Smart Thermostat Rebate Expiring and Adjustment to EV Make-Ready Wiring Rebate

United Power members qualify for exclusive rebates on the purchase and set-up of beneficial electrification items and projects. Each year, the cooperative evaluates its rebate program and may recommend changes based on the benefit to the cooperative and its members. 

Most of the cooperative’s rebates will remain the same in the upcoming year, including the home efficiency and outdoor power rebates. However, a couple rebates will be discontinued or adjusted after Dec. 31, 2024. 

Smart Thermostat Rebates and Smart Rewards Benefits

Smart Rewards is a program that allows United Power to shift energy use during peak hours and saves the cooperative on expensive power purchases. Those savings are then passed on to the member. 

Enrollment in United Power’s Smart Rewards program is required to qualify for the smart thermostat rebate. Although the rebate will be discontinued for smart thermostats purchased in 2025, members may still participate in the Smart Rewards program and receive a $30 incentive, up from $25 in 2024, for each summer they are enrolled with a qualifying smart thermostat.

Members who enroll in Smart Rewards and purchase a qualifying smart thermostat before Dec. 31, 2024 will still be able to submit a rebate application. 

EV Make-Ready Wiring and United EV

United Power members who are planning to install wiring for at-home electric vehicle (EV) charging qualify for rebates on installations completed through Dec. 31, 2024. 

Members who enroll in the cooperative’s United EV program will still qualify for make-ready wiring rebates in 2025. 

United EV helps members with the up-front costs of home charging, including a ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV charger, wiring rebates, and rates for smart charging. The program is available for a $19/month service charge. 
Rebate applications must be received within 90 days of purchase or installation. 

Rebate applications must be received within 90 days of purchase or installation. 

Engaging with our members and communities is the highest privilege of running an electric cooperative. Understanding our members’ needs and goals allows us to meet — and often exceed — their expectations for providing electricity.

I had the pleasure of visiting two of our business members this past month — Meati Foods, the manufacturer of a “superfood” meat substitute made from mycelium, and several Chevron-owned sites. Although the two businesses could not be more different, they are similar in their visions for the energy future.

Their corporate visions include using electricity to improve operations and reduce their carbon footprint. This strategy aligns with Our Cooperative Roadmap. We have made significant progress in reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions — down 26% since May 1 — and further reductions are planned.

The value of reliable and resilient electric power is core to the business success of both Meati Foods and Chevron. The Rockies Business Unit of Chevron has pioneered the electrification of oil and gas sites, which eliminates the use of diesel generators. The benefits of this solution are a cost-effective alternative to operating and maintaining large generators and a smaller, cleaner, and quieter footprint. One site supervisor told me, “We love [electrification] because it is quiet, does not smell, and we can count on it to work.” Reliable power is also critical for Meati Food’s process, which turns a small handful of mycelium into the meat equivalent of 350 head of cattle in just over three days. Even brief power interruptions create challenges.

In both cases, there is a desire to develop on-site generation and storage that aligns perfectly with United Power’s vision of hyper-localized power, keeping power supply close at hand in a world where transmission congestion is increasing and costs are rising. Keeping generation and storage in our communities has the added benefit of bringing additional tax revenue and jobs. It also bolsters reliability and grid resilience.

As part of our energy transition and the expansion of our power supply portfolio, we broke ground on a unique 162 MW natural gas project in September that exemplifies our hyper-localization strategy. The Mountain Peak Power plant, developed in partnership with Kindle Energy, sits adjacent to one of our rural substations. The site borders a natural gas line and hosts one of our 11 MW battery energy storage systems. Since it all resides on the distribution system, it negates the need for costly transmission. It will help ensure reliability and resource adequacy at times when renewable generation is underproducing. Combined with the on-site battery, it provides a closed loop for power to support our system. 

United Power will also open the state’s largest and the West’s longest duration battery on the distribution system in December. The 33 MW, six-hour battery will be located in Brighton. Further, New ERA funds will be used to offset the cost of solar generation produced in a disadvantaged community in Alamosa County, owned by the same company that will operate the Brighton battery facility. It marks continued progress in expanding resources close to home and means we have nearly 115 MW of critical storage, allowing us to buy low-cost energy to discharge during our peak.

On a final note, we are moving into the “shoulder” months when electric usage is typically lower. It is also when work gets done on generators, substations, and related equipment. There are times when that means we have to take outages for work to be completed safely — especially by our transmission providers. We understand these outages can be inconvenient and will work diligently to communicate when they may occur. I ask you to make sure the contact information on your account is up-to-date so that you do not miss alerts.

