It has been an eventful and exciting late summer and early fall. United Power was able to mitigate the financial impact of record peaks with the help of demand response and load control tools, such as our Smart Rewards thermostat program and our managed electric vehicle charging program, United EV.

At a time of the year when weather can create challenging situations for electric grids, our system held up well. The investments we made in our distribution network on our members’ behalf, combined with our active wildfire mitigation programs, resulted in few operating issues. We run one of the best networks in Colorado – and probably the country – thanks to the great staff and alignment with Our Cooperative Roadmap (Roadmap), which emphasizes a continual optimization of our distribution system.

Another key pillar in our Roadmap is providing flexible, affordable, and sustainable power. United Power is one step closer to obtaining lower cost, cleaner power for our members thanks to a recent ruling from an administrative law judge at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding the cooperative’s exit fee from our current wholesale power supply contract. While this is just part of the process, it is a major step in the right direction.

Our decision to depart from our current supplier is based in economics. United Power members pay over market price for their power and transmission while living with a choke collar that caps our ability to generate local power at 5%. We are penalized for being more efficient and deploying innovative energy solutions, like battery storage. We are even prevented from adding resources within our footprint, meaning our communities do not receive the financial benefit of companies wanting to invest in renewables close to home.

It is important to remember the decision to seek FERC oversight was our power supplier’s alone. United Power did not support the decision for a number of critical reasons, chief among them the loss of local control to set rates, combine cooperative needs, and jointly manage costs. 

In contrast, one of the greatest strengths we have as a cooperative is local control through your elected Board of Directors. This ties to another critical pillar in our Roadmap – empowering and engaging our members and communities. Your Board members come from your towns and understand the values and concerns of each community’s residents. They provide direct oversight of the cooperative and hold the power to establish rates, but they ultimately answer to members as representatives of their communities.

I have recently been honored to present on the topic of changes within the electric industry at local chambers of commerce and regional energy conferences. I would be pleased to address any similar organizations about the future of the industry and anticipated changes to it. If you are involved in a local organization wishing to hear about our initiatives, just send an email and someone will reach out to set up a presentation.

Finally, October was Cybersecurity Awareness Month. United Power remains vigilant to threats our system faces as we strive to achieve and maintain business agility and resiliency through information and operational technology, which is our fourth and final Roadmap pillar.  We cannot let our guard down, given there are those who wish to do harm to the electric grid. 

As always, please feel free to reach out to me with your questions and concerns. It is an honor and privilege to serve you and the great staff at United Power.

Brighton, CO - After years of legal battles, United Power is one step closer on its path forward to buy out of its existing wholesale power contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission (Tri-State). The methodology, defined by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Renee Terry, provides a way for all generation and transmission members to determine their cost to exit and will give United Power flexibility to move forward with its plan to leave the power supplier. The ALJ’s initial decision orders an exit fee based upon United Power’s proposed framework, and wholesale rejects Tri-State’s proposed $1.6 billion fee for United Power as excessive and unsupported. While the ALJ directed limited modifications to United Power’s proposal, the decision reaffirms United Power’s longstanding position that it should be able to leave by paying a reasonable exit fee. United Power is currently evaluating the exit options presented in the Judge’s initial decision, which is subject to further briefing and Commission review before it becomes effective.    

“I must first acknowledge the FERC Administrative Law Judge for her thorough and thoughtful assessment of the voluminous amount of material as well as the various statements and arguments she reviewed to reach her decision,” said Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “We are pleased to finally have a course for the future in our quest to lower our power costs for our members and have more control over how the power we purchase is generated.”

United Power has been battling its power generation supplier since 2019 when the cooperative asked the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to intervene in the dispute and help determine a fair and equitable buyout cost. As the case wound through the PUC process, Tri-State admitted additional non-utility members, triggering the generation cooperative to fall under FERC jurisdiction. While the PUC affirmed United Power’s buyout methodology, they deferred to FERC to determine the final opinion. 

