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Member Choice Recipients Announced for Final Round of 2021
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Tuesday | December 28, 2021
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High Country Auxiliary and the Mead High School Band have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the final part of the year.
The final round of Member Choice Grants for 2021 have been awarded. United Power is proud to announce Blawk Hawk’s High Country Auxiliary and the Mead High School Band have been selected from nominations submitted by our members to receive grants this round.
The cooperative introduced Member Choice Grants in early 2020, asking members to nominate nonprofit organizations within the service territory they would like to see us help support. The grant nomination process gives members a voice and helps ensure we are supporting causes they truly care about.
High Country Auxiliary
High-Country Auxiliary has existed for more than 50 years to aid and support Timberline Fire Protection District, Gilpin County Animal Response Team, and other emergency service organizations within the district. This includes providing sustenance or purchasing items for first responders or providing scholarships for training classes.
Mead High School Band
The Mead High School Band takes great pride in offering a variety of performing ensembles, including an inclusive percussion ensemble for students with intellectual disabilities. The band seeks to balance performances in educational settings and festivals with performances in the Longmont and Mead communities.
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Members Invited to Attend the 2024 Annual Meeting
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Tuesday | March 12, 2024
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United Power celebrates 85 years of service at this year’s Annual Meeting.
United Power Celebrates 85 Years of Service at This Year’s Annual Meeting
United Power has been proudly serving members along the Colorado Front Range for 85 years — setting the standard for innovative excellence in system performance, technological adoption and deployment, member engagement, and commitment to community growth and development. The cooperative has accomplished a lot in the past year as it prepares for the upcoming exit from its wholesale power contract in May, including record reliability and groundbreaking energy partnerships, a renewed dedication to supporting key accounts while maintaining the same level of local involvement, and expanding member programs and self-serve options. Members are invited to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting on April 17 and join the cooperative in celebrating the many ways it is “Here for Good.”
Voting in the annual Director Election also provides United Power members the unique opportunity to have a voice in the cooperative’s future. Each year, your votes determine who will serve on the Board of Directors. Member participation in the election is crucial to helping the cooperative better serve you.
Five candidates are running for election to the Board of Directors this year. One seat in the Mountain, North, Central, and South Districts is up for election. The director candidates are Stephen Whiteside (incumbent) in the Mountain District; Brian A. McCormick (incumbent) in the North District; Tim Erickson (incumbent) and Paige Wagner-Maul in the Central District; and Brad Case (incumbent) in the South District. Consider attending the Meet the Candidates event on March 19 to learn more about director candidates or read their candidate statements here.
A bylaw amendment is included on this year’s ballot regarding director term lengths. Members are being asked if director terms should be changed from three years to four years.
Balloting opens on March 15. United Power encourages all members to cast their votes in the election. Members may vote electronically through their online account or via mail ballots, sent to all members. Online and mail-in ballots must be received by 11:59 a.m. on April 16, or members can vote in person on April 17 at the meeting. Ballot drop boxes will not be available in cooperative offices this year, however a ballot drop box will be available on-site at the Annual Meeting from noon to 4 p.m. 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 accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in the co-op’s governing body.
Attend the Annual Meeting
The 2024 Annual Meeting will be held at Riverdale Regional Park on April 17. Registration opens at 4:30 p.m. and balloting closes at the beginning of the official business meeting at 6:30 p.m. Members may also view a livestream of the meeting posted here.
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Members Prioritize Mental Health & Outdoor Recreation for Grants
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Tuesday | July 14, 2020
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Members focused again on relief for the community during this time, with a number of nominations for two organizations that support mental health and recreation.
United Power introduced its new Member Choice Grants program earlier this year, asking members to nominate a nonprofit organization in its service territory they would like to see the cooperative help support.
These grant nominations allow United Power to provide support for causes and organizations members truly care about. During the first round of nominations, members recognized food banks for meeting the needs of others during this time, awarding the Fort Lupton Food Bank and Carbon Valley Help Center with grants.
Members focused again on relief for the community during this time, with a number of nominations for two organizations that support mental health and recreation. United Power is happy to announce the two nonprofits receiving $1,000 Member Choice Grants.
Richard Lambert Foundation
The foundation provides care, support and essential resources for bereaved children and adults, allowing them to create a foundation for hope, healing and survival. The grant will be used to ensure mental health and grief support is accessible.