A great thank you to your Board of Directors for their vision and support, and to the amazing women and men of United Power, whom I have the honor to serve. As always, please feel free to reach out to me with your questions, comments and concerns.
 

Legal Notice of Attempt to Settle 
Unclaimed Capital Credit Retirements

Commencing on October 31, 2024, and continuing through April 30, 2025, UNITED POWER, INC. (hereafter “United Power” or “the cooperative”), will make a final attempt to pay the unclaimed retirements of capital credits to its former members who were served by the cooperative prior to and through December 31, 2020. This notice does not apply to current United Power members. Representatives for the estates of deceased former members may also apply for unclaimed retired capital credits on behalf of the former member. Former members, or their representatives, who may be eligible to receive these unclaimed retired capital credits can access a list of eligible accounts at the cooperative’s website at www.unitedpower.com, or in person at United Power’s headquarters office located at 500 Cooperative Way in Brighton, Colorado.

Former members or their representatives who may be eligible to receive a payment of unclaimed retired capital credits must complete and submit an Unclaimed Retired Capital Credits Refund Request form (available at www.unitedpower.com) and verify all necessary information to ensure their eligibility for payment. A copy of the Unclaimed Retired Capital Credits Refund Request form may also be requested by emailing capitalcredits@unitedpower.com or by calling United Power’s Member Services line at 303-637-1300.

Submitting an Unclaimed Retired Capital Credits Refund Request form does not guarantee a disbursement will be made; proper documentation and valid proof of membership during the applicable time period is required. No refund checks will be issued for unclaimed retirement amounts below $5.00. Unclaimed retired capital credit refunds can be donated to the United Power Round Up Foundation, which provides assistance to community organizations within the cooperative's service territory. After the notification period closes on April 30, 2025, all unclaimed retired capital credits for the applicable time period will be considered an assignment and contribution of capital to United Power.

Additional questions about this notice and unclaimed retired capital credit refunds should be directed to United Power Member Services at 303-637-1300 or by email to capitalcredits@unitedpower.com.

UNITED POWER, INC.
By: /s/Mark A. Gabriel
President & CEO

Members Invited to Celebrate Cooperative Contributions

Cooperatives are businesses wholly owned by the members they serve and designed to meet a community’s needs. They exist across a multitude of markets and industries, including food and agriculture, finance and banking, consumer retail, insurance, healthcare, and more. Electric distribution cooperatives like United Power were formed more than 85 years ago when farmers and business owners in rural areas of the country observed a need and found a way to meet it. Together, more than 900 electric cooperatives provide power to approximately 75% of the country’s landmass and make up more than 40% of the nation’s electric grid. 

This October, members are invited to join in recognizing National Co-op Month, a celebration of the contributions cooperatives make in our lives. What sets co-ops apart from their for-profit and investor-owned counterparts is the emphasis on serving members and empowering communities. United Power is deeply invested in providing resources to help each community on its lines establish their own unique visions for the future. 

As the communities United Power serves have grown, so too has the cooperative and its commitment to supporting those communities. The co-op has an active and visible presence in the cities and towns it serves. Employees live, work, play, and serve here. Their faces are recognizable on local chamber boards, at nonprofit fundraisers, and at fairs and festivals across the fast-growing communities in United Power’s 900–square–mile service territory. United Power puts money back into the community every year in the form of sponsorships, scholarships, and youth leadership development. 

The cooperative announced an increase of nearly $10,000 in scholarship awards in the spring and introduced two new lineworker scholarships of $7,500 each. In the summer, six local high school students were selected to represent the cooperative on youth leadership trips to Washington, D.C. and Steamboat Springs. In August, the cooperative was the presenting sponsor of the Adams County Fair, one of the largest county fairs in the country, in addition to supporting community celebrations in Fort Lupton, Frederick, Mead, Keenesburg, Gilpin County, and many more. 

While United Power exists to provide safe and reliable power, the cooperative is more than just your local energy provider. The co-op is Here for Good, supporting the economic development and prosperity of its communities and members.

Francis Ashu, Vice President of Member Services, United Power, received a 2024 Alltricity Network Industry Leadership Award during the annual 2024 Alltricity Network Fall Convention on Wednesday, September 18th.

The Industry Leadership Award recognizes individuals whose leadership has made contributions that have made an impact within their organization. These individuals are often active in various industry affiliations, associations and/or organizations that serve the electric energy industry.

