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Consider a Medical Device Backup Plan
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Friday | March 20, 2020
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United Power members who rely on medical devices in their homes may be more greatly impacted by extended outages, like the ones we experienced on Thursday.
United Power members who rely on medical devices in their homes may be more greatly impacted by extended outages, like the ones we experienced on Thursday due to dense snow and high winds. Although we make every effort to quickly and safely restore power, we cannot provide a specific time frame for when your power will be restored. The cooperative encourages members who require electricity to power their medical devices to develop a comprehensive backup plan in the event an outage extends beyond their battery’s supply limits.
As your cooperative, we make every effort to provide reliable power. Our line crews have performed system improvements that have resulted in increased reliability rates year over year. However, there are numerous reasons your home could be impacted by a prolonged power outage, and we want to remind you to consider how to care for yourself or a loved one in such an event.
We encourage members who are dependent on electrically powered medical devices in their homes to consider their needs before an outage occurs. Registering with United Power places a “medical alert flag” on your account, allowing us to contact you in the event of an outage. This alert flag, however, does not guarantee we will be able to restore your power as quickly as you might need. Something to consider is an alternative source of energy, such as extra batteries or a backup generator. You should also contact your medical provider to determine other supplies you should keep on hand for emergencies, such as supplemental oxygen.
United Power recommends having an evacuation plan for worst case scenarios during significant weather events. Depending on your battery backup’s supply limits, having a plan in place to move to an alternate location is encouraged.
You can also help United Power by immediately reporting an outage or other electrical emergency. Don’t assume we are aware of your outage. To report an outage, log into your online account at www.unitedpower.com/smarthub or by calling our outage reporting line at 303-637-1350.
More information related to medically necessary devices can be found online at our Medical Devices page.
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Continued Growth and Innovation
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Friday | March 1, 2019
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This is the final piece in a three part series chronicling the cooperative’s history leading up to its 80th Annual Meeting this April.
In the years leading up to its 75th anniversary in 2013, United Power experienced unprecedented growth for an electric cooperative, more than doubling in size. The way the cooperative serves its members has changed with the development and advancement of technology available to both provide power for and communicate with its members. This is the final piece in a three part series chronicling the cooperative’s history leading up to its 80th Annual Meeting this April.
Following the addition of Brighton to the United Power family in 1993, the cooperative entered into a period of unprecedented growth. Since adding Brighton, United Power has grown more than five times in size, remaining one of the fastest growing cooperatives in the country over the past 25 years.
Much of United Power’s growth could be attributed to Denver’s continued northeast expansion. In the 1990s, construction on Denver International Airport was completed adjacent to the cooperative’s service territory and E-470 was extended into its southern quadrant. This provided greater access to the area, which offered affordable housing options and the opportunity to grow with the communities, mimicking the growth of Northglenn and Thornton years earlier.
Knowing it would serve new electrical loads from homes and businesses moving into the area, United Power pursued an active role with communities as they planned for future growth and planned infrastructure to support that growth.
As new residents flocked northeast to Brighton and its surrounding communities and north along the I-25 corridor, the cooperative outgrew the “typical” rural electric mold. The difference gave United Power new financial clout, allowing it to become the responsive utility the members and communities it served needed.
United Power constantly surveys technical innovations that can help better provide electric service that’s safe, reliable and cost-effective. The ongoing evolution of technology has created a cooperative that looks far different today than it did just a few years ago, and United Power has adopted a strategy placing it at the forefront of innovation among cooperatives across the country.
United Power has taken proactive steps to keep power flowing while providing members with the tools necessary to monitor and control their usage. Improvements to the cooperative’s infrastructure monitoring system, Supervisory Control and Data System (SCADA), provide more information related to outages and potential problems. The newly installed Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) allows members to view detailed information related to their usage trends and history through the Power Portal.
Over the past few years, United Power has also installed innovative renewable programs as the technology has become easier and cheaper to obtain and install. From powering the country’s first community solar field to the state’s largest battery storage facility, the promise of a more efficient and economical future sits on the back of the innovations in technology that have helped to move the cooperative forward.
Over the past 80 years, United Power has grown from a small rural electric cooperative serving just over 100 members to a progressive urban cooperative with more than 90,000 meters. It has overcome a competitive buyout bid from the state’s largest investor-owned electric utility, and set the bar for other cooperatives to follow as it adopts new and innovative technology. United Power is proud to celebrate 80 years of serving its members and providing safe and reliable power.
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Cooperative Roadmap 2.0
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Monday | February 24, 2025
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Updated Roadmap is the collective vision to successfully deliver on cooperative's mission.
Updated Roadmap is Collective Vision to Successfully Deliver on Co-op’s Mission
United Power debuted its landmark action plan for preparing and adapting to industry changes nearly three years ago as it was about to enter new territory as an independent electric utility. Our Cooperative Roadmap (Roadmap) was a coordinated effort by co-op staff to identify a collective vision to guide the utility’s future decisions. The action plan is ever-evolving, proactively responding to anticipated shifts in the electric industry, and ensures United Power maintains its competitive advantage as an industry leader in power supply innovation, system performance, and member satisfaction.
It was the strategic direction provided in the Roadmap’s first iteration that helped United Power secure a diverse portfolio of power supply agreements to meet the cooperative’s needs as it grows over the next several years. These agreements have already reduced the cooperative’s greenhouse gas emissions by 26% since May. United Power’s commitment to reducing emissions was a driving factor in obtaining nearly $262 million through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) Program to support its clean energy transition. The Roadmap was also pivotal in providing investor confidence to help finance the move toward independence, deploying an innovative battery energy storage system to mitigate peak costs, and breaking ground on a natural gas plant to ensure resource adequacy and flexibility.
Five guiding principles were identified to help the cooperative define, implement, and evaluate the Roadmap’s focus areas:
Safety. Prioritize safety in every decision and action. Safety is reflected in every aspect of United Power’s operations by fostering a culture of transparency, trust, and teamwork.
Reliability. Striving to deliver high-quality, uninterrupted service to members through the design, operation, protection, and maintenance of a robust and resilient electric distribution system.
Affordability. Commitment to securing fair and competitive wholesale rates, managing costs, and responsibly allocating those costs across the membership with stable and transparent rate options.
Flexibility. Demonstrate maximum agility and adaptiveness through forward-looking plans, versatile and innovative programs and business models, and diverse power supply options as the cooperative responds to changes in its environment and the needs of members and communities.
Responsibility. Act ethically, sustainably, and in the best interest of members and communities as the cooperative manages operations and secures resources.
The four strategic focus areas identified in the first version of the Roadmap remain relatively the same in the updated Roadmap, stretching across all the core functions of the cooperative, including power supply; system reliability and resiliency; data safety and security; and member programs and community engagement.
Empower and Engage with Members and Communities
Electric cooperatives are owned by the members they serve, which means the members are not just consumers but stakeholders in the cooperative’s success.