Barr Lake State Park
Barr Lake State Park is a quiet lake just northeast of Denver. There’s something for every type of outdoors person at Barr Lake, from fishing and bird watching to boating and kayaking. Grant funds will be used to support Lake Appreciation Day on July 11.
Nominations are now open for the third round of Member Choice Grants, which will be announced in the next United Newsline. To submit a nomination, fill out the form on our Member Choice page and provide a brief reason why you feel the organization should receive the grant.
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Mutton Busting: Toughest Sport on Wool
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Monday | July 2, 2018
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For years, the Adams County Fair has provided an opportunity to channel that spirit into a popular rugrat rodeo activity – Mutton Bustin’. Mutton Bustin’ will return with the fair in August, but will introduce an exciting new change from previous event formats.
Adams County Fair Returns August 1-5, 2018
The childhood spirit is one of nearly unbreakable confidence, unflinching resilience and endless tenacity. When toddlers get knocked down, they get back up, dust the dirt off and are ready to go another round (or five). For years, the Adams County Fair has provided an opportunity to channel that spirit into a popular rugrat rodeo activity – Mutton Bustin’.
Mutton Bustin’ will return with the fair in August, but will introduce an exciting new change from previous event formats. In previous years, children lined up in hopes of participating, but only a select few riders were able to compete on opening night before the event vanished from the Fair. However, due to high demand, the Adams County Fair plans to host Mutton Bustin’ all five days this year, allowing more children to experience the thrills of rodeo life.
For those unfamiliar with mutton busting, also known as wool riding, the sport gently introduces children to the rough and tumble world of bull riding, but on the backs of more mild ewes. Youthful hopefuls between the ages of 4-7 weighing less than 60 pounds are able to compete. Riders don protective gear, including a vest and helmet with metal face guard, before straddling a sheep in an individual chute and awaiting their opportunity for glory.
Much like their adult counterparts, who earned reputations on the backs of formidably powerful steers and bulls, wool riders must maintain perfect balance on the ewe in order to earn a score. Ride for six seconds, and a score is awarded. Highest score wins a round.
While Mutton Bustin’ has certainly been a crowd favorite over the years, the Adams County Fair features several other exciting kid-friendly activities, including bounce houses, ropes courses, zip lines, laser tag and a toddler zone. On Friday, Aug. 3, 9NEWS Kids Day will return, featuring appearances from local mascots, including the Rockies’ Dinger, the Avalanche’s Bernie and Bronco cheerleaders, as well as a United Power booth.
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Myths of Energy Efficiency
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Monday | February 14, 2022
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As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills.
As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills. To help you make more informed decisions, we tackle some common energy efficiency myths in this column.
Reducing Energy Use is Too Expensive
A common and enduring myth about energy efficiency is cost. The stigma associated with it assumes it’s too expensive and not worth it. While costly energy efficiency upgrades are possible, many immediate steps you can take are simple behavioral and habitual changes. These include turning off lights in unused rooms, unplugging or shutting down unused electronics, closing doors to empty rooms while heating/cooling systems are running, limiting use of vents in the kitchen or bathroom and remembering to close your curtains in the summer – and conversely open them in the winter – to keep sunlight from affecting the temperature inside your home.
Setting Thermostat Higher Heats Home Faster
No matter what temperature you set your thermostat, your furnace will work equally as hard and fast to meet that goal. The only difference achieved by setting the temperature to a higher degree is that the system will work for a longer period of time, therefore using more energy. The same applies to air conditioners when set to a lower temperature than necessary. Although blasting your heater or air conditioning does not heat or cool your home more quickly, adjusting your thermostat up or down a few degrees, depending on the season, can help you save energy.
Closing Vents in Unused Rooms Saves Energy
Shutting vents in empty or unused rooms may seem logical to save energy. Heating or cooling an empty space does appear to waste energy. However, your system cannot detect closed vents and will continue trying to push air to them. When the air cannot escape, it reverses and can cause damage to your system. Instead of closing vents, practice closing doors to rooms that are not in use. When doors are open, it allows the hot or cold air from inside the room to escape and the air from outside the room to enter, which can force your system to work harder to maintain thermostat settings. Closed doors prevent air from entering or exiting so the system can properly heat or cool the room and maintain it more easily.
Using energy more efficiently isn’t as difficult as you may believe. Small behavioral changes make a big difference. To review more ways to save, check out our website at www.unitedpower.com/energy-tips or contact an Energy Management Specialist at 303-637-1300.
