United Power Recognizes Energy Efficiency Day on October 5

On October 5, United Power is joining more than 800 other organizations to celebrate National Energy Efficiency Day, a day to remember easy ways we can reduce our energy use and save money.

Energy efficiency simply means using less energy to perform the same tasks or eliminating energy waste. Being energy efficient protects our pocketbooks and the environment by lowering demand for energy and, by extension, greenhouse gas emissions.

If you’re a homeowner trying to manage your electric usage on a budget, energy efficiency may seem more fantasy than reality. Energy efficiency is often seen as an expensive and unobtainable goal for many homeowners, but it doesn’t have to be. Trimming your electric usage is as quick and simple as making a few modest behavior changes and a little investment in cost-efficient technology.

Here are some of the most common ways United Power members can ditch high energy bills and become more efficient in their daily energy usage. For some of our members who may want to go a step further in the journey toward energy efficiency, the article below demonstrates why an electric vehicle may be right for you.

10 Energy Efficient Tips

1. Make the Switch to LEDs. There’s been a strong push for the switch to LEDs for years, and for good reason. LEDs last up to 25x longer and consume 90 percent less energy.
2. Seal Those Leaks. Have you ever left a window cracked in the winter and realized how quickly the cold air can cool your home? Little leaks can be equivalent to leaving a 3 ft x 3 ft window open.
3. Install a Smart Thermostat. While an initially high investment, a smart thermostat will pay for itself over time by learning your routine and adjusting accordingly. You can even control it remotely. Members can also enroll in United Power’s Smart Rewards program to save even more. More info at Smart Rewards.
4. Heat & Cool Efficiency. Heating and cooling accounts for almost half your energy use. Don’t waste money on an empty home. Raising or lowering the temp on your thermostat also won’t compromise comfort.
5. Use a Ceiling Fan. Using a ceiling fan in combination with proper cooling will allow you to raise your thermostat by as much as 4 degrees without losing any comfort.
6. Maintain Your HVAC System. A dirty furnace has to work harder to move air. Don’t forget to change air filters during both heating and cooling seasons to keep energy costs low.
7. Look for the ENERGY STAR® Label. The label means this appliance is certified energy efficient. United Power also offers rebates on ENERGY STAR® refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines.
8. Turn Off Electronics. Electronics on “standby” contribute to “vampire loads,” which is when a device draws energy even with it appears to be off. Turn off all idle electronics that aren’t in use.
9. The Sun is Key. In the winter, open curtains during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home. In the summer, excess sunlight will make your A/C work harder, so keep those curtains closed.
10. Don’t Peak in the Oven. Opening the oven door while cooking or baking can cause the internal temperature to drop by as much as 25 degrees making it work harder to return to the right temperature and also affecting cooking times of your dinner or dessert.

Recently, two solar salesmen came to my home in Brighton offering to convince me of the value of adding solar. Their main sales pitch was a false narrative that United Power rates were slated to increase “dramatically” over the next several years due to our ongoing conversations with our power supplier, Tri-State G&T, about a contract modification. Ironically, just that day at our board of directors meeting, we presented a first look at our budget for 2022 which showed no immediate increase and a potential decrease in rates at some point in the foreseeable future. Their sales pitch was an out-and-out lie.

There are many factors driving the decision to add solar or storage, including economics, environmental responsibility or the desire for energy independence. We wholeheartedly support your decisions, whatever the rationale, but want to make sure the decision is being made with a full knowledge of the costs. Sadly, there are many unscrupulous salespeople who do not have your best financial interests at heart as we do at United Power. Please contact us for the facts as you make these significant investment decisions. You can also visit our website for more information about installing a solar system on your home, including questions to ask potential solar contractors, at Going Solar.

As a member-owner, it is important to realize the professionals at United Power are here to serve your needs with unbiased, fact-based information to make sure every electron is used in the most cost-effective way possible. This covers critical opportunities, such as our Rush Hour Rewards program, energy efficiency measures and rebates on everything from appliances to battery-powered lawn equipment. We are honored to serve as a resource for our members to help calculate the benefit of any decision when it comes to alternative energy options. We support decisions to add rooftop solar or storage to your home or business and are proud that nearly 7,000 of our members have made the decision to add solar to their homes. Another 3,000 of us are now driving electric vehicles, and soon members will be able to lease an electric vehicle charger for your home or business at a low monthly cost.

These are exciting times in the electricity business as technology expands its reach into everything from automobiles and vertical/indoor farming to advanced manufacturing and lawn tools. In this era of beneficial electrification, United Power is at the forefront of these amazing opportunities.

The growth at United Power – we are now more than 100,000 meters strong – has meant an influx of new members to our communities and a new relationship with your electricity provider. If you are new to the concept of an electric cooperative, as part of the “family” you are a part owner and reap the benefits in several ways:

• As a member-owner, you will share in any excess margin in the form of capital credits, determined annually by the board of directors. Capital credits are returned to our members as either a check or a credit on your billing statement.
• Participating in a uniquely cooperative process of democratic engagement in our governance. Members vote for who sits on our board or may even run as a candidate themselves.
• Having a utility partner that directly supports community activities like the Adams County Fair. United Power also sponsors events like Summerfest in Brighton, Trappers Days in Fort Lupton and Miners Day in Frederick.
• Being treated as a member – not just a customer – if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Finally, as I outlined in my letter to members in August, we are continuing to find a happy medium in our power supply with Tri-State G&T. It is critical that Tri-State continues to provide valuable transmission-related services, especially as we enter the new era of electricity markets. It is equally critical that United Power be able to follow its own destiny when it comes to the choice in at least a portion of its energy supply in order to lower our rates and be competitive in this changing market.