Members can vote for who represents them on the United Power Board of Directors through the annual Director Election, but the cooperative also gives back to the community in many ways.
United Power is a community partner, helping them establish their goals and visions. This includes understanding the unique needs and challenges of the communities and businesses the cooperative serves. The co-op supports the economic vitality of local communities through collaboration with local leaders and economic development organizations on growth initiatives and assists businesses with energy advice and expertise to help them meet legislative and regulatory targets.
Provide Flexible, Affordable, Responsible Power and Services
As the needs of the distribution system have increased, so has the need for United Power to evolve and optimize the supply of power and services to its members.
Becoming an independent electric utility provided United Power with more flexibility over its power supply options. The cooperative added more than 110 MW of battery energy storage to its distribution system last year and broke ground on an innovative gas peaking plant for an additional 160 MW of resource adequacy. The cooperative continues to pursue cost efficient power supply contracts while limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
Continuously Optimize the Electric Distribution System
The optimization of the electric distribution system is paramount as the cooperative confronts increasing demands and complexities driven by rapid electrification, the integration of distributed energy resources, and the evolving expectation of members.
United Power has experienced consecutive years of record-breaking reliability, ranking among the best electric utilities in the country. The cooperative’s strategic maintenance plan and innovative system design continue to provide positive results and demonstrate remarkable success.
Achieve and Maintain Business Agility and Resilience
Business agility and resilience are key investments of United Power’s strategic and operational plans.
Advancing technologies play a critical role in how United Power responds to and prevents outages. The cooperative is working to replace its distributed energy resource management system by early 2026 to better manage system operations and plans to roll out new tools to better manage materials and projects.
Our Cooperative Roadmap, along with news and updates about its implementation, can be found here.
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Crossing A Meter Milestone
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Tuesday | July 13, 2021
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United Power surpasses 100,000 meters, becoming the second in Colorado - and 31st nationwide - to reach the milestone.
United Power Just the 31st Cooperative Nationally to Reach 100,000 Meters
United Power in June became one of just a handful of electric cooperatives nationwide to surpass 100,000 meters. The achievement highlights a period of sustained growth for the Brighton-based co-op that began in the early 2000s and continued even this past year despite a historic pandemic. United Power had anticipated reaching the meter mark in 2021 but did so much earlier than expected due to an increase in growth early this year.
By surpassing 100,000 meters, United Power becomes just the second Colorado electric cooperative to reach the mark, joining Intermountain Rural Electric Association, headquartered southwest of Denver in Sedalia.
“It is truly a historic accomplishment to reach this meter milestone,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “United Power has long had a reputation for excellence among its cooperative peers, and it now joins a select few who serve more than 100,000 meters. Our size and reputation will amplify our voice in helping shape the future of the electric industry.”
Like all electric cooperatives, United Power was established to serve a largely rural population in an area that was considered too inconvenient or unprofitable for large electric utilities. Today, there are more than 800 electric cooperatives serving members throughout the country. Many have remained small because of the sparsely populated areas they are serving, but others, like United Power, have found themselves in rapidly growing areas close to large metropolitans.
Few cities are experiencing the growth surge that began in Denver several years ago. While much of the cooperative’s service territory is still rural, it now also serves some of the fastest growing communities in the country as more people are relocating to the Denver area. Maintaining control of the area has not always been easy. United Power had to survive an aggressive buyout attempt from the Public Service Company of Colorado — now Xcel Energy — which no longer saw the cooperative’s service territory as either unprofitable or inconvenient.
United Power was established by a group of farmers in and around Brighton in 1938 with only a couple hundred original members. It took the cooperative nearly 40 years to surpass 10,000 meters. When United Power reached an agreement with Public Service Company to forgo the buyout in the mid-1980s, growth had come to the area, but not like it would in the years to follow. By 2004, it had reached 50,000 meters, and a decade later in 2015 surpassed 75,000. During its largest growth year in 2004, the cooperative gained approximately 5,000 new meters, more than it gained during a twenty year stretch from 1950-1970 combined.
The cooperative has already experienced record growth again this year, and is on pace to add several thousand more meters to its system before the end of the year. The continued growth has United Power now setting its sights on the next meter mark.
“We are adding new meters at an unprecedented rate,” said Gabriel. “But more importantly, we are adding members. Each new meter represents a new family on our lines or a new business helping shape the economy of the communities we serve. Our members make us stronger, and they make our communities stronger. As your cooperative, it is our privilege to be able to serve each and every one of our members.”
United Power invites members to join in celebrating this meter milestone with the cooperative and with each other at our 100,000 Meter Open House celebration at the Carbon Valley Service Center on August 28. The events will provide members with an opportunity to learn more about the cooperative and see how its newest facility and office location are effectively serving members on the west side of the service territory.
United Power has partnered with the Carbon Valley Help Center and encourages event attendees to bring a canned food item or cash donations to assist the Help Center in meeting the needs of others in the area.
Join us!United Power 100,000 Meter Open House Celebration
Saturday, August 28
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Cutting Into Supply Chain Delays
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Thursday | July 7, 2022
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With supply chain uncertainty, United Power purchased a new plasma cutter to bypass delays on essential parts and pieces.
Electric cooperatives rely on crucial materials to maintain the safety, reliability, and resiliency of their electric system. Supply chain delays are creating new challenges for most industries, but it’s been particularly difficult for electric utilities facing weeks-long delays on parts and materials necessary to ensure a properly functioning system.
“We’re experiencing six- to eight-week delays on standard maintenance materials, like mounts and brackets,” said Curtis Subia, United Power’s Vice President of Asset Management and Supply Chain. “It may be tempting to waive off something as small as a bracket if other materials are available, but without these brackets, projects come to a standstill. Even small pieces are absolutely essential to safely building our infrastructure.”
With uncertainty surrounding how long supply chain issues may persist, United Power purchased a new piece of equipment that will help the cooperative bypass delays and fabricate whole parts in-house without having to wait for backorders to be filled. A mechanized plasma cutter (pictured right) can precisely cut pieces out of sheet metal in just minutes. The pieces it produces are often ready for immediate use in the field.
“We could either wait weeks for orders to be delivered or we could figure out a timely way to make them ourselves,” said Subia. “We can’t shut down projects because the supply chain can’t keep up with demand, so we had to come up with a solution.”
United Power mechanics suggested the plasma cutter as an alternative. They have been fabricating parts for years when something is unavailable or if they need a custom piece. However, manual fabrication is slow, lacks precision, and is dangerous. The plasma cutter can be preprogrammed with almost any design and ready to use in just a few minutes. Once a design has been stored, the software can recall it again at any time. It’s a safer option for the mechanics and frees up their time to be spent on other projects.
“It can do things the human hand can’t do,” said Kevin Isham, a mechanic at United Power. “It can cut a piece over and over with precision and perfection in half the time it would take one of us to create a single piece. Having it makes our jobs quicker and safer.”
