United Power’s definition of a banner year is one in which we find new ways to better serve our members and our communities. We are working tirelessly to position the cooperative for future success, using our experience and expertise to prepare for emerging trends and industry changes. We developed Our Cooperative Roadmap (Roadmap) as an evolving action plan to guide our decisions in the coming years, and we took the first steps toward executing the plan last year. Behind the scenes, we were also working to improve our system’s resiliency and efficiency so members can have even greater peace of mind knowing they will continue to receive reliable power. In 2022, we also introduced new member programs, welcomed back members for our first in-person annual meeting since 2019, and went above and beyond in supporting our local nonprofits. 

Seeking More Flexible, Affordable, Sustainable Power

As an electric distribution cooperative, United Power does not generate its own power. The cooperative must instead purchase wholesale power from a generation supplier. For many years, United Power has purchased 95% of its wholesale power from one source. As clean energy technologies advance and the cost to maintain coal-fired power plants increases, United Power has sought ways to seek more affordable, flexible, and sustainable power from its wholesale provider. The cooperative even worked toward modifying the terms of the current contract, which limits United Power’s ability to source more than 5% as locally-generated, more affordable energy. Unable to come to an agreement with its current power provider, United Power filed its notice of intent to withdraw, effective May 1, 2024. 

“Unfortunately, our power supplier has been ignoring our efforts to come to an amicable arrangement that better supports the needs of our members,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Instead of working with us in the pursuit of lower-cost, cleaner options, our power supplier has resisted these developments.”

This pending change in power suppliers does not affect your membership with United Power. There will be no change in the quality of our service, the reliability of your power, or our commitment to our members. We encourage you to read more about the upcoming transition on our Power Supply page. . 

Improving System Reliability

Speaking of reliability, United Power has consistently reported some of the best performance numbers for electric utilities across the country. This is due in part to a targeted maintenance practice that focuses on analyzing data to isolate the worst performing segments on the electric delivery system. Strategically placed smart devices collect critical information and transfer it back to system operators. Once identified, maintenance projects can be targeted to improve these segments. 

The national average for outage duration hovers around 120 minutes per meter, meaning a person can expect to experience an aggregate of approximately two hours of outage time at their home over the course of a year. Since instituting the new maintenance practice in 2017, United Power’s outage times have dropped below 70 minutes per meter. 

The cooperative also continues to enhance its wildfire mitigation plan. This year, Red Flag Warning procedures were added to the plan to better protect our communities and improve system reliability. We will continue to apply the highest safety standards and implement industry best practices for the ongoing safety and protection of our members and communities.

Smart Summer Rewards

United Power’s newest program rewards members for helping the cooperative avoid demand spikes on hot summer days. Enrolling in Smart Rewards will allow the cooperative to automatically adjust your thermostat on days when peak power surges. The slight adjustment to your thermostat may result in a modest savings on your monthly bills, and you will also receive a $25 bill credit for every summer you remain enrolled. Read more about the Smart Rewards program. 

Expanding Access to EVs

Electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for nearly 10% of all new car sales in Colorado in 2022. United Power expanded its catalog of available programs this past year for members who own or have interest in purchasing an EV.

The cooperative’s first EV investment was its fast charger at the Coal Creek office. The network expanded to three with the Market Street Mart charger in Keenesburg in 2021 and the United Power office location in Carbon Valley in 2022. The newest addition to this network filled a 30-mile gap in available charging options between Thornton and Loveland.

The majority of EV owners, however, charge their vehicles at home using upgraded electrical outlets. United Power debuted both its new EV wiring rebate and United EV pilot program this past year. All members qualify for the cooperative’s wiring rebate, but members who enroll in United EV receive additional rebate dollars, at-home charging equipment, and a menu of rates and options for smart charging. More information about United Power’s EV programs.

Getting Back to In-Person

Health and safety precautions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic prevented United Power from gathering with our members for more than two years. We were finally able to welcome members back to an in-person Annual Meeting in 2022. Additionally, fairs and festivals resumed this summer, giving us a chance to connect with members in the communities they call home. We were also able to send local high school students on the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C., where our youth delegate was nominated among her peers to represent Colorado on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Youth Leadership Council. 

United Power had a tremendous year in 2022, from our system’s performance in limiting outages and outage duration to our important decision to withdraw from our wholesale power contract and seek a new power supplier. 

Much is happening behind the scenes as we prepare for the next decade and beyond. The investments we make — strongly supported by your forward-thinking Board of Directors — position United Power for a future with diverse generation and storage technologies to meet the expectations of our members. 

Our dedicated employees are the force behind our successful operations. It takes a team with diverse skill sets and abilities. Our line crews are on call 24/7 to respond to unexpected emergencies and restore power during an outage, and the excellent efforts of our office staff keep the business flowing day-to-day.