Francis joined United Power in 2018 as the Director of Member Services and has served as the Vice President of Member Services since 2022. He has demonstrated outstanding leadership throughout his years of service with the company. Just prior to Francis coming on board, the member services team voted to unionize and ratified a contract. Francis took the helm at a critical time providing guidance to his leadership team on how to manage employees under a collective bargaining unit and working to repair the relationship between management and employees to forge a brighter path for the future.

In addition, Francis has implemented several software solutions including a call center platform, a chat feature on the United Power website with direct access to live representatives, and a customer relationship management software that have significantly improved efficiency and effectiveness with serving the electric distribution members. Francis’ efforts to improve the member service experience contribute directly to supporting United Power’s Cooperative Roadmap - specifically “engage with our members in meaningful ways.”

About Alltricity Network (formerly known as RMEL):

At Alltricity Network, we are redefining what’s possible in electrical energy. We are a diverse community of people who support the US electric energy industry, and together – united through education, networking, and training – our impact is stronger.

Alltricity Network is a not-for-profit energy trade association that has served the electric utility industry with a variety of education and networking services since 1903. Alltricity Network’s mission is: Preparing the electric energy industry for the future through education and networking. Formerly known as the Rocky Mountain Electrical League and RMEL, the association officially became Alltricity Network in the 2024 to better reflect a membership base that spans the entire country.

For more information about Alltricity Network, visit our website: AlltricityNetwork.org.

United Power is pleased to announce the hiring of Susan Aldridge as the cooperative’s Director of Government Relations and Deputy General Counsel.

“Given her extensive background in land development and energy concerns, Susan will be a strong addition to our team,” stated Robin Z. Meidhof, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. “She brings a unique blend of experience and legal expertise that will help us as we work with our legislators locally and nationally to address key issues impacting United Power’s efforts to hyper-localize and meet the state’s clean energy mandates while ensuring we can serve our members reliable energy at affordable rates.”

Aldridge holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Arizona State University and a Juris Doctor and Masters in Public Administration from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law in Minnesota. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel for a local reclamation/construction company whose primary customers are oil and gas, solar, and various land development businesses. Her work history includes both private practice and in-house counsel roles in addition to handling regulatory and external affairs in the oil and gas industry, focusing on land use regulation, local government permitting, compliance, stakeholder relations, and social investment. She is an avid champion of children, serving as a board member for the Two Angels Foundation, whose mission is increasing recreational opportunities for children with physical disabilities and served several years on the board of Tennyson Center for Children.

“United Power has built a leadership team that complements the goals of the cooperative,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power CEO and President. “Our focus on what our members need is paramount, and listening to our local leaders and community partners is key to the cooperative’s continued success. Susan is a talented addition to our team and will help strengthen our advocacy efforts at the statehouse and beyond.”

NOTICE OF MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO AMEND THE BYLAWS OF UNITED POWER, INC.

DATE OF NOTICE: September 6, 2024

NOTICE OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS OF UNITED POWER, INC. 
500 COOPERATIVE WAY, BRIGHTON, COLORADO 80603.

The Board of Directors Proposes to amend the Bylaws of United Power, Inc. as follows:

• Establishes eligibility requirements for any director candidate to assure he/she is in good standing with the cooperative.
• Extending the required period of membership for eligible director candidates from two (2) years to three (3) years.
• Extending the required period for a prior cooperative employee, prior employee of a statewide association of electric cooperatives, an electric generation and transmission cooperative, material supply cooperative, financial cooperative, national electric cooperative, or other entity in which the electric cooperative is a member, or has been a member, or a close relative of a prior employee of the cooperative must wait before being eligible to serve as a director from three (3) years to ten (10) years.
• Defines the requirements a person representing a legal entity must meet to be eligible to be a candidate for a director. 

A complete redline of the proposed changes is available on the cooperative’s website at www.unitedpower.com, or members may obtain a hardcopy at any United Power office, or via mail by calling 303-637-1300 and requesting that a copy be mailed to them at the address on file with the cooperative.

Pursuant to Article 11, Section 8 of the Bylaws of United Power Inc., you are hereby notified that the Board of Directors of United Power, Inc. proposes to adopt the following amendment(s) to United Power’s bylaws at a meeting of the Board to be held on October 23, 2024, unless a written petition is filed at United Power’s headquarters before close of business on October 22, 2024, signed by 100 or more Members, protesting the proposed amendments. 

UNITED POWER, INC. By: /s/Stephen Whiteside, Secretary of the Board