Following the results of a year-long trial of a pilot demand rate, the United Power Board of Directors agreed to a phase-in plan of a residential demand rate to replace the current rate structure.

“Since we have detailed information about how members use power in their homes, the new demand rate will be a fairer way for us to bill members for their use,” stated Dean Hubbuck, Director of Power Supply and Rates. “The impact on the system from residential users is lower than commercial customers, and their rates will reflect the difference. We believe a modest demand charge with a reasonable energy rate is the best way to recover our costs.”

The dynamic pricing model will provide a more fair cost structure, and gives members an ability to control their costs by staggering the use of electric appliances.

Learning about how a demand rate works will take a lot of communication, so the five year period is being used to help our members and employees better understand the rate and how members can control their costs with some simple strategies.

All members will now be seeing a new line on their bill simply entitled “Demand Charge.” Initially, there will not be a dollar amount attached to this line item while we provide the information as education for members. By adding the new line it will allow members to see an actual number that corresponds to their use. In 2019 United Power will institute a demand charge and that will slowly increase, with a corresponding reduction in the energy charge.

United Power has been actively communicating how a demand charge works via the newsletter United Newsline and members can find more information about Residential Demand here on our website. This information is being presented ahead of the rate change so our members have the opportunity to gain an understanding of this new way of thinking about their electric consumption.

Many members will see very little change in their bills, but some members who use more energy all at once may be more heavily affected, and without the demand rate they have been driving up costs for other users. We will continue to communicate about these changes via the newsletter and our website.

In June, United Power proudly joined with local electric cooperatives from around the country to sponsor teenagers from small towns and cities to spend a week in the nation’s capital learning about the political process and interacting with their elected officials. The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been a tradition among cooperatives since the late 1950s.

The origins of the Youth Tour date back to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s 1957 annual meeting in Chicago, where keynote speaker and future president Lyndon B. Johnson suggested sending youth to the capital to “actually see what the flag stands for and represents.” 

What began with a small group of 34 students from Iowa in 1958 has since ballooned to nearly 2,000 students from 42 states. To date, nearly 50,000 students have participated in the program.

This year, United Power sponsored three local students to represent the cooperative during the 2018 Youth Tour – Hannah Rockwell of Weld Central High School, Jordyn Saffy of Eagle Ridge Academy, and Megan Lewis of Frederick High School.

Between meetings with elected officials, learning the value of the cooperatives they represent and developing leadership skills, students were able to spend time touring some of Washington D.C.’s landmarks and memorials. Before flying out, Colorado students were also treated to a high-voltage safety demonstration at United Power’s headquarters in Brighton, Colo. 

Each year United Power selects three ambitious high school students to attend Youth Tour. Applications to represent the cooperative during next year’s tour will be available in December. 
 

This past month, United Power announced a new line item would be appearing on member electric bills to prepare them for a new rate structure taking effect next year. The new line item, a Demand Charge, will not have a cost associated immediately, but will show the member’s highest usage interval in kilowatts (kW) from the previous month. The Demand Charge line item is appearing on bills now with no charge to give members an opportunity to understand how this new rate can help them better manage their energy costs.

Members on the standard residential rate are very familiar with total energy used, which is billed in kilowatt-hours (kWh). But the new residential demand rate will also measure the power, or demand component of electricity consumption, which is measured in kilowatts (kW). This demand component is something that many customers are less familiar with, so let’s talk about “watt” drives your demand.

Demand is measured in kilowatts (kW). One kilowatt equals 1,000 watts, which is the equivalent of turning on ten 100-watt light bulbs at once. Understanding the wattage of your household appliances will help you take control of your energy bill, but where can you learn more about this information?

Common wattage ratings can be found online, or by using tools like a Kill-A-Watt monitor. Below are some sample wattage ratings for common household appliances. Remember: the larger the wattage of an appliance, and the more appliances you operate at once, the higher the impact it can have on the energy usage and demand on your overall electric bill. 

Now is the time to pay attention to your energy use patterns. Staggering the use of higher wattage appliances will be the easiest way to manage your electric bill under the new rate structure. How many appliances do you run at once? Do you come home and turn everything on after the house has been empty all day? Are you using technology to help you remember to offset energy use like timers, delay start settings and programmable thermostats? Focusing on how you’re using your household appliances will help you see the corresponding affect to your energy and demand, and United Power’s new Demand rate will put you in the driver’s seat of your electric bill. 

Training Yard Offers New Possibilities for Linemen Training

If you’ve driven by United Power’s headquarters off I-76 in Brighton, you may have noticed the series of poles and wires going up along the eastern edge of its property. Earlier this year, the cooperative began construction on its new, state-of-the-art outdoor linemen training facility. 

Once completed, the new training yard will feature multiple phases for linemen to practice and prepare for real scenarios they may encounter in the field. The two most prominent phases visible at the moment are the high poles, situated throughout the training yard, and the short poles, along the southern side of the yard. 

While high poles are standard place on utility training yards and in linemen schools, short poles are an innovative idea brought to the cooperative all the way from Las Vegas through journeyman lineman Jeff Soole. These allow linemen to practice regular maintenance and upgrades while instructors are able to watch from below. 

“It’s a training tool with endless possibilities,” said Operations Superintendent Mike Lanckriet. “It can be what we need it to be whenever we need it. It has the ability to constantly evolve depending on what we need to train for.” 

Before construction of the training yard, linemen often had to learn by watching more experienced linemen in the field. However, even experienced linemen may encounter rare or unknown situations. The training yard allows them to train for both rare and routine tasks. 

In addition to training current linemen on various tasks and responsibilities, it has already proven useful in helping attract more qualified and capable linemen to join the Operations team.

“It’s not going to be as large as a training yard at a line school, but once it’s completed it will be comparable,” Lanckriet said. 

United Power is one of the state’s first cooperatives to begin construction on a training yard and phase in an innovative training regimen for its linemen. 
 

Adams County Fair Returns August 1-5, 2018

The childhood spirit is one of nearly unbreakable confidence, unflinching resilience and endless tenacity. When toddlers get knocked down, they get back up, dust the dirt off and are ready to go another round (or five). For years, the Adams County Fair has provided an opportunity to channel that spirit into a popular rugrat rodeo activity – Mutton Bustin’. 

Mutton Bustin’ will return with the fair in August, but will introduce an exciting new change from previous event formats. In previous years, children lined up in hopes of participating, but only a select few riders were able to compete on opening night before the event vanished from the Fair. However, due to high demand, the Adams County Fair plans to host Mutton Bustin’ all five days this year, allowing more children to experience the thrills of rodeo life. 

For those unfamiliar with mutton busting, also known as wool riding, the sport gently introduces children to the rough and tumble world of bull riding, but on the backs of more mild ewes. Youthful hopefuls between the ages of 4-7 weighing less than 60 pounds are able to compete. Riders don protective gear, including a vest and helmet with metal face guard, before straddling a sheep in an individual chute and awaiting their opportunity for glory. 

Much like their adult counterparts, who earned reputations on the backs of formidably powerful steers and bulls, wool riders must maintain perfect balance on the ewe in order to earn a score. Ride for six seconds, and a score is awarded. Highest score wins a round. 

While Mutton Bustin’ has certainly been a crowd favorite over the years, the Adams County Fair features several other exciting kid-friendly activities, including bounce houses, ropes courses, zip lines, laser tag and a toddler zone. On Friday, Aug. 3, 9NEWS Kids Day will return, featuring appearances from local mascots, including the Rockies’ Dinger, the Avalanche’s Bernie and Bronco cheerleaders, as well as a United Power booth.