How to Monitor Your Energy Usage
United Power members looking for ways to use energy more efficiently this year and save on their energy bills can utilize free resources available exclusively to the cooperative’s members.
View Usage With Power Portal
Power Portal was launched as an ancillary feature of the cooperative’s online account tool for members to view advanced data on their energy use over the course of days, weeks, months and more. The software breaks your energy usage down into 15-minute segments to provide you with a detailed picture of what activities or habits are controlling your energy usage. Members can even use the tool to evaluate on- and off-peak energy usage.
Armed with the ability to diagnose behaviors that lead to excess energy usage, members can begin taking real steps toward using energy more efficiently. Members can even use this tool to gauge the effectiveness of energy efficient updates to their home.
For more information, go to the Power Portal page.
Demand Calculator
Adding or upgrading an appliance in your home? United Power recently debuted its new demand calculator, which allows members to toggle different appliances on and off to see what demand they could require in your home. To use the calculator or learn more about the demand rate, go to the Understanding Demand page.
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Myths of Energy Efficiency
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Friday | February 5, 2021
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As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills.
As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills. In a previous newsletter, we tackled some common energy efficiency myths. This follow up to that article dives into a few more myths to help you make more informed decisions.
Reducing Energy Use is Too Expensive
The first and most common misconception about energy efficiency is cost. There’s a stigma associated with it that assumes it’s far too expensive to be worth it, which is incorrect. While members can begin to see increased savings by upgrading insulation and replacing old appliances, many of the immediate steps you can take toward using energy efficiently are behavioral changes. Some of these will be addressed below, but others include turning off lights when you leave a room, limiting use of kitchen and bathroom vents, closing doors to empty rooms while heating or cooling systems are running, and remembering to close your curtains in the summer – and conversely open them in the winter – to keep sunlight from affecting the temperature inside your home.
Myth or Truth: Myth
Adjusting the Thermostat Saves Energy
Adjusting your thermostat up or down a few degrees, depending on the season, can help you save energy. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates this little behavioral change could save consumers as much as 10 percent per year on their energy bills. Since heating and cooling our homes accounts for approximately half of our annual energy usage, that could result in significant savings. To see additional savings on your energy bills, you can adjust the thermostat a few more degrees when you and your family won’t be home. It is recommended to practice adjusting your thermostat 6-8 degrees when your home will be empty for several hours, such as when you’re at work. It’s important to note you may not see savings from this practice when you’re only away from the home for a couple hours. This practice is easily paired with a smart thermostat, which can either adjust your thermostat automatically based your location relative to the home or on a pre-programmed schedule. If you and your family are traveling for the holidays, you can set your thermostat to an even lower temperature, roughly 50 degrees, to both save energy and protect your pipes from winter temperatures. In certain situations, it may even be possible to turn your system off altogether, such as a family vacation in the summer or at night when you can allow Colorado’s mild climate to cool your home naturally by opening windows.
Myth or Truth: Truth
Ceiling Fans Keep Rooms Cool
Sitting in a room with a running ceiling fan may feel more comfortable than a room without one, but that’s not because the ceiling fan is actually cooling the air in the room. Instead, the room feels cooler because the ceiling fan keeps air in the room flowing constantly, cooling those who are in the room rather than the air itself. To use ceiling fans efficiently, run them only in occupied rooms while adjusting your thermostat up a few degrees. Leaving a ceiling fan running in an empty room just wastes energy.
Myth or Truth: Myth.
Setting Thermostat Higher Heats Home Faster
No matter what temperature you set your thermostat, your furnace will work equally as hard and fast to meet that goal. The only difference achieved by setting the temperature to a higher degree is that the system will work for a longer period of time, therefore using more energy. The same applies to air conditioners when set to a lower temperature then desired.
Myth or Truth: Myth
Appliances Don’t Use Power When Turned Off
You may have heard the term “vampire loads,” but do you know what causes them? When you turn off an electronic device or appliance, many don’t actually turn off. They go into a “standby” mode, which still draws a small amount of energy. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates these loads are approaching nearly 10% of our annual energy usage, due in large part to the increased number of electronics we use daily. To save energy, make sure your electronics are turned off rather than in standby and unplug unused chargers. Using a smart power strip may be an effective way to combat these loads, as well.
Myth or Truth: Myth
Using energy more efficiently isn’t as difficult as you may believe. Many of the quickest ways to see results are to make small behavioral changes. If you’re curious about more ways you can save, check out our website at www.unitedpower.com/energy-tips or contact an Energy Management Specialist at 303-637-1300.
