85th Anniversary and Wholesale Power Contract Exit Highlight Co-op’s Year

United Power celebrated its 85th year of serving members along Colorado’s northern Front Range and the cooperative’s successful transition to an independent electric utility in 2024. The two historic milestones represented significant achievements for the cooperative, which has grown from its roots as a small rural utility serving a few hundred members on large farmlands to one of the fastest growing cooperatives in the country. 

Rapid residential growth and economic development throughout United Power’s service territory, along with rising wholesale power costs and limitations under its former power contract, required the cooperative to pursue more flexible and affordable power agreements to facilitate an anticipated surge in demand over the coming decade and beyond. Independence provides the freedom and flexibility necessary to meet these needs effectively and in the most financially beneficial way for the cooperative’s members.

Leadership is constantly surveying the horizon and proactively preparing for future shifts in the industry to assure its members that United Power is and will always be Here for Good. 

What is Here for Good? 

United Power has deployed groundbreaking innovation to manage peak power costs while curating an industry-leading power portfolio designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand generation resources close to home. The cooperative’s efforts prepare it for growing demand on its grid. Being Here for Good means taking coordinated steps to build a resilient system that provides safe and reliable power. It also means United Power will continue to be your electric provider now and into the future. 

Delivering uninterrupted power is the core of an electric utility. But being Here for Good means more to a cooperative. It also means supporting and empowering the communities it serves. United Power advocates for the educational goals of its local students, partners with local nonprofits, and even extends its support beyond the service territory to assist disadvantaged communities. It is just some of the many ways the cooperative remains Here for Good.

Innovating Power Supply on the Distribution System

United Power has long been an industry leader for innovative generation on its distribution system. New power supply agreements and strategic partnerships announced ahead of the co-op’s wholesale power contract exit last year gave members confidence it would continue delivering excellence in reliability and resiliency. Thanks to long-term planning and forecasting, the co-op secured a diverse generation mix of traditional energy assets, greenhouse gas reducing generation, and innovative projects to meet its members’ needs as the co-op grows.

The cooperative’s efforts to seek cleaner and more flexible power options were recognized in September when it was selected as a finalist to receive funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Empowering Rural America (New ERA) Program. United Power is eligible to receive up to $261 million to offset 25% of the cost of seven power purchase agreements for renewable energy resources that will provide 760 MW to members by 2030.

Throughout the year, United Power also received grants to assist in the completion of two local microgrid projects. The Department of Energy awarded the cooperative up to $6.1 million toward a floating solar system connected to a battery storage system in Fort Lupton to power the city’s water treatment plant, replacing an aged diesel generator with clean and renewable energy. Another project to install a series of mini microgrid systems at rural fire protection facilities in Coal Creek, Dacono, Frederick, and Lochbuie received $700,000 from Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs. 

Construction on one of United Power’s newest innovative energy project was completed in July. The multi-location battery energy storage system (BESS) was announced in 2023 in partnership with Ameresco. The peak-mitigating asset charges when energy costs are low and discharges when costs are high, which not only reduces the cooperative’s energy demand but also helps manage wholesale energy costs. It is the largest BESS asset in Ameresco’s portfolio. A similar project in partnership with Whetstone Power was completed in December. Together, the batteries provide more than 110 MW of energy storage across nine locations throughout the cooperative’s service territory. 

Another resource that will be available soon is the Mountain Peak Power Plant in Keenesburg, which broke ground in September. The peaking unit is being built in partnership with Kindle Energy to add 162 MW of natural gas capacity to the system. The plant is located directly adjacent to a natural gas line, making the construction more economical. It also ensures greater flexibility when power costs are high and resource adequacy when renewable energy generation is low or in extreme weather conditions. 

United Power also has additional projects under construction and expected to come online soon, including a 150 MW solar farm power purchase agreement with NextEra. Watch the co-op’s website for more updates about innovative projects and partnerships. 

Participating in Local Communities

United Power is frequently visible around the community, most often due to the cooperative’s ongoing support for local fairs and festivals. However, being Here for Good extends to other ways it supports the local community and its members.

The cooperative has annually awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships to local students pursuing postsecondary educational opportunities, but keeping the lights on is difficult work that requires highly skilled and trained professional lineworkers. Our crews receive years of on-the-job training following graduation from a line school program. That is why the cooperative introduced a new scholarship program to advance the profession. Four $7,500 scholarships were awarded in December.

Member Choice Grants allow members to nominate local nonprofits to receive funds that enable them to continue serving their communities and achieving their mission. The program was renewed for a fifth year, and six $2,000 grants were awarded based on nominations submitted in 2024.