There’s no sign supply chain issues are coming to an end anytime soon. The plasma cutter represents another innovative solution United Power has adopted to meet the needs of the cooperative and its members in challenging circumstances.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Tuesday | December 3, 2024
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
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.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Monday | December 4, 2023
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
Transitions in life, both personal and professional, always have interesting twists.
I lived the switch from conventional “hot type” typesetting to “cold type” primitive computers in my first career out of college as a newspaper reporter. The old way of making newspapers required placing individual letters — that were made of lead — into large, heavy frames in a reverse mirror image. The frames were then bolted onto giant printing machines where rolls of paper became the newspapers we read every day. The thunderous, dangerous, and noisy pressrooms gave way to an era of photo sensitive paper, waxed into big sheets, copied onto plastic and attached to the same giant printing machines. It was just the beginning of the change that would make everyone into a journalist — good and bad — with the ability to wirelessly send their stories anywhere in the world with the touch of a button. Unfortunately, it has sadly meant the demise of many printed newspapers.
The twists and turns and unintended consequences did not happen overnight. In fact, in the world of publishing, the death of local newspapers has been gradual over the decades, not a sudden crash and burn. This change has been a bit painful for those of us who still cherish the smell and feel of a Sunday morning newspaper. I have never been able to get used to the feeling of reading on an iPad; it does not give me the same warm memories as a paper rolling off the presses, making my fingers slightly dirty.
The energy transition has may parallels with newspapers that are rolling out over a quickening pace. The traditional “hot type” world of large power plants and massive transmission projects is giving way to smaller scale generation, power at the distribution system level, and thousands of households adding local resources.
United Power is working through the ins and outs of our transition to new power suppliers and a new way of operating. We are moving from a single large supplier to more than a dozen — managing our risk through system diversity. We are looking at new ways of operating our system and trying to keep as much hyper-localized and home grown resources as possible. The hyper-localized model, including significant amounts of energy storage, is going to be required as the time to build new transmission is coupled with the closure of major coal plants. This is not a political question but the reality of the marketplace matched with the changing face of regulatory environments.
Hyper-localized generation has significant benefits for our communities as it keeps tax dollars in our region, brings a higher level of reliability and control, and reduces the stress on the transmission grid at a time when more and more electrification is occurring. Our new fuel mix will dramatically reduce carbon intensity rates as we blend natural gas, renewables, and storage while also making the best use of the Board of Directors’ investments in the distribution system over the decades.
For United Power, the transition will occur in phases. Knowing our low tolerance for risk, we have constructed a portfolio that in the short-term mirrors much of what we have with our current supplier in terms of capacity — albeit slightly lower in cost than what we expect it to be in the next 24 months — with a significant change in the mix of energy. As capacity becomes less expensive and markets develop in the short time beyond that window (2026-2027), we will become experts in managing and operating our system with the new tools in place.
As one of my business school professors always mused, “The future is already here, it is just not widely distributed yet.” At United Power we are committed to this transition for the benefit of our members.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Wednesday | December 1, 2021
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
During my first nine months here at United Power I have had the tremendous opportunity to experience “the cooperative difference” as we serve our rapidly growing base of members.
What is the cooperative difference? It is the way we are all member-owners of this great organization. It is the way we interact in serving your communities and it is the way we recognize the importance of supporting the United Power “family.” Many different types of organizations provide power, but cooperatives do it in unique fashion.
Here are just a few of my experiences since coming to United Power:
In November we commissioned a generator in Gilpin County that will provide the school system and emergency responders a reliable source of power should there be an extended outage. The school is at the end of a radial line in the rugged and beautiful community we serve in the mountains. This automated generator will kick in should power be curtailed in a storm or other challenging event. More importantly, this will offer the members of the community a place of refuge in times of crisis. Working with the Gilpin County School District and the Office of Emergency Management, United Power engineers and linemen made sure the system was up and running for this winter.
In support of the Metro North Lead Program, I had the chance to meet with the up-and-coming leaders from around our service territory and engage in a discussion about the history – and coming changes – in the electric industry. I had a similar opportunity to speak with the Weld County Board of County Commissioners. We had a lively engagement on the future of electric generation and transmission, as well as the impact of the growing natural gas and oil businesses.
Our crews are out every day making sure the system is strong and resilient. They are there, rain, snow or shine, understanding the critical nature of electricity. And, behind every one of them are the dispatchers, financial analysts, member service representatives, engineers and other employees working hard to keep rates low and reliability high. As we all know, these jobs are even more difficult as we continue to manage in a COVID workplace.
A number of members have reached out to me on a variety of topics, from electric vehicles to renewables and coal, with ideas for the system. I respond to each personally as working at United Power is more than just my vocation but is my avocation as well. I encourage you to contact me with questions, concerns and opinions at www.unitedpower.com/CEO.
The next few years will bring remarkable changes to the energy industry across the country. The cooperative difference means we have a special lens, asking not only what we can do to improve our system but how can we improve the lives of our members. The flexibility of the cooperative model means your input is solicited and valued. Your Board of Directors is a direct pipeline to our organization, and they represent you with passion.
During the next several months we will be having conversations across the communities we serve focused on our 10-Year Working Plan that lays out a vision and priorities for the coming decade. We want to ensure there is an aligned vision for the future as we take advantage of the technologies, societal changes and improved environmental footprint at United Power. We must welcome the changes our members require with open arms as electric vehicles, solar panels, battery storage and yet-to-be-determined technologies expand across our footprint. As a cooperative we are anxious to help our communities thrive and are driven to ensure an even brighter future.
Whether it is providing technical information, working with developers who are expanding housing and business opportunities to our local economy or partnering to bring efficiencies to industry, the cooperative difference is in our DNA. It is why we exist, what we strive for every day and how we live our values.
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Decking the Halls Safely
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Thursday | November 14, 2019
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The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it the time to put up festive lights, both indoors and outdoors, to enjoy along with the holiday season.
The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it the time to put up festive lights, both indoors and outdoors, to enjoy along with the holiday season.
According to Electrical Safety Foundation International, nearly 90 percent of Americans decorate their homes as part of winter holidays. While holiday lighting does contribute to the joy, appeal and splendor of the season, using them without following important safety precautions can increase the risk of fires and electrical injuries.
ESFI recommends holiday safety steps to ensure you and your family are able to enjoy the season comfortably and worry-free:
The best decorations are safe decorations, so when you’re decorating, make sure not to run cords under rugs or furniture.
Always turn off your decorations when you leave your home and when you’re sleeping.
Don’t overload outlets or extensions cords. If you’re using extension cords or adapters that add receptacles, consider having a qualified electrician add more outlets to your home.
Only use electronics in dry areas. As tempting as it is, you just can’t decorate your aquarium with icicle lights.
Every home needs a working smoke alarm in each bedroom, outside sleeping areas and on every level, including the basement.
Inspect your decorations and discard any that are damaged or worn out. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, loose connections or frayed or bare wires. Plug light strings together as you inspect them but before hanging.
