Members focused again on relief for the community during this time, with a number of nominations for...

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Hard at Work For Our Members
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Monday | July 13, 2020
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Looking Out For Member Needs, Even In Uncertain Times.

Operations at United Power have Continued Despite COVID-19 Pandemic

It’s been more than three months since United Power closed its office locations to walk-in visitors and moved over half of the co-op’s employees to remote work locations in an effort to mitigate the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19 to both members and employees. The preemptive nature of the cooperative’s office closure allowed it to continue operations at a safe distance while many other businesses were temporarily closing or stopping nonessential services. Over the past few weeks, many businesses have been able to gradually reopen in phases as virus numbers started to drop in Colorado, but United Power has continued to work hard on behalf of its members throughout this time. 

As the summer inches to a close and the beginning of a new school year approaches, uncertainty remains, especially as coronavirus cases are again on the rise across the country. United Power continues to closely monitor the situation and plan carefully for the future, remembering to put members’ needs at the forefront of decision-making processes. Here are just a few of the many essential functions the co-op has continued to provide members. 

Get Cooperative Updates on the Website

The United Power website exists as a free resource to learn more about the cooperative, its activities and opportunities available to you and your family as a member. It’s also been a tremendous resource for members to get updates about the cooperative’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Regular updates containing pertinent information detail how United Power is taking actionable approaches to the situation. Members can learn more about the United Power coronavirus response here.

In addition to timely updates about pandemic response, the website connected members to the cooperative’s first-ever virtual annual meeting and to assistance and resources for members who have been economically impacted. For members seeking the most up-to-date and relevant information from United Power, the cooperative’s website has answers to many of your questions and is also updated with new information as it becomes available. 

Shopping For A New Appliance?

Lots of time at home may have given you ample opportunity to consider whether to replace an old appliance, such as a dishwasher or refrigerator. Certain ENERGY STAR appliances qualify for exclusive member rebates through United Power. (Confused about shopping for the most energy efficient appliances? Learn more about navigating the process on Page 7.) Rebate applications must be returned within 120 days of purchase, but United Power has you covered. Our online rebate application is quick, simple and delivered directly to the cooperative’s energy management team. All you need is a little information about your new appliance and a few photos to confirm it meets ENERGY STAR requirements. 

More information about appliance rebates and qualifying products can be found on our appliance rebate page. For a full list of available rebates, go to 
our programs and rebates page. Don’t forget other energy management services are also still available, which can be found on the website. 

Growing Rapidly

United Power has experienced unprecedented growth in the past few years. The cooperative has continued to outpace nationwide growth averages and is one of the fastest growing co-ops in the country, due in large part to its location in relation to Denver. It provides power to some of the nation’s fastest growing suburban communities, as well as several fast-growing industrial corridors. In 2019, the cooperative added 5,999 new meters and is on pace for another strong year in 2020. While many business have been impacted by the current pandemic it has not slowed the growth of construction projects in the cooperative’s service territory.  

The new construction team at United Power continued to process and design applications for new service throughout the pandemic. 

Convenient Ways to Pay

Although United Power office locations remain closed at this time, members who prefer cash payments may still do so using payment kiosks in Brighton, Carbon Valley and Coal Creek. Any member, however, may also take advantage of a half dozen alternative payment methods United Power offers. Payment options include Auto Pay, ensuring your payment is made on-time every month, and Pay Now, a quick way to make a one-time payment using just your account number and a form of payment, among others. A full list of available payment and billing options is available here

For Account Assistance, Call Member Services

United Power’s Member Service Representatives have continued to work regularly scheduled hours for member convenience throughout the pandemic. Spending more time at home during quarantine means you’ve likely become even more aware of energy needs in your home. If you have questions about your account, are interested in available member programs and rebates or need to report an outage, representatives are available to take your call during business hours Monday – Friday at 303-637-1300. Outages can be reported via the phone line even after hours.

For further COVID-19 updates, check the United Power website regularly. 

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Demand & Summer Heat
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Monday | June 1, 2020
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With more people expected to work from home this summer, temperatures might not be the only thing rising.

Summer is just around the corner. Although the spring has given us brief reprieves from winter weather, soon the summer heat will arrive. With more people expected to work from home this summer, temperatures might not be the only thing rising.

Your air conditioning is one of the most demand intensive appliances in your home, accounting for more than 15 percent of your total energy usage. This means members will begin to see their demand charge rise to include the use of this additional appliance. However, when United Power introduced its demand rate in January 2019, it also lowered the cost of energy – which means two things for members. 

Most members will not see a significant increase to their monthly bills despite January rate increases. With the decrease in cost of energy corresponding to the demand rate increase, bills should stay fairly level. The average increase for members on the standard residential rate when increases took effect was less than $2/month. Rate increases also gave members more control over their bills by allowing them to choose when to use appliances, keeping demand low and bills even lower. The graphic below demonstrates appliance stacking and how staggering their use can save on demand. 

United Power has also provided tools to assist members in monitoring and controlling their energy usage. The Power Portal, for example, provides a custom dashboard detailing energy usage patterns and identifying peak demand allowing members to determine what behaviors are driving their demand. The cooperative also launched a new demand calculator this year to give members an idea of what appliances are consuming the most energy and contributing to demand charges. With air conditioning being a main culprit during the summer, United Power also offers a rebate on energy efficient A/C units. 

The majority of summer energy efficiency tips revolve around creative ways to keep your home cool without overburdening your air conditioning. You can find some of these energy efficiency tips below. 

Review the United Power website more information about demand and available rebates.

Summer Energy Efficiency Tips

Although summer is still a few weeks out, it’s never too early to start thinking about how to use energy more efficiently. Summer utility bills can be higher, but with a little preparation, you can see big savings on your summer energy usage. 

Cross ventilate your home. Colorado’s mild climate makes cross ventilation a perfect way to cool your home without using excess energy. Cross ventilation uses wind moving through your home to cool it naturally rather than by using an appliance like your air conditioner. Simply open windows in the morning or evening to let the natural cool air in and turn off the A/C.

Block out the sun. Another way to keep your home cool and give your air conditioner a break is to close blinds or curtains. Open windows allow light in which warms the air causing the A/C to work harder to keep your home cool. Keeping blinds closed allows the air to warm more slowly. 

Use ceiling fans. Ceiling fans allow you to increase the temperature on your air conditioning unit by up to four degrees without any loss in comfort. They should be turning counterclockwise during the summer. But remember to turn them off when you leave a room. Fans don’t actually cool the air in a room, just the people. 

Use a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats learn your habits and can adjust your air conditioner accordingly. It also gives 24/7 access to your home’s heating and cooling.