lupton now have access to a new payment kiosk. The new kiosk is located inside the Bank of Colorado’s Operations Center, 605 4th St. United Power members living in and around Fort Lupton now have access to a new payment kiosk. The new kiosk is located inside the Bank of Colorado’s Operations Center, 605 4th St. Payment kiosks are hassle-free and easy to use. To make a payment, bring your United Power account number and a form of payment. Kiosks accept cash, credit card or check payments. Cash and credit card payments made using the kiosk are applied to your account immediately, and accounts subject to disconnection are restored immediately upon payment. Over the past few years, the cooperative has seen a steady increase in demand from members who prefer to use self-serve and digital account and payment options, and a corresponding reduction in visits to our offices. “The installation of payment kiosks demonstrates our commitment to providing the types of services our members want,” said Francis Ashu, Member Services Director. “Through our many convenient account management and payment options, we are able to provide the same level of quality service without costs associated with operating a storefront location.” United Power now operates four payment kiosks, conveniently located throughout the service territory, with the addition of the Fort Lupton kiosk. The other kiosks are located at the cooperative’s office locations in Brighton, Carbon Valley and Coal Creek. Find more information on payment kiosks and other payment options on our payments page.05/30/2018 - 02:48 PM
Title New Hours for Brighton & Ft. Lupton Walk-In Services /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/2017_04_27_NewHours.jpg?itok=CL-3HWpN Thursday | April 27, 2017 Card Teaser More Hours to Serve You! More Hours to Serve You! United Power’s Brighton and Ft. Lupton offices will offer expanded hours beginning on May 1st. Both offices will now be open from 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Monday–Friday to serve walk-in members with account changes and in-person payments. United Power’s Brighton office is located at 500 Cooperative Way along the I-76 frontage road in Brighton, and the Ft. Lupton office is located at 1200 Dexter Street in the Safeway shopping center in Ft. Lupton. United Power’s Coal Creek office hours will stay the same, offering walk-in services and payments from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday–Friday and we will continue to offer 24 hour dispatch for outages and emergencies. Walk-in payment locations are one of many convenient options for United Power members to make a payment and access account information. Members can pay 24 hours per day over the phone and online through SmartHub. In addition, United Power members can also make cash payments at any MoneyGram location. Check out all of our payment and billing options here.12/31/2019 - 03:38 PM
Title New Rates Effective Jan 1, 2020 /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Jan2019_NL_Rates.png?h=45932144&itok=KW7a9GOa Tuesday | December 31, 2019 Card Teaser While the increase became effective beginning with usage on January 1, 2020, members won’t see the increase on their bills until February statements are mailed out. More Residential Rate Options Available to Members Residential Rates Understanding Demand A modest increase in residential rates proposed by the United Power board of directors in November became effective in January. Members on the Standard Residential rate will see a 1.5% rate increase, which amounts to an average increase of $1.58 per month. Members on the residential Time of Day and Irrigation rates will see a 2% increase, or an average monthly increase of $3.23. While the increase became effective beginning with usage on January 1, 2020, members won’t see the increase on their bills until February statements are mailed out. Changes to residential rates include a small increase to the demand component, which was introduced to members beginning in 2019, and a corresponding reduction in the energy charge. For example, in the Standard Residential rate, the demand charge increased by 50¢ per kW while the energy charge dropped from 10.15¢ per kWh to 9.95¢ per kWh. The separation of the demand and energy elements allows the cooperative to more accurately, and fairly, charge members for their usage and impact on the system. In addition to the rate change, residential members now have more options with the addition of the new Peak Time of Day Rate. Members who opt into the new rate will pay a slightly higher demand charge than on the standard residential or time of day rates, but are only charged for demand during on-peak hours (2 p.m. – 10 p.m., Monday – Saturday), providing more incentive and savings when members switch usage to off-peak hours. “United Power is constantly looking into its rates and trying to find the best way to serve its members both individually and collectively,” said Dean Hubbuck, Director of Power Supply and Rates. “The addition of the Smart Choice and Peak Time of Day rates over the past two years has given members more options to find something that’s flexible and works for them.” The new Peak Time of Day rate offers relief to members who utilize energy-intensive appliances that can cause spikes in demand overnight, such as electric thermal storage. With the new rate, members can charge their storage off-peak without worrying about demand. Electric vehicle owners who charge at night will also benefit from the new rate. United Power will also be adding a new component to its billing statements that shows members exactly when they hit their peak demand. While this information is available through the Power Portal, it is not currently printed on bills. To find detailed information on United Power’s available residential rates for 2020, go to Residential Rates. There you can compare the demand and energy charges of each rate and choose one that works best for you. The cooperative has also compiled a helpful list of resources to better understand the demand rate, including videos, printable materials and frequently asked questions. To view these resources and more, go to Understanding Demand.01/24/2019 - 09:52 AM