ESFI recommends buying your family Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter breakers or outlets. Many electrical fires that occur every year could be prevented by AFCIs.
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Demand & Summer Heat
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Monday | June 1, 2020
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With more people expected to work from home this summer, temperatures might not be the only thing rising.
Summer is just around the corner. Although the spring has given us brief reprieves from winter weather, soon the summer heat will arrive. With more people expected to work from home this summer, temperatures might not be the only thing rising.
Your air conditioning is one of the most demand intensive appliances in your home, accounting for more than 15 percent of your total energy usage. This means members will begin to see their demand charge rise to include the use of this additional appliance. However, when United Power introduced its demand rate in January 2019, it also lowered the cost of energy – which means two things for members.
Most members will not see a significant increase to their monthly bills despite January rate increases. With the decrease in cost of energy corresponding to the demand rate increase, bills should stay fairly level. The average increase for members on the standard residential rate when increases took effect was less than $2/month. Rate increases also gave members more control over their bills by allowing them to choose when to use appliances, keeping demand low and bills even lower. The graphic below demonstrates appliance stacking and how staggering their use can save on demand.
United Power has also provided tools to assist members in monitoring and controlling their energy usage. The Power Portal, for example, provides a custom dashboard detailing energy usage patterns and identifying peak demand allowing members to determine what behaviors are driving their demand. The cooperative also launched a new demand calculator this year to give members an idea of what appliances are consuming the most energy and contributing to demand charges. With air conditioning being a main culprit during the summer, United Power also offers a rebate on energy efficient A/C units.
The majority of summer energy efficiency tips revolve around creative ways to keep your home cool without overburdening your air conditioning. You can find some of these energy efficiency tips below.
Review the United Power website more information about demand and available rebates.
Summer Energy Efficiency Tips
Although summer is still a few weeks out, it’s never too early to start thinking about how to use energy more efficiently. Summer utility bills can be higher, but with a little preparation, you can see big savings on your summer energy usage.
Cross ventilate your home. Colorado’s mild climate makes cross ventilation a perfect way to cool your home without using excess energy. Cross ventilation uses wind moving through your home to cool it naturally rather than by using an appliance like your air conditioner. Simply open windows in the morning or evening to let the natural cool air in and turn off the A/C.
Block out the sun. Another way to keep your home cool and give your air conditioner a break is to close blinds or curtains. Open windows allow light in which warms the air causing the A/C to work harder to keep your home cool. Keeping blinds closed allows the air to warm more slowly.
Use ceiling fans. Ceiling fans allow you to increase the temperature on your air conditioning unit by up to four degrees without any loss in comfort. They should be turning counterclockwise during the summer. But remember to turn them off when you leave a room. Fans don’t actually cool the air in a room, just the people.
Use a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats learn your habits and can adjust your air conditioner accordingly. It also gives 24/7 access to your home’s heating and cooling.
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Democracy at the Cooperative
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Friday | February 14, 2025
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United Power members’ votes in the Director Election determine who represents them on the co-op's Board.
United Power members are uniquely given the opportunity to have a voice in the future of their electric utility. Each year, our members’ votes in the Director Election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s Board of Directors. As an electric cooperative, your participation in the annual election is critical to helping the co-op better serve its members.
Every Vote Matters Equally
United Power is a not-for-profit cooperative owned and controlled by the members it serves. When you become a member, you automatically receive the benefits all other members share, including the right to vote for board representation. As a member, your vote is equal to any other member’s vote, regardless of the kind of account they have or how large it is. “One member, one vote” is part of the cooperative principle known as Democratic Member Control. Director candidates must also live or work within United Power’s service territory, so you know you will be voting for someone who understands your community’s needs. They could even be your friends or neighbors.
Running for a Board Position
The primary difference between an investor-owned utility (IOU) and a cooperative is democratic control. IOUs make decisions to appease stakeholders and shareholders who might not live in the same state, let alone the same community. Any United Power member who meets the qualifications outlined in the bylaws is eligible to run for a position on the cooperative’s eleven-member Board of Directors. Directors serve four-year terms in one of four geographical districts. Members vote on an “at-large” basis, explained in more detail next.
Voting in the Election
Balloting opens March 14. United Power encourages all members to cast their votes in this year’s election. Members may vote electronically through their online account, or via mail ballots, sent to all members in mid-March. Directors represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members may cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own. Directors serve in geographic districts to ensure adequate accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in the cooperative’s governing body.
Your vote always matters. To learn more about a director candidate, consider attending our Meet the Candidates event. Candidates will be announced in February, and candidate statements will be printed in the March newsletter and available online.
2025 Director Election
This year, three positions on the United Power Board are up for election at the 2025 Annual Meeting & Director Election, scheduled for April 16. Members may submit their votes electronically, via mail ballot, or in person at the Annual Meeting.
More information about how members may vote in this year’s Director Election can be found here.
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Democracy at the Cooperative
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Tuesday | February 11, 2020
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Each year our members’ votes in the director election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s board.
Prior to this year’s national elections in November, United Power members have the opportunity to have a say in the future of their electric cooperative. Each year our members’ votes in the director election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s board.
United Power invites participation from its members. Members have a finger on the pulse of their communities and understand what’s important to them. As an electric utility, your knowledge is critical to helping the co-op better serve its members.
Every Vote Matters Equally
United Power is a not-for-profit cooperative owned and controlled by the members it serves. When you become a member, you automatically receive the benefits all other members share, including the right to vote for board representation. Your vote always matters. As a member, your vote carries equal weight as any other member’s vote, regardless of what kind of account they have or how large it is. This is a cooperative principle known as “one member, one vote.” Director candidates must also live within United Power’s service territory, so you know you’ll be voting for someone who understands your community’s needs. They could even be your friends or neighbors.
Running for a Board Position
The primary difference between an investor-owned utility (IOU) and cooperative is democratic control. IOUs make decisions to appease stakeholders and shareholders who might not live in the same state, let alone the same community. Any United Power member in good standing is eligible to run for a position on the cooperative’s eleven-member board of directors. Directors serve three-year terms in one of four geographical districts. Although directors must live in one of these districts, members vote on an “at-large” basis, explained in more detail next.
Voting in the Election
The cooperative mails director ballots in March and encourages all members to cast votes in the election. Although directors live in a specific geographic district, they represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members may cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own. Directors serve in geographic districts to ensure adequate accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in their leadership role. Learn more about voting policy here. Your vote always matters. To learn more about a director candidate, consider attending one of our Meet the Candidate events. Director statements are published online after February 14.
2020 Director Election
This year, four positions on United Power’s board are up for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting & Director Election, scheduled for Wednesday, April 15, 2020. Members may submit their ballot via mail, at drop boxes located at any United Power office location or in-person at the Annual Meeting. More information about how to submit your ballot may be found on the Annual Meeting page.
