United Power members who rely on medical devices in their homes may be more greatly impacted by extended outages, like the ones we experienced on Thursday due to dense snow and high winds. Although we make every effort to quickly and safely restore power, we cannot provide a specific time frame for when your power will be restored. The cooperative encourages members who require electricity to power their medical devices to develop a comprehensive backup plan in the event an outage extends beyond their battery’s supply limits.

As your cooperative, we make every effort to provide reliable power. Our line crews have performed system improvements that have resulted in increased reliability rates year over year. However, there are numerous reasons your home could be impacted by a prolonged power outage, and we want to remind you to consider how to care for yourself or a loved one in such an event.

We encourage members who are dependent on electrically powered medical devices in their homes to consider their needs before an outage occurs. Registering with United Power places a “medical alert flag” on your account, allowing us to contact you in the event of an outage. This alert flag, however, does not guarantee we will be able to restore your power as quickly as you might need. Something to consider is an alternative source of energy, such as extra batteries or a backup generator. You should also contact your medical provider to determine other supplies you should keep on hand for emergencies, such as supplemental oxygen.

United Power recommends having an evacuation plan for worst case scenarios during significant weather events. Depending on your battery backup’s supply limits, having a plan in place to move to an alternate location is encouraged.

You can also help United Power by immediately reporting an outage or other electrical emergency. Don’t assume we are aware of your outage. To report an outage, log into your online account at www.unitedpower.com/smarthub or by calling our outage reporting line at 303-637-1350.

More information related to medically necessary devices can be found online at our Medical Devices page.

Within our service territory there are several nonprofit organizations that bring value to the community or communities they help support. Member Choice Grants allow our members to nominate a nonprofit organization within the cooperative's service territory to receive grant funds from United Power. These grants will help them continue to work toward accomplishing their mission and serve the local community. In this way, we are able to support the causes our members truly care about. 

Nominating an organization to receive a Member Choice Grant is as simple as filling out the form below and providing a brief reason why you feel the organization should receive the grant. 

In 2020, United Power will award six (6) nonprofit organizations nominated by our members with a $1,000 Member Choice Grant, announced in upcoming issues of the United Newsline.

Nominations are now open. 

Member Choice Grants

As a cooperative, United Power wants its members to know how they can use their energy more efficiently and save on their bills. There’s a stigma surrounding energy efficiency, though, that it’s either too hard or too expensive to implement in a home. Other members may be unintentionally using more energy from implementing some not-so-energy-efficient “savings” myths. In this article, we dive into a few of these energy efficiency myths to separate fact from fiction and help you make more energy efficient choices.

Electric Space Heaters Save Money

Some people have heard using an electric space heater to heat individual rooms in a house is more cost effective than running a heating system. In fact, electric space heaters are among the most energy inefficient appliances you can use in your home. A central heating system is more effective at heating your home. It’s best to use space heaters as supplemental heat for short periods of time only.

Myth or Truth: Myth

Closing Vents Reduces Consumption

It may seem logical that closing vents in a room would mean saving energy. You’re not heating an extra room in the house, after all. However, closing vents actually puts an added weight on your central heating system. Closed vents only redirect air and throw the system off balance, forcing it to work harder. An energy efficient alternative is investing in a smart thermostat that gives you more control of your system, especially when you’re away.

Myth or Truth: Myth

Try Blasting Your Thermostat

This idea stems from a misconception about how central heating and cooling systems work. Your thermostat is designed to keep a room at a steady temperature. When you crank it up or down, it does not heat or cool more quickly, but it will work continuously until it has reached the temperature setting. From then on, it will turn on or off as required to maintain the temperature setting. Because your home will continue to gain or lose heat through various escape points, this will cause your system to run more frequently and use more energy.

Myth or Truth: Myth

You Can Save with a Microwave

Cooking is not a large part of the average household’s electric bill. However, heavy use of an oven or stove can contribute to an increase in your bill, especially if you cook much during the summer. The heat produced by a stove or oven can cause your A/C to work harder to maintain the temperature in the room. By contrast, a microwave is quicker and uses less energy.

Myth or Truth: Truth

Using a Dishwasher is Better than Hand Washing

Most homes aren’t equipped with an electric water heater, so you might not think of how this could ultimately save you on energy efficiency. However, washing your dishes by hand requires a lot of hot water. Dishwashers actually use your hot water more efficiently, and many of them have energy efficient settings to help conserve gas, electricity and water.

Myth or Truth: Truth

Close Doors to Unused Rooms When Heating

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably heard energy efficiency points from both sides, but here’s the truth. Your heating system operates through a convection current. As air cycles into a room, hot air rises and sinks as it cools. The cool air is then reheated, beginning the cycle again. Keeping doors to unused rooms closed keeps this cycle of heated air within a contained space, which is more efficient than dispersing it throughout the house.

Myth or Truth: Truth

Becoming energy efficient doesn’t mean spending lots of money on the latest technology or struggling with strict rules. It’s about making small lifestyle changes or remembering to make a few changes around the house. It’s also about sifting the fact from the fiction. As your trusted energy provider, we’re here to provide you with the best resources to take control of your usage, become more energy efficient and save.