Employees also gave back to local nonprofits in recognition of National Co-op Month in October. More than 80 employees volunteered for eight service projects located at nonprofits located throughout the service territory. Their participation was a visible demonstration of the co-op’s core principle of concern for the community, and a reminder that a spirit of service is important for thriving communities.

Occasionally, United Power’s support extends beyond its borders to help meet the needs of families in disadvantaged areas. This past year, lineworkers were dispatched to the Navajo Nation to provide power to those families for the first time. The cooperative provided additional supplies and equipment for projects in July and again in October.

As United Power looks ahead to its next 85 years, we want to remind members that the cooperative is Here for Good. That looks like planning for your future power needs and helping each of the communities we serve reach their full potential through our continued support for their vision. Your cooperative is Here for Good. 

Partners to collaborate on fifth joint energy project since 2014

Brighton, CO – United Power, Inc. (United Power), an electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern front range, announces the signing of a power purchase agreement for its latest solar resource, the 150-megawatt (MW) Byers Solar Farm. Located in Adams County, 10 miles northeast of Byers, the new solar installation is being developed in partnership with Silicon Ranch, one of the nation’s largest independent power producers and a community-focused renewable energy company.

“As United Power continues to add to its diverse power portfolio, the Byers Solar Farm illustrates the best-case scenario for local production,” said Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “Our partnership with Silicon Ranch allows us to build this project with the latest technology and development techniques to optimize the use of the site. Additionally, there are strong financial and environmental incentives for generating and delivering clean, renewable electricity locally.”

The solar farm will be built, owned, and operated by Silicon Ranch, who will also be responsible for its operation and maintenance, with United Power purchasing all the power it produces. As the long-term owner of both the facility and the underlying property, Silicon Ranch is taking a thoughtful approach to stewardship of the land, with plans to establish short grass prairie at the site by pre-seeding ahead of construction. In addition, the company is exploring opportunities to employ managed sheep grazing on the site, through its Regenerative Energy® platform of land stewardship that it deploys at sites across the country, including the Mavericks Solar Farm that serves United Power. 

“Silicon Ranch is honored by the trust and confidence that United Power and its members continue to place in our company to deliver value on their behalf, and we are grateful for the opportunity to expand our relationship and the positive impact we can have together,” said Silicon Ranch Co-Founder and CEO Reagan Farr. “As we enter our second decade of partnership with United Power, Silicon Ranch looks forward to continuing our meaningful work together by collaborating to help make communities stronger, healthier, and more resilient here in northern Colorado.”

United Power has partnered with Silicon Ranch on four other energy infrastructure projects since 2014 – Fort Lupton Solar (13 MW), Mavericks Solar (6.5 MW), Platteville Solar (16 MW), and Rattlesnake Solar (6 MW). Each of these installations, located within the cooperative’s service territory, was developed working closely with local governments and neighboring landowners to make sure the projects fulfilled the needs of each community and United Power.

“Byers Solar Farm continues United Power’s march toward energy independence,” said Gabriel. “Since leaving our wholesale power contract on May 1, 2024, United Power has worked to build a power portfolio that both reduces our carbon emissions and stabilizes our costs. Our vision to diversify and hyper-localize power production will pay dividends to cooperative members in an increasingly volatile energy market.”

Learn more about United Power and its ongoing energy transition plans in Our Cooperative Roadmap.

About United Power:

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 co-ops in the nation, serving nearly 114,000 meters. Its 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 United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

About Silicon Ranch:

Founded in 2011, Silicon Ranch is a fully integrated provider of customized solar energy, battery storage, and carbon solutions. The company is one of the largest independent power producers in the U.S., with a portfolio that includes more than seven gigawatts of solar and battery storage systems that are contracted, under construction, or operating across the U.S. and Canada. Silicon Ranch owns and operates every project in its portfolio and has maintained an unrivaled track record of project execution. Silicon Ranch has the largest wholly owned agrivoltaics portfolio in the country under Regenerative Energy®, its nationally recognized holistic approach to project design, construction, and land stewardship. This model incorporates regenerative ranching and other regenerative land stewardship practices to restore soil health, promote biodiversity, and improve water quality. Silicon Ranch’s carbon solutions platform, Clearloop, helps businesses of all sizes reclaim their carbon footprint by commissioning new solar projects in American communities where significant economic and environmental benefits can be achieved. To learn more, visit siliconranch.com and clearloop.us. Follow Silicon Ranch on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 
 

Recipients Received $7,500 for Enrollment Costs at a Dedicated Power Line Program

Keeping the lights on is difficult and requires a detailed understanding of how electrical systems work. Without proper training and instruction, however, it can also be incredibly dangerous. Power line programs prepare individuals with the skills and safety awareness necessary for their future careers as lineworkers. As beneficial electrification accelerates across the country, it is also a field that is in high demand. Lineworkers often have access to excellent opportunities including job security, high pay, and exceptional benefits.

