Cooperative Committed to Providing Accessible EV Charging Infrastructure

Brighton, CO – United Power announced a partnership with the National Electric Highway Coalition in January. The Coalition is a collaboration among electric utilities committed to providing an accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Expanding the available charging network will allow electric vehicle drivers to travel with confidence along corridors throughout the country. It has set a goal to achieve a sufficient electric vehicle charging infrastructure by the end of 2023.

This past year, United Power energized its second electric vehicle fast charger at the Market Street Mart in Keenesburg, located along Interstate 76 northeast of Denver. The charger filled a gap in available charging options for rural electric vehicle owners between Brighton and Fort Morgan. The cooperative installed its first charging station at its Coal Creek office in 2019. A third is planned for its office location in Carbon Valley along Interstate 25.

“United Power serves more than 100,000 members living in some of the fastest growing communities in the country,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We also serve several transportation corridors running through those areas. We have seen a proliferation of electric vehicle owners in our territory and in Colorado in recent years. Joining the National Electric Highway Coalition reinforces the cooperative’s commitment to its members and the changing nature of the electric industry.”

Cooperative leadership continues to look at the electric vehicle landscape and consider what programs provide the most benefit for members, including expanding its existing charging network. As a partner in the National Electric Highway Coalition, United Power will seek to accomplish an efficient and effective deployment of electric vehicle fast charging stations within its service territory that complements existing and planned charging stations along its transportation corridors.

It is estimated that more than 100,000 fast charging ports will be necessary to meet the needs of more than 22 million electric vehicle drivers by 2030. The National Electric Highway Coalition represents the largest group of electric utilities aligned to meet those charging infrastructure needs. More than 50 electric utilities throughout 47 states have joined as partners in the coalition’s mission. United Power joins Xcel Energy as the only other Colorado utility in the Coalition and the second cooperative nationwide.

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 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 (G&T) 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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United Power is committed to providing members with the tools and resources they need to take control of their energy use. As we enter a new year, it’s now easier to control your energy and become more energy efficient. Here are some ways United Power is empowering its members to take control.

Rates that Work for You

Families spent more time at home over the past two years due to the pandemic transitioning many to working from a home office while schooling from the kitchen or living room. As a result, members are more aware of the ways they use energy. Now is the time to ask your cooperative about your rate and choose one that works for you and your family. United Power’s residential rates provide individuals and families options designed to fit a variety of lifestyles. The flexibility of available rates enables members to review their energy use habits and select a plan that fits their usage patterns. The cooperative’s rates will also remain unchanged as we head into 2022.

For more information on United Power’s rates, go to the cooperative's Rates page, or to have a dedicated energy management specialist review your history and recommend a rate option, call 303-637-1311.

Take Advantage of Free Member Resources

United Power provides several programs and tools to help members understand their usage. The Power Portal is an accessory to the cooperative’s online account portal and provides detailed energy use information. With information displayed in 15-minute intervals throughout the day, members can compare days or months to determine what’s driving energy usage.

In addition to this resource, the cooperative has also launched calculators to help members understand what drives their demand or how charging an electric vehicle can impact their usage. More resources may be coming in the future, and all these tools are available free to United Power members.

‘Smart’ Way to Save on Heating this Winter

Heating and cooling your home accounts for approximately half your annual energy usage, making it the most expensive part of your energy costs. The most efficient way to manage your heating and cooling is installing a smart thermostat, which gives you control even when you’re not home. A simple adjustment to your thermostat could save you as much as 10 percent annually, according to the Department of Energy, which recommends adjusting your temperature a couple degrees when you’re home and a couple more when you’re away. Many smart thermostats can learn your schedule and make these adjustments automatically.

Talk to an Energy Management Specialist

A United Power Energy Management Specialist is available to walk through your energy concerns, analyze your usage and provide you with practical information you can use to control your energy usage. They can walk you through available rates, programs and rebates to ensure you’re maximizing your energy savings.

Ultimately, energy savings comes down to the small things. Turn off lights and ceiling fans when you aren’t in a room. Stagger the use of appliances to avoid a higher demand. Remind everyone in your family to make energy savings a priority. Enter into the new year resolved to be more energy efficient.

Date: 4/29/2022
United Power filed a non-conditional Notice of Intent to Withdraw from our power supplier in compliance with a recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruling. This changes our previously announced Tri-State exit date of Jan. 1, 2024 to May 1, 2024.

At United Power we continue with our sole focus of bringing power to our members at the greatest value.

