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2019 Official Posting of Nominations for Director by Petition
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Friday | February 15, 2019
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The following persons have been nominated by petition to run for Director of United Power, Inc., in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of Members scheduled April 17, 2019.

UNITED POWER, INC.
OFFICIAL POSTING OF NOMINATIONS FOR DIRECTOR BY PETITION

The following persons have been nominated by petition to run for Director of United Power, Inc., in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of Members scheduled April 17, 2019.  Districts E (East), S (South) and W (West) are up for three-year terms.

 

District E (East):
Elizabeth Martin

District S (South):
Keith Alquist, II
Bradley J. Case

District W (West):
Ursula J. Morgan

 

This notice is posted pursuant to Section 4.06 of the Bylaws of United Power, Inc.

 

Posted: 2-15-19
Cooperative Website
Brighton Headquarters
Coal Creek Office
Ft. Lupton Office

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Questions about Demand?
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Friday | January 25, 2019
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United Power’s new rate structure went into effect on January 1st, and members will begin to see the 2019 rates reflected as separate demand and energy charges on their February bills. While energy is the total power used, demand refers to the capacity needed to serve your location. The new rates break apart the costs for demand and energy to more fairly charge each member for their impact on the electric system and the energy they use.

United Power’s new rate structure went into effect on January 1st, and members will begin to see the 2019 rates reflected as separate demand and energy charges on their February bills. While energy is the total power used, demand refers to the capacity needed to serve your location. The new rates break apart the costs for demand and energy to more fairly charge each member for their impact on the electric system and the energy they use.

Why did you change to this rate structure?

The way our members use power has changed, and we now have more detailed information about how each member uses that power. On the blended rate, some members were paying more than they should, while others were not paying enough. The demand component allows us to more fairly charge each member in a way that is more closely aligned with our costs to provide that service.

How do I see when I hit my demand?

Demand measures the highest 15-minute interval of power consumption over the billing period and your bill will show you the kilowatt (kW) demand measurement of that highest interval. If you’d like to investigate what contributed to your demand charge, the Power Portal will show you the day and time that your demand peaked. Pinpointing the day and time will give you the information to reflect on how you were using energy.

Perhaps your demand was highest on a cold Saturday afternoon when you had soup on the stove, bread in the oven, the kids were downstairs gaming with a space heater on, and it was marathon laundry and cleaning day for the family. Operating all of these appliances at once required more system capacity for United Power to serve you, and your demand charge for the month is a fairer representation of how you used the electric system.

How can I reduce my demand?

Monitoring your use in the Power Portal will help you understand what is driving your demand. You’ll see the effect of using multiple appliances at once and what your energy profile looks like when you stagger appliances. If you’d like to keep your demand charges as low as possible, small changes in the way you use energy can make a difference. Here are some easy ways to reduce your demand:

  • Spread out the use of major appliances. Major electrical appliances that may contribute to high demand costs include air conditioners, electric clothes dryers, electric water heaters, electric ranges and ovens.
  • Use small cooking appliances or an outdoor grill.
  • Use a programmable or smart thermostat to pre-heat or pre-cool your home before you get home and operate kitchen appliances.
  • Use a timer on your water heater, dishwasher and pool pump.
  • Set a timer on your electric vehicle charger for the middle of the night after other major appliances are not in use.

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2018: A Year in Review
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Friday | January 25, 2019
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United Power works tirelessly behind the scenes year after year to bring our members safe and reliable power and the tools they need to monitor and control usage patterns that could save them money.

United Power works tirelessly behind the scenes year after year to bring our members safe and reliable power and the tools they need to monitor and control usage patterns that could save them money. This past year has been no different for the cooperative, which took steps to be among the first to adopt utility scale battery storage and rolled out several exciting programs for members to utilize in their daily lives to understand how some behaviors may impact their bill. 

Working the Lines

The ability to provide power begins with our linemen. As one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, linemen put themselves in harm’s way every day to ensure the steady stream of power to our members. In 2018, the cooperative completed construction on a new state-of-the-art training facility for linemen, comparable in size and scope to some of the state’s largest. Just as you’ve come to expect from United Power, we went above and beyond, including the most innovative ideas from training yards across the country. From a series of low and high poles, linemen are able to practice a variety of situations to be better prepared to safely face anything they might experience in the field.

Bird’s Eye View

For the past few years, United Power has prioritized preventative maintenance of its electrical infrastructure. For this reason, United Power became one of the first electric utilities in Colorado to utilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to monitor our power lines. While the project began in the mountain territory nearly two years ago, it was rolled out in phases to the plains territory this past year, beginning in Brighton. Drones offer a safer and more time efficient option for diagnosing potential repairs that need to be made on poles and can often offer the information before outages happen. The project, to date, has examined more than 30 miles of power lines, saving countless man-hours and preventing outages.

When it’s Unpreventable

Despite our best efforts, not all outages are preventable. To provide members with more information related to outages impacting them, United Power rolled out an all-new user friendly outage map in early 2018. The new information shows detailed outage information including number of members affected and cause, among other things, without sacrificing safety and security. 
Co-op Continued its Innovative Approach in 2018 

Free Resources for Members

In early 2018, United Power began rolling out a new free online resource, the Power Portal, which allows members to monitor their energy usage in 15-minute increments to decide what behaviors had the heaviest impact and adjust accordingly. With the Power Portal, members can monitor their usage patterns to keep energy demand costs down.