“When we first began negotiating with our power supplier for an exit cost, they had already released two other members from their contracts, using methodologies that were far different than what they had proposed for United Power,” said Gabriel. “We have been willing to pay a reasonable exit fee, but our power producer never offered a methodology that we considered to be fair or equitable.”

The power market is in a unique period of growth and change, and United Power wants to take advantage of the opportunity to diversify its generation mix where possible. A leader in renewable energy, the cooperative added Colorado’s first community solar farm in 2009 and has since added solar and methane gas generation as well as batteries to provide more than 84 megawatts of electricity to the local electric grid. The current wholesale power contract limits the cooperative to purchasing only 5% of their power through sources of this type.

“Exercising control over the cost and make up of our power generation is the future of the electric industry,” said Gabriel. “We know we can lower costs for our members and take advantage of many of the new opportunities that exist to purchase locally produced renewable resources. The electric cooperative of the future can no longer be restrained by old paradigms that only produce power from centrally located sources far from where it is consumed.”

Earlier this month, the DC Circuit ruled that FERC had final jurisdiction over setting the methodology that would be used to arrive at the final exit cost for the Brighton, Colorado based electric cooperative.

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, dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.

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National Drive Electric Week is Sept. 23 – Oct. 2, 2022

United Power is embracing strategies that make access and ownership of electric vehicles (EVs) easier for its members. The cooperative is tackling practical hesitations head-on with the expansion of its charging network and now United EV, a new pilot program that provides access to affordable at-home charging options and wiring rebate opportunities. The cooperative invites members to join in recognizing National Drive Electric Week, a nationwide celebration highlighting the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. 

United EV provides cost-effective, at-home charging solutions for members with EVs and lowers the up-front ownership and installation costs of wall-mounted, at-home EV chargers. The reduced cost of charging will also help the cooperative effectively manage electric demand on its system. The program is initially limited to 50 qualifying residential members. 

Members enrolled in the program receive a complete service package that includes installation and set-up of a wall-mounted ChargePoint Home Flex level 2 charger, maintenance and repairs for the duration of the enrollment period, rebates for make-ready wiring, and several rate and charging options to take advantage of the lowest available energy costs. A $19 service fee will be conveniently applied to participant electric billing statements each month. 

To further address the cost of updating home electrical wiring, program participants qualify for rebates toward the cost of wiring and outlet installation in their homes. United Power’s make-ready wiring rebate covers 50% of the installation cost up to $1,000 for program participants. United Power members not enrolled in United EV are eligible to receive a rebate up to $500.

For more information on United EV or the cooperative’s other electric vehicle initiatives, including available rebates and the charging network, go to our Electric Vehicles page or reach out to the Energy Programs team at 303-637-1233.
 

Analyzing System Data to Improve Performance & Reliability, Mitigate Risk

As an electric distribution cooperative, delivering high reliability power safely and efficiently to members is United Power’s first priority. You expect your power to be available when you need it and as long as you need it. United Power recognizes its members’ expectations and earlier this year released Our Cooperative Roadmap with strategic areas the cooperative is focusing on for both its future and the benefits of members. One of the key focuses in the Roadmap is system optimization. The cooperative is engaging in several proactive practices to increase system performance, while also bringing innovative technology solutions on board to assist in demand monitoring, outage resolution, and fire mitigation. 

A few years ago, United Power’s operations team shifted its maintenance strategy to focus on areas of the system that were falling short of performance goals. Utilizing a sophisticated network of grid tracking technology, the cooperative is able to identify specific areas that need improvement and plan targeted maintenance projects. Since the new strategy launched, the cooperative’s outage times have been reduced by nearly half. 