Title New Rates Effective this Month /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Jan2019_NL_Rates.png?h=45932144&itok=KW7a9GOa Thursday | January 3, 2019 Card Teaser It’s important to understand that while the rate change is effective for energy usage beginning on January 1, 2019, members won’t see the changes reflected on their bills until their February statements. In several newsletters in 2018, we’ve discussed the new rate structure and a rate increase of 1.5-2% that goes into effect on January 1, 2019. It’s important to understand that while the rate change is effective for energy usage beginning on January 1, 2019, members won’t see the changes reflected on their bills until their February statements. The new rate structure, which breaks apart the energy and demand components into separate charges, allows us to more fairly charge members for both their energy consumption and their impact on the delivery grid. In the past these two costs were recovered through a blended rate, but with more accurate metering we can now utilize each members’ demand to correctly allocate those costs. “From a rate standpoint, we have the right information to correctly charge our members for their impact on the grid and the energy they use,” stated Dean Hubbuck, Director of Power Supply and Rates. “We have put together a rate that should put the power to control electric costs into the hands of our members.” What is Demand? Demand is how much capacity you need at any one time to serve the needs of your home or business during the billing period. United Power measures demand in 15-minute intervals, and members will be billed for their single highest 15-minute interval of consumption over the billing period. It is measured in kilowatts (kW) and your highest interval can occur at any time of the day or night. How Much Will the Demand Charge Cost Me? Demand has been reported on billing statements since August of 2018, but without a corresponding dollar amount attached to the line item. In 2019 members will be charged $1 per kW for the highest 15-minute interval of consumption over the billing period. So, if your demand is 6.97 kW, you would see a charge of $6.97 for this line item. To offset the demand charge, the 2019 rates also include a corresponding reduction the cost of energy. Now members can affect their electric bill in two different ways – by staggering use of appliances to reduce demand or by simply using less energy. So, while the rate change increases rates from 1.5-2% overall, members will have more power to control their bill than in the past. What Affects my Demand? Major appliances used for heating and cooling, cooking and laundry have the greatest impact on your energy use and your demand. The more appliances you operate at once, the higher your capacity needs are, which will result in a higher demand charge on your bill. Depending on your home, family size and appliances, your demand will vary, and your highest demand season may be different from other members. How Can I Manage my Demand? Staggering the use of major appliances will be the easiest way to manage your electric bill under the new rate structure. When you consistently stagger the use of major appliances so they don’t run at the same time, you can keep your demand low. Make it easier by utilizing technology that helps you offset energy use like timers, delay start settings, mobile apps, and programmable thermostats. In the graph below, the red line represents demand. Here are some helpful tips to manage your demand:- Run the dishwasher after you’re done cooking dinner. Even better, use the delay start feature so your dishwasher runs later at night while everyone is in bed.
- Start your clothes washer before you go to bed in the evening, and then run the dryer after everyone has finished cooking breakfast the following morning.
- Grill outside or use small cooking appliances if the air conditioning is running. (Bonus: you won’t overheat your kitchen on a hot day!)
- Set your electric vehicle charger to run after you’ve you turned off other appliances for the day.
- Click “My Consumption Data” and then select “Current Month” and “Billing Month.”
- Turn on the orange Demand line using the controls below the weather data.
- The orange line is your Demand, and the orange diamond is your highest Demand to date, which occurred on December 3rd in this example.
- Click on that day to view each 15-minute interval to zero in on the exact time your demand was reached.
- From the Daily View, you can hover over the peak demand (orange diamond) and it will give you the interval (14:15 or 2:15 p.m.) and the kW reached (7.064 kW).
06/24/2022 - 11:59 AM
Title New Red Flag Fire Prevention Procedures /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/SeptOct2020_NL_FireMitigation.jpg?itok=vJP6gkTg Friday | June 24, 2022 Card Teaser United Power will adjust system settings during red flag events to stop power if interference is detected. Red Flag Warning Procedure in Effect This Summer To address the growing fire risk in Colorado, United Power has put in place new operating procedures. One of the latest precautions the cooperative has implemented is a Red Flag fire prevention procedure. The National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning when warm temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds are expected. When combined, these conditions produce an increased risk of fire danger. This alert is issued as a weather advisory and is often mentioned during the weather segment on local news. When a Red Flag Warning impacts United Power’s service area, the cooperative will adjust system settings and operating procedures to immediately stop the flow of power if any interference is detected. What this means is if a tree or foreign object contacts a power line, a substation device will open automatically and remain de-energized until a United Power crew has patrolled the power line. If no cause is found and no hazard has been reported, system operators will close the device and restore power. Crews will then patrol the line a second time. Inspecting energized lines may identify an issue and prevent another outage. These extra safety measures rely on our crews to complete labor-intensive inspections rather than remotely connecting to automated field devices, which may increase the duration of outages. United Power is committed to providing safe, reliable electric service to members, and recognizes extended outages are inconvenient. If an outage occurs during a Red Flag Warning, crews will work quickly and safely to restore power. United Power reminds members to report any power issues and outages. In many cases, member information can help our crews narrow their focus and identify the cause of an outage. Members who experience an outage or observe anything that seems out of the ordinary concerning power lines or electrical equipment should do the following:- Stay clear of downed trees, downed power lines, or damaged equipment.
- Report outages by calling 303-637-1350 or online.
- Monitor our live outage map on our Outage Center.
12/21/2020 - 08:00 AM
New Solar Project to be Energized in 2020 Friday | December 18, 2020 The new solar farm will provide an additional six megawatts of energy to United Power's renewable portfolio. Read more >