Employees Volunteered at Eight “Here for Good” Service Projects in October

United Power is proud to support the service organizations that add value to the communities in its territory. Dozens of nonprofits and not-for-profits are helping meet a variety of needs for cooperative members, including mental health therapy, housing and food security, outdoor recreation, and more.

The cooperative recognized National Co-op Month in October and celebrated its commitment to communities by collaborating with eight of these organizations on employee service projects. More than 80 United Power employees participated. 

“These organizations are the heart of our communities, and we are proud of the participation we received from employees,” said Julie Stewart, United Power’s Community Outreach Specialist. “The response from our employees was tremendous — they were excited to roll up their sleeves and get to work.”

United Power employees completed several beautification and facility improvement projects that freed the organizations’ staff and volunteers to focus on more important tasks like programming and planning to support the clients they serve. 

Some of  the projects included staining wooden structures for protection from winter weather at Barr Lake and the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center; painting and updating community areas at Graceful Oaks Youth Ranch; removing old flooring for renovations at the Carbon Valley Help Center; and mud mitigation at Allegiance Ranch. Employees also sorted and organized food for redistribution at Pastor’s Pantry, the Fort Lupton Food & Clothing Bank, and Food for Hope. 

“It was a lot of fun representing United Power in the community,” said Member Services Representative Julie Vogel. “I am really thankful we were able to do this.” 

These organizations are a reminder that the cooperative serves thriving communities thanks to our members’ spirits of service and commitment to giving back. Residents recognized an important need in their community and found a way to meet it, which resembles the very way electric cooperatives were formed more than 85 years ago. They are Here for Good, and so is United Power.

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.