The cooperative also launched Rush Hour Rewards in partnership with Nest Learning Thermostats to replace its former cycled air program. The smart home appliance gives members more control over energy usage when they’re not at home. Enrolling in Rush Hour Rewards with your Nest allows United Power to adjust your thermostat a few degrees on hot summer days to save you energy, and rewards you for it at the end of the summer. 

Leading the Way

United Power members have been quick to adopt solar energy, setting the bar high for other utilities to follow. In November, the cooperative celebrated its 3,000th rooftop solar connection. According to a 2018 report, United Power ranks among the top 50 utilities nationwide in solar energy and second among cooperatives in connected solar. Our commitment to renewable energy leads the way among all 43 cooperatives in Tri-State’s four-state region. 

Also in November, we energized the state’s largest utility-scale battery storage facility at our new west office. The battery system generates 4 MW of electricity and is expected to save the cooperative $1 million in wholesale energy charges. The project, developed in collaboration with ENGIE North America, is enough to power up to 700 homes simultaneously. While not technically being used as a renewable energy source, battery storage represents the next logical step in the progression of renewable energy. 

Commitment to Cooperative Principles

Most of us never go more than a few hours without some form of power, whether that’s work, school or home or the commute in between. When United Power lineman Kelly Snow was given the opportunity to join a group of linemen from Colorado and Oklahoma to build the infrastructure necessary to provide two remote jungle villages with power for the first time, he jumped at it. In September, the group left for Guatemala for three weeks to volunteer for the project through NRECA International. When asked why the trip meant so much to him, Snow responded with the Rural Electric Association’s principle of bringing electricity to rural parts of the country and those who are underserved. 

Throughout 2018, United Power had many opportunities to celebrate continual growth and innovation with members and leaders in the communities we serves. As we look to the future, we’ll continue to set the bar for others to follow. We look forward to all 2019 has to offer, and continuing to provide our members safe and reliable power. 
 

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Choosing Energy Efficiency Appliances
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Friday | January 25, 2019
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If you’re holding on to older household appliances, now may be a good time to consider swapping them out for newer, more energy efficient models.

If you’re holding on to older household appliances, now may be a good time to consider swapping them out for newer, more energy efficient models. Old appliances are among the biggest consumers of energy in your home, but as technology evolves, so does energy efficiency. A new energy efficient appliance can be operated using as much as 75 percent less energy than outdated appliances. 

Old refrigerators are the biggest culprit of excessive energy usage among daily household appliances. While older refrigerators can cost upwards of $16/month to use, a new model may cost as little as $4/month. Newer, high-definition LED TVs also use a fraction of the electricity older liquid-crystal displays (LCD) and plasma screens do. And don’t forget about other appliances and electronics you use daily.

Not only can new appliances save big on energy use, but they may also qualify for exclusive rebates from United Power and our wholesale power provider, Tri-State G&T. Select ENERGY STAR appliances are eligible for rebates, but must be requested within 120 days of purchase. For more information about United Power rebates, contact the energy management team at 
303-659-0551 or go to www.unitedpower.com/rebates

Tips for Purchasing New Appliances

With all the new information available about energy efficiency, it may be a little confusing to know what exactly to look for when shopping for new appliances and household electronics. Here are a few tips to help you out:

  • Look for the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR-qualified products exceed the federal minimum standards for efficiency and quality, meaning they’ll use less energy over their lifetimes than other models.
  • Carefully review the EnergyGuide label. This yellow label provides information about how much energy an appliance uses compared to similar models.
  • Consider the purchase price and cost to operate. These prices are important because you may be paying for the appliances energy use over the next 10-20 years, depending on when you choose to replace it again. 
  • Compare prices. Keep in mind, many retailers will match a lower price offered by competitors. Keep looking until you find the right appliance for the right price.

A New Name: Union REA Becomes United Power

Friday | January 25, 2019
This is the second in a three part series chronicling the cooperative’s history leading up to its 80...

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What are Vampire Loads?
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Friday | January 25, 2019
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All of these items are responsible for contributing to your “vampire load,” also known as the “phantom load.” Vampire loads come from devices that use electricity even when they appear to be off.

The desktop computer in your office. The living room TV and gaming console in standby or rest mode. Even the cell phone charger you keep plugged in throughout the day. All of these items are responsible for contributing to your “vampire load,” also known as the “phantom load.” Vampire loads come from devices that use electricity even when they appear to be off. These loads are approaching 10 percent of the average household electric use, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Electronics and appliances in standby or rest modes require a little electricity to maintain minimal function of the device so it’s ready to go when you return to using it. The primary culprits are televisions, desktop computers and, particularly, gaming consoles which can use as much electricity as a refrigerator even when not in use thanks to frequent system updates. Chargers are another contributor to the phantom load. A single charger might not be a drain on your bill, but in an increasingly plugged in world, the impact can begin to add up. 

So how can you limit your vampire loads? The obvious solution is to simply unplug devices when not in use and disabling auto-update features that draw power when in rest mode. If you want a limited impact on your daily routine, consider investing in smart power strips. These devices can usually connect to your phone through WiFi or Bluetooth so you can turn them off and on automatically. Many of them even come with surge protection to keep your devices safe during storms or other events that may cause a surge. 

In the digital, connected age, these vampire, or phantom, loads can become a real problem. A little investment and some small changes can end up saving you on your bill. For more energy efficiency information, check out My Energy.

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The Birth of a Cooperative

Thursday | January 3, 2019
This is the first in a three part series chronicling the cooperative’s history leading up to its 80t...