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National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18, 2019
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Friday | March 1, 2019
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United Power is dedicated to keeping our members’ lights on. That wouldn’t be possible without the help of our skilled linemen, who work each day behind the scenes to improve our system and prevent outages before they happen.
United Power is dedicated to keeping our members’ lights on. That wouldn’t be possible without the help of our skilled linemen, who work each day behind the scenes to improve our system and prevent outages before they happen. On April 18th, we will join in celebrating National Lineman Appreciation Day, honoring the hard work, innovation and dedication of America’s electrical lineworkers.
Linemen must be prepared to face daily situations that may be less than ideal, regularly tasked with resolving intricate and hazardous problems in unknown or perilous conditions.
During the past year, our linemen have had to help restore power to members following severe hail storms and high winds, which caught many offguard. When severe weather hits our service territory, our linemen are ready to assess the situation and begin the process of restoring power. When the skies are clear and the wind is calm, our linemen are monitoring our system and making improvements to prevent outages where possible.
Our linemen are on call 24 hours a day, ready to respond to any situation in any type of weather. So next time you lose power, rest assured a highly trained United Power crew is on the way, dedicated to getting the lights back on quickly and safely.
Without our linemen, the power that makes our member’s homes comfortable wouldn’t be possible. We invite our members to take a moment to thank our United Power linemen for the work they do. Use #ThankALineman on social media to show your support, or take a moment to drop a kind note in the mail.
United PowerThank a Lineman500 Cooperative WayBrighton, CO 80603
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National Preparedness Month 2023
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Wednesday | September 13, 2023
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This year’s theme, “Preparing for Older Adults,” touches how to plan ahead.
Colorado is no stranger to weather-related disasters and record-breaking storm systems. Strong storms may dump feet of snow, generate destructive wind speeds, or spark a devastating wildfire. Each September, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recognizes National Preparedness Month to educate and empower Americans to take simple steps to prepare for and respond to potential emergencies that could affect us where we live, work, and visit. This year’s theme, “Preparing for Older Adults,” touches how to plan ahead.
Make a Plan. Expecting the unexpected begins with having a plan in place. Coordinate with your family, loved ones, or caregivers to respond quickly in the event of a disaster or weather-related emergency. A plan should include the following:
Create a support network of family, friends, and others, including caregivers, who can assist you during an emergency. Establish two-way communications, transportation, and living arrangements between you and your care community, especially if power is interrupted. Consider how any pets or service animals can continue receiving care, if necessary.
Make sure at least one person in your support network has an extra key to your home, knows where you keep your emergency supplies, and knows how to use life-saving equipment or administer medicine.
If you undergo routine treatments at a clinic or hospital, find out their emergency plans and work with them to identify backup service providers.
If you rely on any devices for physical assistance, plan on how you will have those with you during an evacuation, if required.
Build a Kit. Gather supplies for several days, considering your unique needs. Include items such as food and water; medications and medical supplies; any necessary medical documentation, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and other insurance cards; pet supplies; batteries and chargers; etc. You may also include items such as a first aid kit, flashlight, and/or radio. Remember to keep your kit updated.
Electronic Benefits. If you depend on Social Security or other regular benefits, switching to electronic payments is a simple, important way to protect yourself financially. You can sign up for direct deposit by calling 800-333-1795 or visiting www.godirect.gov/gpw.
For more information on National Preparedness Month, including sample emergency communications plans, organizations you can volunteer with during disasters, and more, visit www.ready.gov.
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New Fort Lupton Payment Kiosk
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Friday | February 5, 2021
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United Power members living in and around Fort Lupton now have access to a new payment kiosk. The new kiosk is located inside the Bank of Colorado’s Operations Center, 605 4th St.
United Power members living in and around Fort Lupton now have access to a new payment kiosk. The new kiosk is located inside the Bank of Colorado’s Operations Center, 605 4th St.
Payment kiosks are hassle-free and easy to use. To make a payment, bring your United Power account number and a form of payment. Kiosks accept cash, credit card or check payments. Cash and credit card payments made using the kiosk are applied to your account immediately, and accounts subject to disconnection are restored immediately upon payment.
Over the past few years, the cooperative has seen a steady increase in demand from members who prefer to use self-serve and digital account and payment options, and a corresponding reduction in visits to our offices.