Our system relies on dozens of complicated processes that must occur to keep the lights on, and some are not obvious. Supply chain disruption planning, understanding operational challenges through asset management, protecting critical infrastructure across a remote footprint, and understanding and communicating with our members are just a few of these important, yet hidden, processes. 

Electric utilities are one of the few businesses only recognized when they do not perform well. I am proud to say that thanks to our great team, our outage times were half the national average in 2022. Over the past several years, we have made a concerted effort to underground our lines where practical, use new and emerging technologies, and deploy additional sensors while focusing our maintenance efforts and investments on areas needing the most improvements. 

Our Cooperative Roadmap (Roadmap) outlines the key directions for United Power as we boldly move into the future — a future with a shared energy economy, more electrification, and higher demands for reliability and resilience. We are, as previously announced, preparing for a future with a new power supplier and getting ready for a power market to come in 2025. These moves take many months, if not years, of preparation. The team at United Power is working toward these goals. At the same time, we are understanding of the economic challenges our members are facing, and we are working to keep rates low and reliability high while meeting state regulations.

We are also in the process of seeking federal funding to help support our infrastructure, as laid out in the Inflation Reduction Act, in areas such as wildfire mitigation, electric vehicle charging, and sensors. Under the legislation, individual members and businesses may also have opportunities to apply for direct federal funding for efficiency upgrades, such as energy storage projects, heat pumps, insulation, and electrification of industrial processes. 

The upcoming year will be an exciting one as we continue the path outlined in our Roadmap. I am confident we will continue to be the best cooperative in Colorado and one of the best in the nation thanks to our tremendous team and the support from our Board, who are working to keep our communities strong. 

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me anytime.

Demand Rate Addresses How Members Use the System in Different Ways

It has been nearly four years since United Power adopted its current rate structure that includes an energy and demand charge. Separating demand from energy charges was implemented as a way to more fairly charge members for their electric usage and impact on the cooperative’s system. While more electric utilities are making the transition to a demand rate, United Power was among the first to introduce a demand charge across its membership. To help our members learn more about demand, we have produced numerous resources dedicated to educating members so they may make the most of the rate. 

What is Demand?

Demand refers simply to the maximum electricity needed at a given time and its impact on the system.  The demand charge is the total wattage of all the power being used at that highest interval and is billed as kilowatts (kW). As the cooperative gained new insights about how each meter impacts the system differently, the decision was made to utilize demand as a measurement that helps the cooperative more fairly bill members for their usage. Since some members use electricity in ways that make them more expensive to serve, demand helps to make sure everyone is paying their fair share. When the demand charge was first introduced, the majority of our members saw very little change. Most members saw only a $1–2 increase or decrease in their bill monthly. 

Is Demand an Added Charge?

No. The demand charge on your monthly bill was separated from the energy charge, essentially “unbundling” the details of your energy use. A traditional “blended” energy rate combines energy usage and demand into a single charge for all members. The blended rate placed an equal burden on all members for system maintenance costs despite differences in how they use energy. Under the old, blended rate some members were paying more than they should while others were not paying enough. United Power’s current rates separate demand — billed as the highest 15-minute interval of energy usage during each billing cycle — from the energy charge so members are now more fairly billed for both their usage and impact on the system. 

How To Reduce My Demand

Now that you can see the impact of both the total energy you use and your highest usage intervals, you have more control over your total bill. By reducing overall energy use with simple tips like turning off devices that aren’t in use and using a programmable thermostat, you can affect your energy charge. To lower your demand charge, avoid using multiple appliances at once. Set the delay feature on your dishwasher so it runs after all the lights are off and avoid doing laundry while the air conditioner is running. 

What is the Fixed Charge?

The “fixed charge” is a line item on your monthly billing statement that all members pay regardless of how much energy they use. The fixed charge is a standard amount and covers a portion of the costs for billing, collections, member services, and metering. These services are required whether you use a lot of energy, or none at all, and all residential members pay the same amount.

You can learn more about the fixed charge and other elements of your billing statement on our Understanding Your Bill page. 

Member Rate Options

United Power introduced demand with a corresponding reduction in its energy charge and most members did not experience significant changes to their monthly bills. However, you may still benefit by switching to a different rate. 

The cooperative offers a variety of rate options for residential members to fit the many ways members use electricity. To ask our trusted advisors if a new rate plan is right for you, schedule a phone assessment here. 

Members can find more information about United Power’s demand charge — including steps you can take to control your demand and a calculator to help understand how appliances may contribute to demand — on our Understanding Demand page.

Rebates for the purchase of new refrigerators, freezers, and clothes washers will be discontinued in 2023. Members who plan to apply for any of these appliance rebates must purchase before Dec. 31, 2022. Rebate applications must be received within 90 days or no later than Dec. 31, 2022, whichever comes first. Rebates will not be issued for refrigerators, freezers, or clothes washers purchased in 2023. 

