United Power’s Government and Regulatory Relations Officer, Troy Whitmore, testified Tuesday in front of the Colorado Senate Transportation and Energy Committee in support of a House bill concerning governance requirements for Colorado’s electric cooperatives. House Bill 21-1131 “Cooperative Electric Associations Governance Requirements” makes current laws regarding transparency and governance applicable to all non-profit electric associations.

“We were pleased to participate in a thorough stakeholder process with Representative Amabile regarding this bill for several months prior to introduction,” said Troy Whitmore, Government & Regulatory Relations Officer, during his testimony. “The United Power Board of Directors has taken a position of support on this bill.”

This bill represents modernization improvements for electric cooperatives in director elections and corresponding procedures, formal authorization of virtual technology use for Board and member meetings, and clear instruction on Board policies regarding compensation and disclosure of conflicts of interest.

“We have no issue with the posting of rate tariffs and other important policies on our website as we already publish this important information. We take great pride in transparently communicating with our membership and other interested parties,” said Whitmore. “Back in 2010, we worked closely with Representative Claire Levy on a similar bill which improved our director election procedures and member notifications. This bill, HB 1131, further improves the foundational work accomplished more than a decade ago.”

In 2010, United Power worked with state lawmakers to clarify election requirements for cooperatives, which allowed United Power to count more member ballots as valid. An aspect of the 2021 House bill allows the cooperative to hold more electronic communications and elections—which have greatly expanded access and popularity over the last year.

“As previously interpreted from State statute, electric cooperatives in Colorado were not able to hold electronic director elections,” said Whitmore. “The passage of this bill would allow our Board to consider offering the addition of electronic balloting to our members for cooperative elections.”

Tri-State Generation & Transmission Chief Executive Officer, Duane Highley, and Geoffrey Hier, Government Relations Director for the Colorado Rural Electric Association, also testified in favor of the bill. HB21-1131 passed unanimously in Senate committee on Tuesday and is headed to the Senate floor sometime in the next week.

Read the full testimony of Mr. Troy Whitmore. 

Read the full text of HB21-1131 and monitor the status.

National Work Zone Awareness will be Recognized April 26-30, 2021

United Power would like to remind our members of the importance of staying aware when entering and exiting roadside work zone areas for both your safety and our crews’ safety. Transportation accidents are one of the leading causes of on-the-job deaths nationwide.

As an electric utility, our work is fundamentally different from most highway construction work zones. When United Power conducts roadside construction work, it usually involves small crews working for short periods of time when compared to major highway and road construction. This poses challenges to keeping our lineworkers safe.

Major traffic construction will warn drivers in advance with signs posted hundreds of feet or even miles prior to the beginning of work. However, because the nature of our work is different, our crews use different warning techniques when preparing for roadside work. Traffic cones are typically used to delineate our work, which are quicker and easier for our crews to haul and set up when work near roadways is required. Much of our electrical infrastructure is located in high traffic areas, such as shoulders and right-of-ways, intersections and road medians.

To maintain high-powered electrical lines and equipment, our crews work in large vehicles, such as a bucket truck. When you see a United Power bucket truck located on a roadside, remember to look for signs and cones that it may be a work zone. Slow down and move over when possible to give our crews a wide enough path to continue working safely.

Please try to avoid distractions like cell phones or changing radio stations when entering a roadside work zone and be prepared for the unexpected.

We thank you for helping keep our crews safe!

Annual Meeting Register for the Meeting Candidate Statements

With the pandemic lingering into this year, United Power is gearing up for its 2021 Annual Meeting & Director Election a little differently. The cooperative had planned to hold its previous Annual Meeting in-person before COVID. The pandemic forced the cooperative to consider alternate options for members. The result was the first-ever virtual meeting. This year, we are moving forward with the second consecutive virtual format that will allow members to follow along by telephone or via livestream on the cooperative’s website from the comfort of their own homes.

All members are invited to attend the Annual Meeting to hear from United Power leadership about the exciting ways the cooperative has continued to serve members through tumultuous times over the previous year. From the cooperative’s proactive response to the pandemic to its dedicated efforts to pursue competitive rates for members, our leadership has much to share. Members who attend will have the opportunity to win one of several door prizes, announced the following day.

In addition to the Annual Meeting, members have the unique opportunity to have a say in the future of their electric cooperative by voting in the director election. Each year, your votes determine who represents members on United Power’s Board of Directors. Your participation in the election is critical to helping the cooperative better serve you.

Seven candidates will be running for election to the Board of Directors. This year, one seat in each director district is up for election. The director candidates are Steve Douglas and Tim Erickson in the East District; Stephen Whiteside in the Mountain District; Brad Case and Ken Kreutzer in the South District; and Vicki Hutchinson and Brian McCormick in the West District. (Candidate statements can be found here.)

The cooperative mails out director ballots – including candidate statements – in late March and encourages all members to vote and mail in their ballots prior to the deadline. This year there will be no ballot drop boxes and no in-person balloting. Please return your ballots in the postage-paid envelope before the April 14 deadline. Although directors live in specific geographic districts, they represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members should cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own.