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Consider a Medical Device Backup Plan
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Friday | March 20, 2020
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United Power members who rely on medical devices in their homes may be more greatly impacted by extended outages, like the ones we experienced on Thursday.
United Power members who rely on medical devices in their homes may be more greatly impacted by extended outages, like the ones we experienced on Thursday due to dense snow and high winds. Although we make every effort to quickly and safely restore power, we cannot provide a specific time frame for when your power will be restored. The cooperative encourages members who require electricity to power their medical devices to develop a comprehensive backup plan in the event an outage extends beyond their battery’s supply limits.
As your cooperative, we make every effort to provide reliable power. Our line crews have performed system improvements that have resulted in increased reliability rates year over year. However, there are numerous reasons your home could be impacted by a prolonged power outage, and we want to remind you to consider how to care for yourself or a loved one in such an event.
We encourage members who are dependent on electrically powered medical devices in their homes to consider their needs before an outage occurs. Registering with United Power places a “medical alert flag” on your account, allowing us to contact you in the event of an outage. This alert flag, however, does not guarantee we will be able to restore your power as quickly as you might need. Something to consider is an alternative source of energy, such as extra batteries or a backup generator. You should also contact your medical provider to determine other supplies you should keep on hand for emergencies, such as supplemental oxygen.
United Power recommends having an evacuation plan for worst case scenarios during significant weather events. Depending on your battery backup’s supply limits, having a plan in place to move to an alternate location is encouraged.
You can also help United Power by immediately reporting an outage or other electrical emergency. Don’t assume we are aware of your outage. To report an outage, log into your online account at www.unitedpower.com/smarthub or by calling our outage reporting line at 303-637-1350.
More information related to medically necessary devices can be found online at our Medical Devices page.
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Continued Growth and Innovation
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Friday | March 1, 2019
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This is the final piece in a three part series chronicling the cooperative’s history leading up to its 80th Annual Meeting this April.
In the years leading up to its 75th anniversary in 2013, United Power experienced unprecedented growth for an electric cooperative, more than doubling in size. The way the cooperative serves its members has changed with the development and advancement of technology available to both provide power for and communicate with its members. This is the final piece in a three part series chronicling the cooperative’s history leading up to its 80th Annual Meeting this April.
Following the addition of Brighton to the United Power family in 1993, the cooperative entered into a period of unprecedented growth. Since adding Brighton, United Power has grown more than five times in size, remaining one of the fastest growing cooperatives in the country over the past 25 years.
Much of United Power’s growth could be attributed to Denver’s continued northeast expansion. In the 1990s, construction on Denver International Airport was completed adjacent to the cooperative’s service territory and E-470 was extended into its southern quadrant. This provided greater access to the area, which offered affordable housing options and the opportunity to grow with the communities, mimicking the growth of Northglenn and Thornton years earlier.
Knowing it would serve new electrical loads from homes and businesses moving into the area, United Power pursued an active role with communities as they planned for future growth and planned infrastructure to support that growth.
As new residents flocked northeast to Brighton and its surrounding communities and north along the I-25 corridor, the cooperative outgrew the “typical” rural electric mold. The difference gave United Power new financial clout, allowing it to become the responsive utility the members and communities it served needed.
United Power constantly surveys technical innovations that can help better provide electric service that’s safe, reliable and cost-effective. The ongoing evolution of technology has created a cooperative that looks far different today than it did just a few years ago, and United Power has adopted a strategy placing it at the forefront of innovation among cooperatives across the country.
United Power has taken proactive steps to keep power flowing while providing members with the tools necessary to monitor and control their usage. Improvements to the cooperative’s infrastructure monitoring system, Supervisory Control and Data System (SCADA), provide more information related to outages and potential problems. The newly installed Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) allows members to view detailed information related to their usage trends and history through the Power Portal.
Over the past few years, United Power has also installed innovative renewable programs as the technology has become easier and cheaper to obtain and install. From powering the country’s first community solar field to the state’s largest battery storage facility, the promise of a more efficient and economical future sits on the back of the innovations in technology that have helped to move the cooperative forward.
Over the past 80 years, United Power has grown from a small rural electric cooperative serving just over 100 members to a progressive urban cooperative with more than 90,000 meters. It has overcome a competitive buyout bid from the state’s largest investor-owned electric utility, and set the bar for other cooperatives to follow as it adopts new and innovative technology. United Power is proud to celebrate 80 years of serving its members and providing safe and reliable power.
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Cooperative Roadmap 2.0
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Monday | February 24, 2025
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Updated Roadmap is the collective vision to successfully deliver on cooperative's mission.
Updated Roadmap is Collective Vision to Successfully Deliver on Co-op’s Mission
United Power debuted its landmark action plan for preparing and adapting to industry changes nearly three years ago as it was about to enter new territory as an independent electric utility. Our Cooperative Roadmap (Roadmap) was a coordinated effort by co-op staff to identify a collective vision to guide the utility’s future decisions. The action plan is ever-evolving, proactively responding to anticipated shifts in the electric industry, and ensures United Power maintains its competitive advantage as an industry leader in power supply innovation, system performance, and member satisfaction.
It was the strategic direction provided in the Roadmap’s first iteration that helped United Power secure a diverse portfolio of power supply agreements to meet the cooperative’s needs as it grows over the next several years. These agreements have already reduced the cooperative’s greenhouse gas emissions by 26% since May. United Power’s commitment to reducing emissions was a driving factor in obtaining nearly $262 million through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) Program to support its clean energy transition. The Roadmap was also pivotal in providing investor confidence to help finance the move toward independence, deploying an innovative battery energy storage system to mitigate peak costs, and breaking ground on a natural gas plant to ensure resource adequacy and flexibility.
Five guiding principles were identified to help the cooperative define, implement, and evaluate the Roadmap’s focus areas:
Safety. Prioritize safety in every decision and action. Safety is reflected in every aspect of United Power’s operations by fostering a culture of transparency, trust, and teamwork.
Reliability. Striving to deliver high-quality, uninterrupted service to members through the design, operation, protection, and maintenance of a robust and resilient electric distribution system.
Affordability. Commitment to securing fair and competitive wholesale rates, managing costs, and responsibly allocating those costs across the membership with stable and transparent rate options.
Flexibility. Demonstrate maximum agility and adaptiveness through forward-looking plans, versatile and innovative programs and business models, and diverse power supply options as the cooperative responds to changes in its environment and the needs of members and communities.
Responsibility. Act ethically, sustainably, and in the best interest of members and communities as the cooperative manages operations and secures resources.
The four strategic focus areas identified in the first version of the Roadmap remain relatively the same in the updated Roadmap, stretching across all the core functions of the cooperative, including power supply; system reliability and resiliency; data safety and security; and member programs and community engagement.
Empower and Engage with Members and Communities
Electric cooperatives are owned by the members they serve, which means the members are not just consumers but stakeholders in the cooperative’s success.