During the past several years we have attempted to work with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, our power supplier, toward this end. Unfortunately, our G&T has been unwilling to make any changes in the pursuit of this goal, saddling United Power with some of the highest cost, carbon intensive power in the State of Colorado.

We have been unsuccessful in negotiating a revised contract with our G&T that would have allowed us to lower costs, expand member options, bring lower carbon generation and provide for a new future. Therefore, as of December 14, 2021 we have formally filed at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) our intent to withdraw from Tri-State effective January 1, 2024. The Board of Directors is strongly in the support of this action.

During my nine months as your President and Chief Executive Officer, I have presented our power supplier with numerous offers of settlement that would have continued our membership relationship while also allowing us to procure lower cost, cleaner power options. Despite many meetings and requests, the G&T has been mute on our offers and instead reacted through the legal system. I have agreed on at least two occasions to mediation with no response.

Instead of working with us in the pursuit of lower-cost, cleaner options, Tri-State has resisted these developments. Tri-State recently purchased additional coal generation, is limiting our members’ ability to add more carbon free generation and is penalizing additional storage on our system. Tri- State also offers non-members preferable transmission rates over those of us who have invested in their system for decades.

United Power has been a leader in the deployment of innovative new technologies and in the integration of renewable energy resources. Currently United Power has 84 megawatts of renewable generation on its system including 46 megawatts of utility scale solar, Colorado’s largest battery storage project, and more than 6,800 rooftop systems. Tri-State’s policies include penalties if a utility exceeds 5% of generation other than from the G&T.

United Power represents nearly 20% of the G&T’s annual revenue and is more than twice the size of the next largest cooperative. United Power joins Delta Montrose Electric Association and Kit Carson who have exited the G&T in the last five years. At least six other cooperatives are currently considering a potential exit.

United Power will be seeking alternative power supply and the use of transmission as outlined by FERC as part of Open Access Transmission Tariffs. Prior to January 1, 2024, United Power will work with other power suppliers and prepare for the transition from our G&T.

We do not take this decision lightly. Please feel free to reach out to me and other members of the United Power staff with any questions.

Date: 4/29/2022
United Power filed a non-conditional Notice of Intent to Withdraw from our power supplier in compliance with a recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruling. This changes our previously announced Tri-State exit date of Jan. 1, 2024 to May 1, 2024.

Reducing Costs, Leveraging Clean Resources Among Reasons for the Move

Brighton, Colorado/Washington D.C. — United Power, a rural electric cooperative based in Brighton, Colorado, today filed its Notice of Intent to withdraw from the membership of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in Washington, D.C., effective January 1, 2024. The two-year notice period was accepted by FERC in an October 29, 2021 ruling.

United Power is the largest member of Tri-State and accounts for nearly 20% of the G&T’s annual revenue. United Power has unsuccessfully attempted to modify its all requirements contract with the G&T for more than three years. In the last nine months alone United Power has tendered three formal term sheets and held numerous high-level meetings, but leadership at the G&T has been unresponsive to the contract modification requests.

“Sadly, our power supplier has been ignoring our efforts to come to an amicable arrangement that better supports the needs of our members while guaranteeing that our prior commitments are met,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power President and Chief Executive Officer. “Instead of working with us in the pursuit of lower-cost, cleaner options, Tri-State has resisted these developments. Tri-State recently purchased additional coal generation, is limiting our members’ ability to add more carbon free generation and is penalizing additional storage on our system. They also offer non-members preferable transmission rates over those of us who have invested in the system for decades.”

United Power has been a leader in the deployment of innovative technologies and in the integration of renewable energy resources. Currently United Power has 84 megawatts of renewable generation on its system including 46 megawatts of utility scale solar, Colorado’s largest battery storage project and more than 6,800 roof top systems. Tri-State’s policies include penalties if a utility exceeds 5% of generation other than from the G&T.

There are a number of cases currently in front of FERC, Denver Courts, Adams County Courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals that will ultimately decide the exit fee for United Power. United Power joins Delta Montrose Electric Association and Kit Carson who have exited the G&T in the last five years. At least six other cooperatives are considering a potential exit.

“When I came to United Power nine months ago, I was extremely optimistic that we would be able to come to an agreement that lives up to our commitment for past investments and allows us to provide lower cost, cleaner options to our rapidly growing communities in the future,” Gabriel said. “Our decision to depart is not made lightly but follows the cooperative principles of voluntary participation and member’s economic participation by choice,” added Gabriel.

United Power will be seeking alternative power supply and the use of transmission as outlined by FERC as part of Open Access Transmission Tariffs.

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 cooperatives in the nation, and in June 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 (G&T) 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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