As winter approaches, we stand by to work with all our members on the efficient, sustainable use of the precious resource of electricity. Please call or email me at any time.

Email Mark A. Gabriel

Open House Celebrated Co-op Surpassing 100,000 Meters in June

Brighton, CO – United Power joined a small group of elite cooperatives in June when it surpassed 100,000 meters served off its lines. It became just the second Colorado co-op, and 31st nationally, to cross the meter milestone. To commemorate the achievement, the co-op hosted an Open House Celebration for members at its Carbon Valley Service Center, located off the I-25 Frontage Road just west of Firestone and Frederick, on August 28.

Several hundred members attended the Open House Celebration, which featured a variety of family-friendly activities, educational opportunities and prize giveaways. It was the first in-person member event the cooperative has hosted since the pandemic began in March 2020. The come-and-go structure of the event enabled members to maintain social distancing by discouraging crowds and allowing attendees to walk through at their own leisure. Breakfast and refreshments were also provided as attendees made their way through the exhibits.

“It is important that we as a cooperative get back to our roots of engaging and interacting with our members,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This was the perfect platform to showcase our newest facility and celebrate our historic meter accomplishment with our members while also accounting for their health and safety.”

United Power packed its garage with interactive exhibits to give members a hands-on experience with everything from electrical safety to electric vehicle ownership. The cooperative’s well-known safety demonstration team kicked things off near the event entrance before a series of large equipment and bucket trucks funneled attendees toward an EV demonstration at the garage’s northeast doors. Northern Colorado Clean Cities provided several EVs available for short test drives with attendees. Outside, attendees were offered a brief informational presentation about the cooperative’s battery storage facility followed by a tour. Originally energized in 2019, the battery storage facility remains the largest in Colorado.

Inside the Carbon Valley Service Center, the community room was transformed into a series of educational booths where attendees could enter to win prizes, learn more about member-exclusive programs and engage with United Power experts on things like energy efficiency. Attendees could also present questions and win prizes from the cooperative’s board of directors.

“We are so excited and thankful to be able to celebrate 100,000 meters with our members in person,” said Ursula Morgan, United Power’s Board Chairman. “After more than a year away, we could not have been happier to see and interact with them again, especially for such a big occasion. Without our members, there is no cooperative. There is no United Power.”

United Power members who attended the event were eligible to win one of ten $100 bill credit prizes, announced following the event’s conclusion. Members also donated canned and packaged food for to the Carbon Valley Help Center, which provides food and clothing to those in need in and around the Carbon Valley area.

Earlier this summer, United Power honored its 100,000 meter family, John and Hailey Takacs and their son Drake, at their new home in Commerce City’s fast-growing Reunion community. Cooperative board members and cooperative leadership, along with Commerce City Mayor Ben Huseman and Tri Pointe homes representative Mariel Schlander, presented the Takacs’ with a prize package containing home essentials, such as a variety of tools and home equipment, including an electric lawn mower.

“We are adding meters at an unprecedented rate,” Gabriel said. “But more importantly, we are adding members. Each new meter represents a new family on our lines or a new business helping shape the economy of the communities we serve. Our members make us stronger, and they make our communities stronger. As your cooperative, it is our privilege to be able to serve each one of our members.”

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. 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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The hallmark of an electric cooperative is not simply providing reliable power to its members. United Power is deeply rooted in the communities it serves and committed to their success. We manage our resources in a way that allows us to give back to our communities and empowers our employees to do the same.

Many United Power employees have volunteered their own time and resources to local nonprofits and educational foundations throughout the service territory. They have been able to leverage both their professional experience with the cooperative and personal interests to become leaders who are critical to powering these organizations.

Amy Clement, a Senior Human Resources Generalist at United Power, has been serving on the Adams County Workforce Development Board since 2017. She is the current board chair and serves on the executive committee. The Workforce Development Board’s mission is to create opportunities for success by connecting businesses to a quality workforce in Adams County. The board is composed of community leaders who represent private industry, nonprofits and public agencies.

The individuals on the board represent a variety of industry roles, backgrounds and interests, helping generate quality discussions when determining goals and direction.

Clement said her involvement with the Workforce Development Board represents United Power as an employee of the cooperative, but that it also reflects her desire as a local resident to see community growth.

“My professional background in human resources has afforded me opportunities in workforce development and training that are beneficial to the board” she said. “At the same time, I enjoy personally serving not only the community I live in, but also the people that are looking to better their own lives through employment and career progression.”

When the position on the board opened in 2017, Tom Green, the district representative for United Power in Adams County, said he instantly recommended Clement.

“I believe it’s important for United Power employees to take part in local community organizations, especially when it relates to their role with the cooperative,” Green said. “Amy is a talented professional who I thought could provide fresh input on the workforce in Adams County and be a meaningful contributor on the Workforce Development Board.”

As executive committee chair, Clement is personally involved with policy updates and responsible for communications with state representatives, as well as managing board meetings each month. She recently worked with the board to establish an adult internship program to place Adams County residents in businesses to gain experience and advance their careers.

“This is an exciting opportunity to give back to the community,” she said. “I am hopeful we will be able to place an intern with United Power in the future.”

The board’s responsibilities are accomplished through the activities of the Adams County Workforce and Business Center. For more information, go to www.adcogove.org/WBC.