Members can vote for who represents them on the United Power Board of Directors through the annual Director Election, but the cooperative also gives back to the community in many ways.
United Power is a community partner, helping them establish their goals and visions. This includes understanding the unique needs and challenges of the communities and businesses the cooperative serves. The co-op supports the economic vitality of local communities through collaboration with local leaders and economic development organizations on growth initiatives and assists businesses with energy advice and expertise to help them meet legislative and regulatory targets.
Provide Flexible, Affordable, Responsible Power and Services
As the needs of the distribution system have increased, so has the need for United Power to evolve and optimize the supply of power and services to its members.
Becoming an independent electric utility provided United Power with more flexibility over its power supply options. The cooperative added more than 110 MW of battery energy storage to its distribution system last year and broke ground on an innovative gas peaking plant for an additional 160 MW of resource adequacy. The cooperative continues to pursue cost efficient power supply contracts while limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
Continuously Optimize the Electric Distribution System
The optimization of the electric distribution system is paramount as the cooperative confronts increasing demands and complexities driven by rapid electrification, the integration of distributed energy resources, and the evolving expectation of members.
United Power has experienced consecutive years of record-breaking reliability, ranking among the best electric utilities in the country. The cooperative’s strategic maintenance plan and innovative system design continue to provide positive results and demonstrate remarkable success.
Achieve and Maintain Business Agility and Resilience
Business agility and resilience are key investments of United Power’s strategic and operational plans.
Advancing technologies play a critical role in how United Power responds to and prevents outages. The cooperative is working to replace its distributed energy resource management system by early 2026 to better manage system operations and plans to roll out new tools to better manage materials and projects.
Our Cooperative Roadmap, along with news and updates about its implementation, can be found here.
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Crossing A Meter Milestone
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Tuesday | July 13, 2021
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United Power surpasses 100,000 meters, becoming the second in Colorado - and 31st nationwide - to reach the milestone.
United Power Just the 31st Cooperative Nationally to Reach 100,000 Meters
United Power in June became one of just a handful of electric cooperatives nationwide to surpass 100,000 meters. The achievement highlights a period of sustained growth for the Brighton-based co-op that began in the early 2000s and continued even this past year despite a historic pandemic. United Power had anticipated reaching the meter mark in 2021 but did so much earlier than expected due to an increase in growth early this year.
By surpassing 100,000 meters, United Power becomes just the second Colorado electric cooperative to reach the mark, joining Intermountain Rural Electric Association, headquartered southwest of Denver in Sedalia.
“It is truly a historic accomplishment to reach this meter milestone,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “United Power has long had a reputation for excellence among its cooperative peers, and it now joins a select few who serve more than 100,000 meters. Our size and reputation will amplify our voice in helping shape the future of the electric industry.”
Like all electric cooperatives, United Power was established to serve a largely rural population in an area that was considered too inconvenient or unprofitable for large electric utilities. Today, there are more than 800 electric cooperatives serving members throughout the country. Many have remained small because of the sparsely populated areas they are serving, but others, like United Power, have found themselves in rapidly growing areas close to large metropolitans.
Few cities are experiencing the growth surge that began in Denver several years ago. While much of the cooperative’s service territory is still rural, it now also serves some of the fastest growing communities in the country as more people are relocating to the Denver area. Maintaining control of the area has not always been easy. United Power had to survive an aggressive buyout attempt from the Public Service Company of Colorado — now Xcel Energy — which no longer saw the cooperative’s service territory as either unprofitable or inconvenient.
United Power was established by a group of farmers in and around Brighton in 1938 with only a couple hundred original members. It took the cooperative nearly 40 years to surpass 10,000 meters. When United Power reached an agreement with Public Service Company to forgo the buyout in the mid-1980s, growth had come to the area, but not like it would in the years to follow. By 2004, it had reached 50,000 meters, and a decade later in 2015 surpassed 75,000. During its largest growth year in 2004, the cooperative gained approximately 5,000 new meters, more than it gained during a twenty year stretch from 1950-1970 combined.
The cooperative has already experienced record growth again this year, and is on pace to add several thousand more meters to its system before the end of the year. The continued growth has United Power now setting its sights on the next meter mark.
“We are adding new meters at an unprecedented rate,” said Gabriel. “But more importantly, we are adding members. Each new meter represents a new family on our lines or a new business helping shape the economy of the communities we serve. Our members make us stronger, and they make our communities stronger. As your cooperative, it is our privilege to be able to serve each and every one of our members.”
United Power invites members to join in celebrating this meter milestone with the cooperative and with each other at our 100,000 Meter Open House celebration at the Carbon Valley Service Center on August 28. The events will provide members with an opportunity to learn more about the cooperative and see how its newest facility and office location are effectively serving members on the west side of the service territory.
United Power has partnered with the Carbon Valley Help Center and encourages event attendees to bring a canned food item or cash donations to assist the Help Center in meeting the needs of others in the area.
Join us!United Power 100,000 Meter Open House Celebration
Saturday, August 28
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Cutting Into Supply Chain Delays
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Thursday | July 7, 2022
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With supply chain uncertainty, United Power purchased a new plasma cutter to bypass delays on essential parts and pieces.
Electric cooperatives rely on crucial materials to maintain the safety, reliability, and resiliency of their electric system. Supply chain delays are creating new challenges for most industries, but it’s been particularly difficult for electric utilities facing weeks-long delays on parts and materials necessary to ensure a properly functioning system.
“We’re experiencing six- to eight-week delays on standard maintenance materials, like mounts and brackets,” said Curtis Subia, United Power’s Vice President of Asset Management and Supply Chain. “It may be tempting to waive off something as small as a bracket if other materials are available, but without these brackets, projects come to a standstill. Even small pieces are absolutely essential to safely building our infrastructure.”
With uncertainty surrounding how long supply chain issues may persist, United Power purchased a new piece of equipment that will help the cooperative bypass delays and fabricate whole parts in-house without having to wait for backorders to be filled. A mechanized plasma cutter (pictured right) can precisely cut pieces out of sheet metal in just minutes. The pieces it produces are often ready for immediate use in the field.
“We could either wait weeks for orders to be delivered or we could figure out a timely way to make them ourselves,” said Subia. “We can’t shut down projects because the supply chain can’t keep up with demand, so we had to come up with a solution.”
United Power mechanics suggested the plasma cutter as an alternative. They have been fabricating parts for years when something is unavailable or if they need a custom piece. However, manual fabrication is slow, lacks precision, and is dangerous. The plasma cutter can be preprogrammed with almost any design and ready to use in just a few minutes. Once a design has been stored, the software can recall it again at any time. It’s a safer option for the mechanics and frees up their time to be spent on other projects.
“It can do things the human hand can’t do,” said Kevin Isham, a mechanic at United Power. “It can cut a piece over and over with precision and perfection in half the time it would take one of us to create a single piece. Having it makes our jobs quicker and safer.”