Attending the Meeting

Member registration for the Annual Meeting is now open on the cooperative’s website. Members who register will receive a phone call from the cooperative on Wednesday, April 14 at 6:30 p.m. Election results will be announced prior to adjournment. To learn more about the Annual Meeting, read about candidates running for a seat on the board, or to register, visit the Annual Meeting page. 

United Power is proud to announce the recipients of its first round of Member Choice Grants for 2021. Let Your Light Shine, located in Brighton, and the Highlandlake & Mead, Historical Society have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the first part of the year.

Member Choice Grants, which were introduced in 2020, give our members a voice in what nonprofit organizations they’d like to see us support. Members may nominate a local nonprofit, within the cooperative’s service territory, to receive grant funds, ensuring we are able to support causes our members truly care about. To nominate a nonprofit for the second round of grants, go to www.unitedpower.com/memberchoice.

Highlandlake & Mead, Historical Society

Established in 1921, Historic Highlandlake has grown over the years into a full-fledged historical society. The society is heavily invested in preserving the history of Highlandlake and the Town of Mead through educational outreach and hands-on community events that revive early pioneer living. Housed in the original Congregational Church, the society’s grounds also display other authentic buildings that have been preserved from the town’s early days.

Let Your Light Shine

Let Your Light Shine is a small nonprofit on a mission to empower individuals and families to move from homelessness to self-sufficiency. The nonprofit’s typical outreach was halted due to the pandemic in 2020, and it shifted to addressing community needs and the increased number of people facing food insecurity. In 2020, Let Your Light Shine distributed approximately 80,000 pounds of food to its clients, and has distributed nearly 30,000 pounds already this year.

Brighton, CO — United Power is moving its traditional Meet the Candidates events to a virtual format this year in response to uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The one-time virtual event will be held March 18 at 6:30 p.m., and members will be able to follow along via phone or livestream.

The cooperative’s Meet the Candidates Forum provides members with the opportunity to hear from each of the candidates vying to serve on the Board of Directors in this year’s Director Election. Each candidate will be given a few minutes to speak, and members will also be able to submit questions to candidates.

Ballots for the 2021 Director Election will be mailed to all members in mid-March and must be received by mail by April 14. Election results will be announced at the conclusion of the 2021 Annual Meeting, which will also be held virtually for the second consecutive year. The Annual Meeting is scheduled for April 14 at 6:30 p.m. Member registration for the Annual Meeting is now open on the cooperative’s website.

All previously advertised in-person Meet the Candidate events have been cancelled. This virtual format will be the only Meet the Candidates event. Members can view a livestream video of the event online or dial in to listen to the audio portion over the phone. Registration for the Meet the Candidates Forum is not required.

For more information, including statements from board candidates, how members can tune into the Meet the Candidates Forum or to register for the Annual Meeting, visit www.unitedpower.com/annual-meeting.

United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to more than 97,000 meters at homes, farms and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. 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. At the end of 2020, the cooperative reached more than 97,000 meters representing more than 300,000 members. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media at facebook.com/unitedpower or twitter.com/unitedpowercoop.

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Brighton, Colo. – After a nationwide search, United Power’s Board of Directors has named Mark A. Gabriel as President and Chief Executive Officer of the organization effective March 15, 2021.

Gabriel, a 25-year veteran in the electric utility business, has served for the past eight years as the Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), which is part of the Department of Energy.

“United Power’s Board of Directors is very happy to announce we have selected Mark Gabriel as our new President and CEO,” stated Ursula Morgan, United Power Board Chair. “Mark Gabriel is the right choice to guide United Power into a more successful future. He will help create a lasting impact on our members."

“I am extremely honored to have been selected to lead such an amazing organization as we approach a transformational time in the electricity business,” Gabriel said. “United Power is uniquely positioned to be engaged in the decarbonization of the grid, and to take advantage of the introduction of new technologies as we move to a cleaner energy future.”

Prior to his appointment at WAPA, Gabriel served in numerous positions in the industry, including more than eight years as a management consultant and Acting President at the Electric Power Research Institute where he led the nationwide effort known as the Electricity Sector Framework for the Future. He is also the author of, “Visions for a Sustainable Energy Future”, which won the Indie Award for Environmental Writing.

“United Power has a rich history of innovation and is serving one of Colorado’s, and the Nation’s, fastest growing service territories,” Gabriel said. “The power of the cooperative business model to embrace change is unmatched in its ability to engage with its members for the future.”

Gabriel replaces Acting CEO, Bryant Robbins. Robbins is the Chief Operating Officer and has been filling both roles for the past year.

“The Board is appreciative of Robbins’ leadership and guidance this past year, helping us meet the many challenges of our fast-growing cooperative,” added Morgan.

United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to more than 97,000 meters at homes, farms and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. 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. At the end of 2020, the cooperative reached more than 97,000 meters representing more than 300,000 members. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media at facebook.com/unitedpower or twitter.com/unitedpowercoop.

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