The cooperative’s outage restoration and response is also aided by the rapid adoption of innovative smart devices deployed throughout the distribution system. These automated field devices not only aid in the dissemination of tracking data that informs United Power’s maintenance strategy, but also allow the cooperative to restore power remotely in the event of an outage without having to dispatch crews. They fall into a varying spectrum from simple to complex, but work in conjunction to identify, isolate, and, when possible, resolve faults. 

Design and construction teams are regularly reviewing emerging solutions to improve reliability and provide better tracking information. While the most prominent and immediately recognizable elements of the system are poles and power lines, United Power also manages nearly 18,000 streetlights across its service area. More than 3,000 now include LED smart node technology that communicates lighting issues directly to the cooperative. The technology is both energy efficient and cost effective because it provides information crews can use to ensure proper equipment and materials are collected before being dispatched. Smart nodes are now the default for new streetlight installations, and the cooperative works with each community to convert older technology to the new alternative.

A system that functions reliably must also function safely. United Power serves two mountain canyons at a time in Colorado when wildfire risk has spiked. The cooperative published its fire mitigation plan a few years ago and updates it annually to include new elements that are proven to reduce risk and improve safety. Previous updates have included the installation of new technology and updated construction standards; and this year included the addition of new protocols during Red Flag Warnings. These new procotols govern the system’s response when infererence to electric flow is detected and when fire danger is at its highest. While power can be restored once interference is cleared in most cases, United Power requires crews to investigate causes when Red Flag Warnings are issued. Although an outage is never convenient, preventing a wildfire is critical to member and community safety. 

United Power is proud to manage a comprehensive maintenance plan that has produced one of the most reliable systems in the country. As cooperative members, you can rest assured co-op leadership is actively pursing the best resources for a reliable and safe system, and doing so in the most cost-effective manner to control member rates.

Commitment to Community Continues to Guide Cooperative Through Industry Changes

This October, United Power invites our members to join us in honoring National Co-op Month, a celebration of the commitment cooperatives have for their communities and their members. Cooperatives provide many of the same products and services you can get from for-profit businesses, but for uniquely different reasons. They were established as an extension of the local community to spur growth and development while also providing critical services necessary for a thriving city. It was the foundational commitment to community that fueled our founders to establish United Power and deliver the life-changing benefits of power to small rural areas northeast of Denver when larger investor-owned utilities would not. It guided our strategy in our infancy and continues to guide us as the electric industry enters an unprecedented period of change. 

This was never more evident than when we debuted Our Cooperative Roadmap (Roadmap)earlier this year. The Roadmap is a detailed action plan to respond to industry changes and modifications in energy usage as electrification becomes an even more essential societal fixture. It identifies four distinct but dependent priority areas the cooperative is addressing to maximize member benefit as technology evolves and the energy fuel mix shifts to more renewable resources. This includes the decision to exit our wholesale power supply contract, which becomes effective in May 2024, and will allow United Power to offer members more competitive rate options. More information on the Roadmap here. 

United Power has launched new program initiatives this year to acknowledge the changing energy needs of both the cooperative and our members. The redesigned summer cooling program, Smart Rewards, allows members to earn money back for enrolling in a demand response and control plan that helps us control costs which are then passed back on to the member. The cooperative also launched an all-new electric vehicle pilot program, United EV, which provides at-home charging solutions and wiring rebates for a small monthly fee. This includes the installation of a level 2 charger and all unit maintenance for the duration of your enrollment. For more information on United EV, click here. 

Although the cooperative continues to roll out new member programs, it hasn’t strayed from its roots as a proud supporter of local communities. United Power distributed more than $20,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors this year and sent two qualifying students for a weeklong leadership training experience in Washington D.C., known as the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. We were also the presenting sponsor of the Adams County Fair in August and have sponsored well over two dozen other community fairs, festivals, parades, and other local events. We are committed to providing educational opportunities, like our safety trailer demonstration, and have many employees serving on local boards and councils. 

Cooperatives exist for you, our members, and to empower each city and town’s unique vision for their community. It is the cooperative way.