“The installation of payment kiosks demonstrates our commitment to providing the types of services our members want,” said Francis Ashu, Member Services Director. “Through our many convenient account management and payment options, we are able to provide the same level of quality service without costs associated with operating a storefront location.”
United Power now operates four payment kiosks, conveniently located throughout the service territory, with the addition of the Fort Lupton kiosk. The other kiosks are located at the cooperative’s office locations in Brighton, Carbon Valley and Coal Creek.
Find more information on payment kiosks and other payment options on our payments page.
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New Hours for Brighton & Ft. Lupton Walk-In Services
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Thursday | April 27, 2017
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More Hours to Serve You!
More Hours to Serve You!
United Power’s Brighton and Ft. Lupton offices will offer expanded hours beginning on May 1st. Both offices will now be open from 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Monday–Friday to serve walk-in members with account changes and in-person payments. United Power’s Brighton office is located at 500 Cooperative Way along the I-76 frontage road in Brighton, and the Ft. Lupton office is located at 1200 Dexter Street in the Safeway shopping center in Ft. Lupton. United Power’s Coal Creek office hours will stay the same, offering walk-in services and payments from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday–Friday and we will continue to offer 24 hour dispatch for outages and emergencies.
Walk-in payment locations are one of many convenient options for United Power members to make a payment and access account information. Members can pay 24 hours per day over the phone and online through SmartHub. In addition, United Power members can also make cash payments at any MoneyGram location. Check out all of our payment and billing options here.
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New Rates Effective Jan 1, 2020
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Tuesday | December 31, 2019
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While the increase became effective beginning with usage on January 1, 2020, members won’t see the increase on their bills until February statements are mailed out.
More Residential Rate Options Available to Members
Residential RatesUnderstanding Demand
A modest increase in residential rates proposed by the United Power board of directors in November became effective in January. Members on the Standard Residential rate will see a 1.5% rate increase, which amounts to an average increase of $1.58 per month. Members on the residential Time of Day and Irrigation rates will see a 2% increase, or an average monthly increase of $3.23. While the increase became effective beginning with usage on January 1, 2020, members won’t see the increase on their bills until February statements are mailed out.
Changes to residential rates include a small increase to the demand component, which was introduced to members beginning in 2019, and a corresponding reduction in the energy charge. For example, in the Standard Residential rate, the demand charge increased by 50¢ per kW while the energy charge dropped from 10.15¢ per kWh to 9.95¢ per kWh. The separation of the demand and energy elements allows the cooperative to more accurately, and fairly, charge members for their usage and impact on the system.
In addition to the rate change, residential members now have more options with the addition of the new Peak Time of Day Rate. Members who opt into the new rate will pay a slightly higher demand charge than on the standard residential or time of day rates, but are only charged for demand during on-peak hours (2 p.m. – 10 p.m., Monday – Saturday), providing more incentive and savings when members switch usage to off-peak hours.
“United Power is constantly looking into its rates and trying to find the best way to serve its members both individually and collectively,” said Dean Hubbuck, Director of Power Supply and Rates. “The addition of the Smart Choice and Peak Time of Day rates over the past two years has given members more options to find something that’s flexible and works for them.”
The new Peak Time of Day rate offers relief to members who utilize energy-intensive appliances that can cause spikes in demand overnight, such as electric thermal storage. With the new rate, members can charge their storage off-peak without worrying about demand. Electric vehicle owners who charge at night will also benefit from the new rate.
United Power will also be adding a new component to its billing statements that shows members exactly when they hit their peak demand. While this information is available through the Power Portal, it is not currently printed on bills. To find detailed information on United Power’s available residential rates for 2020, go to Residential Rates. There you can compare the demand and energy charges of each rate and choose one that works best for you.
The cooperative has also compiled a helpful list of resources to better understand the demand rate, including videos, printable materials and frequently asked questions. To view these resources and more, go to Understanding Demand.
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Member Choice Recipients Announced for Final Round of 2021
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Tuesday | December 28, 2021
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High Country Auxiliary and the Mead High School Band have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the final part of the year.
The final round of Member Choice Grants for 2021 have been awarded. United Power is proud to announce Blawk Hawk’s High Country Auxiliary and the Mead High School Band have been selected from nominations submitted by our members to receive grants this round.
The cooperative introduced Member Choice Grants in early 2020, asking members to nominate nonprofit organizations within the service territory they would like to see us help support. The grant nomination process gives members a voice and helps ensure we are supporting causes they truly care about.