Appliance rebates for electric clothes dryers, induction cooktops, and refrigerator/freezer recycling will continue to be offered in 2023. In addition, United Power members also qualify for water heater, whole house fan, heat pump, smart thermostat, and electric outdoor power equipment rebates. The application deadline for all rebates is 90 days from the date of purchase. 

United Power evaluates its menu of rebates and energy efficiency programs annually. Rebates are offered to help improve the overall load factor of the cooperative, to help members adopt new energy efficient technologies, or to lower the upfront costs of emerging technology. Rebates may end due to improvements in appliance efficiencies or when market prices come down. New rebates and programs are added for members as emerging technologies are developed. 

Find United Power’s current rebates and programs menu at www.unitedpower.com/rebates.  
 

Washington D.C. - The GridWise Alliance announced nine new members to its Board of Directors today, all of whom are strongly committed to advancing the organization's mission to articulate the benefits of grid modernization.  

“The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act are further evidence of the increasing rate of change in the industry. GridWise Alliance and other organizations in the field will play a critical role, and bringing in leaders with fresh perspectives is critical,” said Gil Quiniones, CEO, ComEd and Chair of the GridWise Alliance. “Our new board members bring this type of innovative thinking and leadership to the Board of Directors and continue to ensure that it is at the forefront of our country’s energy transformation.” 

The new GridWise Alliance Board members who will begin two-year terms, include:
 

1. Astrid Atkinson, CEO and Co-Founder, Camus Energy 
2. Michelle Blaise, Senior Vice President Engineering and Project Management, ComEd 
3. Russell Boyer, Global Energy Field Director, Dell Technologies 
4. Michelle Fay, Partner, Guidehouse
5. Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO, United Power 
6. Hanna Grene, Worldwide Power and Utilities Leader, Microsoft 
7. Wade Lauer, Senior Vice President Transmission, North America, Siemens Energy Inc. 
8. Deepa Poduval, Global Advisory Lead, Senior Vice President, Black & Veatch 
9. Jeannie Salo, Vice President, Government Relations, Schneider Electric 

“I am excited to work with the new Directors over the next two years, which will see historic investments in grid modernization in the U.S.,” said Karen Wayland, CEO of the GridWise Alliance. “The GridWise Board of Directors is a group of industry leaders who will help shape the trajectory of grid modernization across the country to enhance reliability, resilience, decarbonization and energy equity.”  

The nine incoming Board members will join a group of 16 other Board Directors representing all areas of the electric grid industry. The full list of GridWise Board of Directors is easily accessible on the GridWise website. 

About GridWise Alliance: 

The GridWise Alliance leads a diverse membership of electricity industry stakeholders focused on accelerating innovation that delivers a more secure, reliable, resilient, and affordable grid to support decarbonization of the U.S. economy. For more information about the GridWise Alliance, visit: www.gridwise.org.

One of the newest buzz phrases in the energy industry is the “shared energy economy.” In this economy, all the resources necessary for keeping the lights on, keeping our homes and businesses running, and keeping society humming are jointly managed for the benefit of all. 

The cooperative business model was founded on this very principle more than 80 years ago, with communities coming together and bringing light where there was darkness. 

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), an independent nonprofit energy research, development, and deployment organization, has a fancy definition of this shared energy economy:

“Technical, business, regulatory, and policy conditions that allow customer-owned resources to supplement utility operations in providing value to consumers while also providing value to the asset owner.”

Today we have advanced technologies that are creating an energy web, linking centralized resources and member-owned resources, such as electric vehicles (EVs), solar panels, and home battery storage in new and exciting ways. The coming of a power market in the next two years will allow United Power — on your behalf — to manage a variety of electric inputs that will help lower bills and make better use of the electricity we buy.

Taking advantage of the shared energy economy is one of the many reasons we are working to find new, more forward-leaning power suppliers, as our current arrangement limits the flexibility we can provide our members and the choices that are available. We have outlined this future in Our Cooperative Roadmap that envisions a day in the not-to-distant future when we are no longer penalized for being efficient, having large scale batteries, or working with our members to serve their needs in a mutually beneficial manner.

There are more than 9,200 members with solar rooftops, 150 with batteries, and many thousands buying EVs in our service territory. Combining those with load management programs for water heating, air conditioning, and on-site generation will allow United Power to bring value and share the economic benefit of those investments.

These changes will help many of our industrial and commercial members meet their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, while also achieving Colorado’s planned reduction in emissions. It is important to recognize how the economics are driving these changes for United Power first and foremost. We can get the dual benefit of meeting goals and lowering costs.

The shared energy economy has been a cornerstone of the cooperative business model, and this continued evolution fits well into United Power’s history as an energy leader on your behalf and recognizes the future opportunities for our communities. 

As always, I welcome your comments and insights, as well opportunities to meet with our members anytime. Please feel free to reach out to me or any member of our executive team with questions or concerns.