If you’re curious about more ways you can save, check out our Energy Tips or contact an Energy Management Specialist at 303-637-1300.

Due to the potential spread of COVID-19, United Power's 2020 Annual Meeting has been moved to a virtual "town hall" meeting. Find more information about changes to this year's annual meeting format at www.unitedpower.com/annual-meeting. 

As United Power gears up for its 2020 Annual Meeting & Director Election on April 15, 2020, the cooperative is encouraging its members to participate and reminding them they are more than a customer. When you vote in the director election, you have a say in the future of the cooperative. As a member, your vote carries equal weight as any other member’s vote, regardless of what kind of account they have or how large it is. Your pulse on the community and understanding of what’s important to it is critical in helping the cooperative better serve its members. 

All members are invited to connect with United Power leadership at the Annual Meeting, enjoy the company of fellow cooperative members and have a chance to win one of several door prizes. The meeting will be held at Riverdale Regional Park, formerly Adams County Fairgrounds, located at 9755 Henderson Road, Brighton, CO 80601.

Eight candidates will be running for election to the United Power board of directors. This year, one seat in each of United Power’s director districts is up for election. The director candidates are James Vigesaa in the East District; Tamra K. Waltemath in the Mountain District; Greg Campbell, Stan Martin, Phil Noble and David E. Rose in the South District; and Virginia “Ginny” A. Buczek and James P. Menghi in the West District. (Candidate statements are published here and included in the March-April United Newsline.)

The cooperative mails out director ballots – including candidate statements – in late March and encourages all members to vote and return their mail ballot prior to the deadline. Ballots may also be dropped off at a United Power office before April 15 or filled out in-person at the Annual Meeting. 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. 

Member registration opens at 4:30 p.m. Members who did not mail in their ballot or chose not to vote prior to the meeting will be issued a ballot and be able to cast their votes until the beginning of the official business meeting at 6:30 p.m. After members have cast their ballot, they can enjoy a barbecue dinner with us, visit educational exhibit booths and be entertained by musician Dave Connelly. 

The official business meeting includes a report on the status of the cooperative, as well as a report from the board treasurer. Election results will be announced prior to adjournment and door prize drawings will conclude the meeting. To learn more about the Annual Meeting or the candidates running for a seat on the board, visit the Annual Meeting & Director Election page. 
 

United Power Board Chair, James Vigesaa, announced at an all-employee meeting yesterday, that CEO John Parker is on a medical leave transitioning into retirement.  Chief Operating Officer, Bryant Robbins, has been named as Acting CEO, effective immediately. Robbins joined United Power in January 2003 as the Mountain District Manager, before his promotion in January 2017 to Chief Operating Officer.

“With Bryant, we are confident that we have selected a leader who can continue to meet the many challenges of our fast-growing cooperative,” stated Vigesaa. “Not only does Bryant have many years of experience at United Power, a record of success in building teams and leading successful change initiatives, he also served United Power as Acting CEO in 2019 during a previous medical leave.”

Parker joined United Power in 2006 as the CFO and was promoted to CEO in June of 2017.

“As CEO, John successfully led the cooperative on several key initiatives these past two and a half years, and has positioned United Power well to move on to future,” stated Vigesaa. “On behalf of the entire United Power Board, we wish John enjoyment in his retirement and thank him for his contributions.”

United Power strives to provide reliable power to its members. At times, however, circumstances may arise that lead to an interruption in power, such as standard maintenance improvements to our system, or an outage, caused by a number of events such as severe weather. When an outage does occur, the cooperative is quick to dispatch linemen to safely restore power to its members as quickly as possible. 

Some outages, however, can create situations that require an extended time to resolve. These kinds of outages can be especially worrisome for members with special medical needs. If you use life-sustaining medical equipment that depends on electricity for operation, such as oxygen generators, kidney dialysis machines or respirators, it’s important to put together a plan for a power outage before it happens. 

Have a Backup Plan for Prolonged Outages

United Power can’t guarantee your service won’t be interrupted by scheduled maintenance or an outage. In the event of an outage, we recommend you plan for how to respond. 

Register with United Power. United Power can place a flag on the accounts of members who utilize special medical equipment, allowing us to contact you in an unplanned outage and before a planned outage.

Have a Power Backup. Outages can happen at a moment’s notice and without warning. Though the cooperative makes every effort to quickly restore power, we cannot provide a specific time frame for when your power will be restored. If you use medical equipment, consider obtaining a power back-up, such as a battery or generator, in the case of an extended outage. 

Plan for Evacuation. In the worst case event, such as a significant weather crisis like a blizzard or flood, prepare to evacuate to an alternate location. These events can result in outages lasting several days. 

How You Can Help

If you do experience an outage or other electrical emergency, always report it. Do not assume United Power knows about your outage. You can report your outage by logging into our online portal available at www.unitedpower.com/smarthub or by calling our outage reporting line at 303-637-1350. 

More information about medically necessary devices can be found on our Medical Devices page.