There’s no sign supply chain issues are coming to an end anytime soon. The plasma cutter represents another innovative solution United Power has adopted to meet the needs of the cooperative and its members in challenging circumstances.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Tuesday | December 3, 2024
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
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.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Monday | December 4, 2023
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
Transitions in life, both personal and professional, always have interesting twists.
I lived the switch from conventional “hot type” typesetting to “cold type” primitive computers in my first career out of college as a newspaper reporter. The old way of making newspapers required placing individual letters — that were made of lead — into large, heavy frames in a reverse mirror image. The frames were then bolted onto giant printing machines where rolls of paper became the newspapers we read every day. The thunderous, dangerous, and noisy pressrooms gave way to an era of photo sensitive paper, waxed into big sheets, copied onto plastic and attached to the same giant printing machines. It was just the beginning of the change that would make everyone into a journalist — good and bad — with the ability to wirelessly send their stories anywhere in the world with the touch of a button. Unfortunately, it has sadly meant the demise of many printed newspapers.
The twists and turns and unintended consequences did not happen overnight. In fact, in the world of publishing, the death of local newspapers has been gradual over the decades, not a sudden crash and burn. This change has been a bit painful for those of us who still cherish the smell and feel of a Sunday morning newspaper. I have never been able to get used to the feeling of reading on an iPad; it does not give me the same warm memories as a paper rolling off the presses, making my fingers slightly dirty.
The energy transition has may parallels with newspapers that are rolling out over a quickening pace. The traditional “hot type” world of large power plants and massive transmission projects is giving way to smaller scale generation, power at the distribution system level, and thousands of households adding local resources.
United Power is working through the ins and outs of our transition to new power suppliers and a new way of operating. We are moving from a single large supplier to more than a dozen — managing our risk through system diversity. We are looking at new ways of operating our system and trying to keep as much hyper-localized and home grown resources as possible. The hyper-localized model, including significant amounts of energy storage, is going to be required as the time to build new transmission is coupled with the closure of major coal plants. This is not a political question but the reality of the marketplace matched with the changing face of regulatory environments.
Hyper-localized generation has significant benefits for our communities as it keeps tax dollars in our region, brings a higher level of reliability and control, and reduces the stress on the transmission grid at a time when more and more electrification is occurring. Our new fuel mix will dramatically reduce carbon intensity rates as we blend natural gas, renewables, and storage while also making the best use of the Board of Directors’ investments in the distribution system over the decades.
For United Power, the transition will occur in phases. Knowing our low tolerance for risk, we have constructed a portfolio that in the short-term mirrors much of what we have with our current supplier in terms of capacity — albeit slightly lower in cost than what we expect it to be in the next 24 months — with a significant change in the mix of energy. As capacity becomes less expensive and markets develop in the short time beyond that window (2026-2027), we will become experts in managing and operating our system with the new tools in place.
As one of my business school professors always mused, “The future is already here, it is just not widely distributed yet.” At United Power we are committed to this transition for the benefit of our members.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Wednesday | December 1, 2021
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
During my first nine months here at United Power I have had the tremendous opportunity to experience “the cooperative difference” as we serve our rapidly growing base of members.
What is the cooperative difference? It is the way we are all member-owners of this great organization. It is the way we interact in serving your communities and it is the way we recognize the importance of supporting the United Power “family.” Many different types of organizations provide power, but cooperatives do it in unique fashion.
Here are just a few of my experiences since coming to United Power:
In November we commissioned a generator in Gilpin County that will provide the school system and emergency responders a reliable source of power should there be an extended outage. The school is at the end of a radial line in the rugged and beautiful community we serve in the mountains. This automated generator will kick in should power be curtailed in a storm or other challenging event. More importantly, this will offer the members of the community a place of refuge in times of crisis. Working with the Gilpin County School District and the Office of Emergency Management, United Power engineers and linemen made sure the system was up and running for this winter.
In support of the Metro North Lead Program, I had the chance to meet with the up-and-coming leaders from around our service territory and engage in a discussion about the history – and coming changes – in the electric industry. I had a similar opportunity to speak with the Weld County Board of County Commissioners. We had a lively engagement on the future of electric generation and transmission, as well as the impact of the growing natural gas and oil businesses.
Our crews are out every day making sure the system is strong and resilient. They are there, rain, snow or shine, understanding the critical nature of electricity. And, behind every one of them are the dispatchers, financial analysts, member service representatives, engineers and other employees working hard to keep rates low and reliability high. As we all know, these jobs are even more difficult as we continue to manage in a COVID workplace.
A number of members have reached out to me on a variety of topics, from electric vehicles to renewables and coal, with ideas for the system. I respond to each personally as working at United Power is more than just my vocation but is my avocation as well. I encourage you to contact me with questions, concerns and opinions at www.unitedpower.com/CEO.
The next few years will bring remarkable changes to the energy industry across the country. The cooperative difference means we have a special lens, asking not only what we can do to improve our system but how can we improve the lives of our members. The flexibility of the cooperative model means your input is solicited and valued. Your Board of Directors is a direct pipeline to our organization, and they represent you with passion.
During the next several months we will be having conversations across the communities we serve focused on our 10-Year Working Plan that lays out a vision and priorities for the coming decade. We want to ensure there is an aligned vision for the future as we take advantage of the technologies, societal changes and improved environmental footprint at United Power. We must welcome the changes our members require with open arms as electric vehicles, solar panels, battery storage and yet-to-be-determined technologies expand across our footprint. As a cooperative we are anxious to help our communities thrive and are driven to ensure an even brighter future.
Whether it is providing technical information, working with developers who are expanding housing and business opportunities to our local economy or partnering to bring efficiencies to industry, the cooperative difference is in our DNA. It is why we exist, what we strive for every day and how we live our values.
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Decking the Halls Safely
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Thursday | November 14, 2019
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The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it the time to put up festive lights, both indoors and outdoors, to enjoy along with the holiday season.
The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it the time to put up festive lights, both indoors and outdoors, to enjoy along with the holiday season.
According to Electrical Safety Foundation International, nearly 90 percent of Americans decorate their homes as part of winter holidays. While holiday lighting does contribute to the joy, appeal and splendor of the season, using them without following important safety precautions can increase the risk of fires and electrical injuries.
ESFI recommends holiday safety steps to ensure you and your family are able to enjoy the season comfortably and worry-free:
The best decorations are safe decorations, so when you’re decorating, make sure not to run cords under rugs or furniture.
Always turn off your decorations when you leave your home and when you’re sleeping.
Don’t overload outlets or extensions cords. If you’re using extension cords or adapters that add receptacles, consider having a qualified electrician add more outlets to your home.
Only use electronics in dry areas. As tempting as it is, you just can’t decorate your aquarium with icicle lights.
Every home needs a working smoke alarm in each bedroom, outside sleeping areas and on every level, including the basement.
Inspect your decorations and discard any that are damaged or worn out. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, loose connections or frayed or bare wires. Plug light strings together as you inspect them but before hanging.
