United Power is enlisting the help of local children to create electrical safety posters that will be displayed for National Electrical Safety Month in May. Kids in grades kindergarten through fifth are invited to submit their creative ideas that incorporate electrical safety concepts or safety tips for the community.

Winning posters will be used in May to commemorate National Electrical Safety Month—an annual, nationwide campaign to raise awareness about electrical hazards. Six winning designs will be selected, one from each grade. Winning posters will be displayed throughout the United Power service territory—in print, online and on select bus benches. The winner from each grade will also be awarded a $50 cash prize.

The deadline for Electrical Safety Poster Contest entries is Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Posters must be submitted on the official coloring contest entry form, which is available at any United Power office, our website, and will be included in the February & March United Newsline, United Power’s monthly newsletter mailed directly to members. United Power employees will judge posters based on creativity and illustration of a key electrical safety concept.  Winners will be announced by Friday, March 30, 2018.

Contest Details

• Child must be a dependent of a United Power member.
• Winners will receive $50 cash awards.
• Six winners will be chosen. One from each grade K-5.
• Winning posters will appear online, in print and on bus benches for the month May.
• Entries must be submitted on the official contest entry form.
• DEADLINE: MARCH 21, 2018

Electrical Safety Tips

• Stay away from powerlines & electrical equipment.
• Use care when plugging & unplugging.
• Never mix electricity & water.
• Never stick toys or other objects into electrical outlets.
• Don’t overload outlets.
• Ask an adult for help ‑ you can never be too safe!

Attend a Meet the Candidate Forum to learn more about each of the candidates vying to serve on the Board of Directors in the 2018 Director Election to be held on April 18th. The following events are free to members. Light refreshments will be served. RSVPs are not required.

Monday, March 19, 2018 | 6:30 p.m.
Adams County Fairgrounds – Waymire Dome
9755 Henderson Road Brighton, CO 80601

Tuesday, March 20, 2018 | 7:30 a.m.
Fort Lupton Recreation Center
203 S. Harrison Ave. Fort Lupton, CO 80621

Thursday, March 22, 2018 | 7:30 a.m.
Coal Creek Canyon Community Center
31528 Highway 72 Golden, CO 80403

Friday, March 23, 2018 | 7:30 a.m.
E.L.F. Grill
102 8th Street Dacono, CO 80514

Have you ever received a notification from United Power informing you of a “planned outage?” You may have wondered, “What is a planned outage?” and “Why does my electric utility need to perform one?” Occasionally, the equipment we use to bring power to your home needs to be replaced, repaired, or updated. When this happens, as a way to keep our crews and you safe, we plan an interruption to electric service.

We do our best to plan these outages during times when members will be the least inconvenienced. We also try to avoid planning these outages during winter or summer months. We understand these are peak times of the year when you depend on running your heating and cooling units the most.

While they may sound slightly inconvenient, planned outages are actually beneficial to you. Regular system upgrades are necessary for optimal performance, and they increase reliability. Repairing and upgrading our equipment is also critical to maintaining public safety. If older lines need to be replaced, we plan for it, repair or replace it, and that keeps everyone safe.

Planned outages also allow us to keep you informed of when and how long you will be without power. In most cases, we will notify you in advance, by telephone, before an outage, so you can be prepared.

We will also keep you aware of when line crews will be working in your area. Here at United Power, we want to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep you safe and to keep our system running smoothly. So the next time you hear about a planned outage, know that it is one of the best ways we can provide you with quality electric service.