Troy Whitmore, Vice President & Public Affairs Officer, United Power, received a 2022 RMEL Industry Leadership Award during RMEL’s 119th Annual Fall Convention on Wednesday, October 12th.

The Industry Leadership Award recognizes individuals whose leadership has made contributions that have made an impact within their organization. Recipients usually have more than 10 years of experience in the industry. These individuals are often active in various industry affiliations, associations and/or organizations that serve the electric energy industry.

Troy Whitmore is the Vice President & Public Affairs Officer at United Power, headquartered in Brighton, Colorado. Troy’s long tenure at United Power and in the electric industry has allowed him to be a real force in helping to guide not only cooperative, but legislative initiatives that affect our industry. An active voice at the state capitol, Troy has worked with legislators on issues ranging from election transparency for cooperatives, to helping to incorporate renewable energy guidelines for utilities. He is an engaged and active voice for the members of United Power, and for other electric consumers around Colorado.

During his 36 years at United Power, Troy has served in numerous functions including communications, marketing, customer service and governmental affairs. In his current position as Vice President & Public Affairs Officer, Troy oversees governmental affairs, community relations, key accounts, and economic development functions. His work has always balanced where the industry can move realistically, with the needs and wants of United Power’s members. Much of his work has allowed United Power to become an innovation leader among cooperatives. Troy remains extremely active in his community and serves as the Chair of the board of Colorado Advocates for Rural Electrification (CARE) which is Colorado’s electric cooperatives’ political action committee, and a Board member of Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC) which is Colorado’s premier energy assistance foundation.

RMEL also conferred the Distinguished Leadership Award to Mike Hummel, General Manager & Chief Executive Officer, SRP. RMEL’s Honorary Life Member Award recipients are Paul Barham, retired, CPS Energy; Joel Bladow, retired, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association; Kevin Howard, retired, Western Area Power Administration; Pat Pope, retired, Nebraska Public Power District; and Stuart Wevik, retired, Black Hills Energy. Also receiving the Industry Leadership Award are Tony Eddleman, Director of NERC Reliability Compliance, Nebraska Public Power District; Mike Jones, Senior Director of Strategic Risk Management, SRP; Keith Nix, Vice President of Operations, Texas-New Mexico Power; and Jim Trask, Department Manager – Energy Group, Burns & McDonnell.

Congratulations to all 2022 RMEL Award Winners and thank you for your dedication to the electric energy industry.

The 2023 Awards Program will kick off with the Emerging Leader Awards Nominations early next year. More information on the 2023 RMEL Awards Program will be available at www.RMEL.org soon.

About RMEL:
RMEL is a not-for-profit energy trade association that has served the electric utility industry with a variety of education and networking services since 1903. RMEL’s mission is: Preparing the electric energy industry for the future through education and networking. Once known as the Rocky Mountain Electrical League, the association officially became RMEL in the 1990s to better reflect a membership base that spans the entire country.

Dynamic Calculators Included in Recent FERC Exceptions Filing

Brighton, CO - United Power has filed two exit fee calculators in conjunction with its response to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) initial decision by Administrative Law Judge Renee Terry. These calculators may be used to assist FERC and others as they evaluate the impact of (1) United Power’s proposed balance sheet approach (BSA) incorporating the most recent available data and (2) certain modifications to the BSA proposed by FERC trial staff and adopted by the initial decision. 

The tools allow all 42 utility members to assess their exit fees from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (Tri-State) under (1) United Power’s as-filed BSA (“Appendix A”) and (2) the BSA implementing certain adjustments adopted in the initial decision (“Appendix B”). Working copies of the calculator tools, definitions, and descriptions can be found at www.unitedpower.com/powersupply.

The Appendix B fees are modeled based on FERC staff’s exemplary calculations previewed during the hearing process that were adopted in the initial decision, as well as publicly available data, such as Tri-State’s annual financial reports. Each of the 42 utility members can enter a desired departure date and select variables implementing the exit options available under the initial decision. The Appendix B model also calculates alternatives proposed by United Power in its concurrently filed exceptions brief (e.g., a principled 10-year revenue averaging option and transmission revenue adjustment that United Power describes in the brief). These alternatives improve upon the calculations reflecting the initial decision’s overarching principle that the exit fees should be based on the net costs Tri-State incurred to serve the exiting member.     

“We appreciate the hard work by FERC staff in proposing solutions for departure from our power supplier that are in most respects aligned with what United Power has consistently advocated as a fair outcome,” said Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “By following United Power’s balance sheet approach, everyone can calculate their actual cost to depart. This is critical for future planning for our current power supplier and its utility members. Though the initial decision modifications present implementation questions and other obstacles that we challenge in our exceptions brief, we believe the decision’s principles chart a course toward members’ fair transition to competitive supply and open access.”

United Power has formally indicated its departure from Tri-State, effective May 1, 2024. Learn more about United Power’s departure plan at www.unitedpower.com/powersupply.

About United Power

United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms, and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric co-ops in the nation, and in June 2021 joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900-square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson, and Keenesburg. United Power is also a founding member of the NextGen Cooperative Alliance, which is dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options available to distribution co-ops and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

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Historic Hotline School Faces Relocation Due to Commercial Development

Brighton, CO – United Power’s Board of Directors approved a $20,000 contribution to the Mesa Hotline School’s relocation fund at its regular meeting in August. Mesa Hotline School provides training and education to lineworkers at cooperatives, municipal electric utilities, and even investor-owned utilities like Xcel Energy. The school learned it must find a new site for its campus due to commercial development at its existing location. The cooperative’s contribution will help the school meet approximately 20% of its relocation costs. 

The Mesa Hotline School was formed in the 1960s at Mesa College following an inquiry from two cooperatives located on Colorado’s Western Slope, Empire Electric and Yampa Valley. Fast-growing local cooperatives needed a state-of-the-art facility that could provide the right kind of training and education for their lineworkers. The school enrolled its first class of 59 students in 1966. In the half century since, membership has grown from 15 members to nearly 80, representing electric utilities of all sizes throughout the country. In 2022, more than 100 instructors and volunteers helped provide training to approximately 600 lineworkers enrolled in the school’s various programs. 

“The Mesa Hotline School has had a mutually beneficial relationship with United Power for many years,” said Brent Sydow, United Power’s Vice President of Operations. “Working foremen from United Power have invested hundreds of hours at the school teaching courses to both young and experienced lineworkers, and our lineworkers and apprentices have received the highest level of training through the school’s programs and course selections.”

Courses include underground and overhead equipment training, high tension stringing, and simulated high voltage training. Industry vendors also conduct training classes to showcase the latest tools and technology. Additionally, United Power utilizes the school’s educational materials to help progress its apprentice lineworkers toward qualification for the journeyman certification. 

When the school received its notice about finding a new location, it began soliciting members for assistance. The relocation costs include site development, facility materials, training equipment, and more. The Mesa Hotline School launched a fundraising campaign this summer with the goal of raising $100,000 in preparation for its next class in May 2023. For more information about the hotline school, go to www.mesahotlineschool.com. 

United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the nation, and in June 2021 joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900-square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson, and Keenesburg. United Power is also a founding member of the NextGen Cooperative Alliance, which is dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options available to distribution co-ops and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

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