ESFI recommends buying your family Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter breakers or outlets. Many electrical fires that occur every year could be prevented by AFCIs.
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Demand & Summer Heat
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Monday | June 1, 2020
Card Teaser
With more people expected to work from home this summer, temperatures might not be the only thing rising.
Summer is just around the corner. Although the spring has given us brief reprieves from winter weather, soon the summer heat will arrive. With more people expected to work from home this summer, temperatures might not be the only thing rising.
Your air conditioning is one of the most demand intensive appliances in your home, accounting for more than 15 percent of your total energy usage. This means members will begin to see their demand charge rise to include the use of this additional appliance. However, when United Power introduced its demand rate in January 2019, it also lowered the cost of energy – which means two things for members.
Most members will not see a significant increase to their monthly bills despite January rate increases. With the decrease in cost of energy corresponding to the demand rate increase, bills should stay fairly level. The average increase for members on the standard residential rate when increases took effect was less than $2/month. Rate increases also gave members more control over their bills by allowing them to choose when to use appliances, keeping demand low and bills even lower. The graphic below demonstrates appliance stacking and how staggering their use can save on demand.
United Power has also provided tools to assist members in monitoring and controlling their energy usage. The Power Portal, for example, provides a custom dashboard detailing energy usage patterns and identifying peak demand allowing members to determine what behaviors are driving their demand. The cooperative also launched a new demand calculator this year to give members an idea of what appliances are consuming the most energy and contributing to demand charges. With air conditioning being a main culprit during the summer, United Power also offers a rebate on energy efficient A/C units.
The majority of summer energy efficiency tips revolve around creative ways to keep your home cool without overburdening your air conditioning. You can find some of these energy efficiency tips below.
Review the United Power website more information about demand and available rebates.
Summer Energy Efficiency Tips
Although summer is still a few weeks out, it’s never too early to start thinking about how to use energy more efficiently. Summer utility bills can be higher, but with a little preparation, you can see big savings on your summer energy usage.
Cross ventilate your home. Colorado’s mild climate makes cross ventilation a perfect way to cool your home without using excess energy. Cross ventilation uses wind moving through your home to cool it naturally rather than by using an appliance like your air conditioner. Simply open windows in the morning or evening to let the natural cool air in and turn off the A/C.
Block out the sun. Another way to keep your home cool and give your air conditioner a break is to close blinds or curtains. Open windows allow light in which warms the air causing the A/C to work harder to keep your home cool. Keeping blinds closed allows the air to warm more slowly.
Use ceiling fans. Ceiling fans allow you to increase the temperature on your air conditioning unit by up to four degrees without any loss in comfort. They should be turning counterclockwise during the summer. But remember to turn them off when you leave a room. Fans don’t actually cool the air in a room, just the people.
Use a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats learn your habits and can adjust your air conditioner accordingly. It also gives 24/7 access to your home’s heating and cooling.
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Democracy at the Cooperative
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Friday | February 14, 2025
Card Teaser
United Power members’ votes in the Director Election determine who represents them on the co-op's Board.
United Power members are uniquely given the opportunity to have a voice in the future of their electric utility. Each year, our members’ votes in the Director Election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s Board of Directors. As an electric cooperative, your participation in the annual election is critical to helping the co-op better serve its members.
Every Vote Matters Equally
United Power is a not-for-profit cooperative owned and controlled by the members it serves. When you become a member, you automatically receive the benefits all other members share, including the right to vote for board representation. As a member, your vote is equal to any other member’s vote, regardless of the kind of account they have or how large it is. “One member, one vote” is part of the cooperative principle known as Democratic Member Control. Director candidates must also live or work within United Power’s service territory, so you know you will be voting for someone who understands your community’s needs. They could even be your friends or neighbors.
Running for a Board Position
The primary difference between an investor-owned utility (IOU) and a cooperative is democratic control. IOUs make decisions to appease stakeholders and shareholders who might not live in the same state, let alone the same community. Any United Power member who meets the qualifications outlined in the bylaws is eligible to run for a position on the cooperative’s eleven-member Board of Directors. Directors serve four-year terms in one of four geographical districts. Members vote on an “at-large” basis, explained in more detail next.
Voting in the Election
Balloting opens March 14. United Power encourages all members to cast their votes in this year’s election. Members may vote electronically through their online account, or via mail ballots, sent to all members in mid-March. Directors represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members may cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own. Directors serve in geographic districts to ensure adequate accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in the cooperative’s governing body.
Your vote always matters. To learn more about a director candidate, consider attending our Meet the Candidates event. Candidates will be announced in February, and candidate statements will be printed in the March newsletter and available online.
2025 Director Election
This year, three positions on the United Power Board are up for election at the 2025 Annual Meeting & Director Election, scheduled for April 16. Members may submit their votes electronically, via mail ballot, or in person at the Annual Meeting.
More information about how members may vote in this year’s Director Election can be found here.
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Democracy at the Cooperative
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Tuesday | February 11, 2020
Card Teaser
Each year our members’ votes in the director election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s board.
Prior to this year’s national elections in November, United Power members have the opportunity to have a say in the future of their electric cooperative. Each year our members’ votes in the director election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s board.
United Power invites participation from its members. Members have a finger on the pulse of their communities and understand what’s important to them. As an electric utility, your knowledge is critical to helping the co-op better serve its members.
Every Vote Matters Equally
United Power is a not-for-profit cooperative owned and controlled by the members it serves. When you become a member, you automatically receive the benefits all other members share, including the right to vote for board representation. Your vote always matters. As a member, your vote carries equal weight as any other member’s vote, regardless of what kind of account they have or how large it is. This is a cooperative principle known as “one member, one vote.” Director candidates must also live within United Power’s service territory, so you know you’ll be voting for someone who understands your community’s needs. They could even be your friends or neighbors.
Running for a Board Position
The primary difference between an investor-owned utility (IOU) and cooperative is democratic control. IOUs make decisions to appease stakeholders and shareholders who might not live in the same state, let alone the same community. Any United Power member in good standing is eligible to run for a position on the cooperative’s eleven-member board of directors. Directors serve three-year terms in one of four geographical districts. Although directors must live in one of these districts, members vote on an “at-large” basis, explained in more detail next.
Voting in the Election
The cooperative mails director ballots in March and encourages all members to cast votes in the election. Although directors live in a specific geographic district, they represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members may cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own. Directors serve in geographic districts to ensure adequate accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in their leadership role. Learn more about voting policy here. Your vote always matters. To learn more about a director candidate, consider attending one of our Meet the Candidate events. Director statements are published online after February 14.
2020 Director Election
This year, four positions on United Power’s board are up for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting & Director Election, scheduled for Wednesday, April 15, 2020. Members may submit their ballot via mail, at drop boxes located at any United Power office location or in-person at the Annual Meeting. More information about how to submit your ballot may be found on the Annual Meeting page.