United Power awarded four lineworker scholarships to Colorado residents pursuing a career in the profession as part of its Community Benefit Plan through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) Program. 

Parker Horton, Divide, CO
Trinidad State Rocky Mountain Lineman School

Horton became interested in a professional career as a lineworker after a conversation with a close family friend, mentor, and retired lineworker. Horton found the career pathway compelling because of its vital role in providing access to electricity, and is eager to contribute to an essential service. 

Zackery Johnson, Thornton, CO
Trinidad State Rocky Mountain Lineman School

Johnson is pursuing a career as a lineworker because he wants to provide power for the community and provide help after natural disasters. Johnson said enrolling in a power line program interested him because he would like to learn more about the electrical system that powers the country. 

Katie Killinen, Bayfield, CO
Colorado Mesa University Tech, Electrical Lineworker Program

Killinen was an intern for La Plata Electric Association over the summer in 2024. She is pursuing line work as a career because it is challenging and rewarding and also enables her to work outside and problem solve with other people. She finds the concepts and theories in electrical work interesting. 

Griffin Steele, Fort Collins, CO
Trinidad State Rocky Mountain Lineman School

Steele has been working with Fort Collins Water for a year, but has been looking for an opportunity to pursue line work. His favorite part of working in utilities is the sense of purpose it provides. Line work would add a challenge to that sense of purpose and provide a stable long-term career. 

No one dislikes power outages more than those of us in the electric utility business. In a world of increasing dependence on quality electric power, the task of keeping the lights on is more critical — and challenging — every day.

Coupled with the dramatic increase in electrification across dozens of industries and businesses, our members’ requirements for reliable supply increases with each passing day. More people working from home, spurred by the pandemic, has only exacerbated the need for greater reliability — and its cousin, resiliency. 

The only business I know that measures as many statistical categories as the electric industry is baseball, where every play is broken down into records dating back decades. Balls, strikes, batting percentages, hits with runners in scoring position — even the number of strikes versus balls — are all analyzed and used to change the game. 

Our “batting averages” in the electric industry are things like SAIDI* (the duration of outages), SAIFI* (frequency of outages), and MAIFI* (momentary average interruption frequency). We measure and report on dozens of indices and make investments to continuously improve. We call balls and strikes on ourselves as we get better. It is also why we keep investing in new technologies, such as our outage management system, and have expanded how we use data from our advanced metering infrastructure and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. We mine the alphabet soup of technologies in the never-ending pursuit to keep the lights on. 

However, even with our efforts, any outage or momentary blip can cause headaches. That is why we work so diligently to manage our system to avoid such incidents.

Why do the lights “go out” unexpectedly? United Power’s leading causes of outages are critters and crashes, followed by weather and equipment failure. Sometimes our transmission providers have incidents. There are also certain times we must take outages to upgrade equipment. Much of our system is underground — a tremendous investment, but one that pays dividends over time. But even undergrounding electrical service does not make the system immune from outages. In fact, underground faults can be more difficult to find and take more time to repair.

Digitalization of our lives has also made the quality of power more challenging. Older lights, motors, and machinery had a wide range of electric tolerance. This was as true in the home as it was in industry. Today’s digitalized equipment means the tolerance of even a temporary dip in power can make a difference. Some additional sensitivity comes from things like new refrigerators which try to match the motor size to load for energy efficiency, but also tolerates less voltage fluctuations. Think back to refrigerators that last 20 years or more versus today.

United Power operates at the distribution level, or the wires that bring electricity directly to homes and businesses. We strive to keep the lights on. In the past, 99.99% of ASAI* (average system “up time”) was sufficient. That meant, on average, just eight minutes of outage time per year, which was acceptable in the past but challenging in today’s digital environment. While 99.99% is good for many things, 99.999% is even better, meaning just eight seconds of outage time. Even that, however, is not fault tolerant enough in some situations. There is a very real limitation to what is possible across a large distribution network serving a significant number of varying electric loads. 

It is therefore important to understand that while we do everything possible to keep the electrons flowing, there are limitations across this broad system. It is why even in our cooperative offices every computer has a backup power supply, and our building has a backup generator.

Winter weather is upon us, and we will work to keep the lights on. This is only possible due to the brave women and men of United Power who work diligently though snow, sleet, and freezing rain to restore power. As always, please feel free to reach out to me with your questions, comments, and concerns.

United Power's offices will be closed on Thursday, November 28^th and Friday, November 29^th for Thanksgiving. Our dispatch center and crews remain on-call 24 hours per day for outages and emergencies.

Members can access their account online, or pay by phone by calling 866-999-4485 24 hours per day. 

We hope all of our members enjoy a relaxing and safe Thanksgiving.