High Country Auxiliary
High-Country Auxiliary has existed for more than 50 years to aid and support Timberline Fire Protection District, Gilpin County Animal Response Team, and other emergency service organizations within the district. This includes providing sustenance or purchasing items for first responders or providing scholarships for training classes.
Mead High School Band
The Mead High School Band takes great pride in offering a variety of performing ensembles, including an inclusive percussion ensemble for students with intellectual disabilities. The band seeks to balance performances in educational settings and festivals with performances in the Longmont and Mead communities.
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Members Invited to Attend the 2024 Annual Meeting
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Tuesday | March 12, 2024
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United Power celebrates 85 years of service at this year’s Annual Meeting.
United Power Celebrates 85 Years of Service at This Year’s Annual Meeting
United Power has been proudly serving members along the Colorado Front Range for 85 years — setting the standard for innovative excellence in system performance, technological adoption and deployment, member engagement, and commitment to community growth and development. The cooperative has accomplished a lot in the past year as it prepares for the upcoming exit from its wholesale power contract in May, including record reliability and groundbreaking energy partnerships, a renewed dedication to supporting key accounts while maintaining the same level of local involvement, and expanding member programs and self-serve options. Members are invited to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting on April 17 and join the cooperative in celebrating the many ways it is “Here for Good.”
Voting in the annual Director Election also provides United Power members the unique opportunity to have a voice in the cooperative’s future. Each year, your votes determine who will serve on the Board of Directors. Member participation in the election is crucial to helping the cooperative better serve you.
Five candidates are running for election to the Board of Directors this year. One seat in the Mountain, North, Central, and South Districts is up for election. The director candidates are Stephen Whiteside (incumbent) in the Mountain District; Brian A. McCormick (incumbent) in the North District; Tim Erickson (incumbent) and Paige Wagner-Maul in the Central District; and Brad Case (incumbent) in the South District. Consider attending the Meet the Candidates event on March 19 to learn more about director candidates or read their candidate statements here.
A bylaw amendment is included on this year’s ballot regarding director term lengths. Members are being asked if director terms should be changed from three years to four years.
Balloting opens on March 15. United Power encourages all members to cast their votes in the election. Members may vote electronically through their online account or via mail ballots, sent to all members. Online and mail-in ballots must be received by 11:59 a.m. on April 16, or members can vote in person on April 17 at the meeting. Ballot drop boxes will not be available in cooperative offices this year, however a ballot drop box will be available on-site at the Annual Meeting from noon to 4 p.m. 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 accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in the co-op’s governing body.
Attend the Annual Meeting
The 2024 Annual Meeting will be held at Riverdale Regional Park on April 17. Registration opens at 4:30 p.m. and balloting closes at the beginning of the official business meeting at 6:30 p.m. Members may also view a livestream of the meeting posted here.
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Members Prioritize Mental Health & Outdoor Recreation for Grants
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Tuesday | July 14, 2020
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Members focused again on relief for the community during this time, with a number of nominations for two organizations that support mental health and recreation.
United Power introduced its new Member Choice Grants program earlier this year, asking members to nominate a nonprofit organization in its service territory they would like to see the cooperative help support.
These grant nominations allow United Power to provide support for causes and organizations members truly care about. During the first round of nominations, members recognized food banks for meeting the needs of others during this time, awarding the Fort Lupton Food Bank and Carbon Valley Help Center with grants.
Members focused again on relief for the community during this time, with a number of nominations for two organizations that support mental health and recreation. United Power is happy to announce the two nonprofits receiving $1,000 Member Choice Grants.
Richard Lambert Foundation
The foundation provides care, support and essential resources for bereaved children and adults, allowing them to create a foundation for hope, healing and survival. The grant will be used to ensure mental health and grief support is accessible.
Barr Lake State Park
Barr Lake State Park is a quiet lake just northeast of Denver. There’s something for every type of outdoors person at Barr Lake, from fishing and bird watching to boating and kayaking. Grant funds will be used to support Lake Appreciation Day on July 11.
Nominations are now open for the third round of Member Choice Grants, which will be announced in the next United Newsline. To submit a nomination, fill out the form on our Member Choice page and provide a brief reason why you feel the organization should receive the grant.
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Mutton Busting: Toughest Sport on Wool
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Monday | July 2, 2018
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For years, the Adams County Fair has provided an opportunity to channel that spirit into a popular rugrat rodeo activity – Mutton Bustin’. Mutton Bustin’ will return with the fair in August, but will introduce an exciting new change from previous event formats.
Adams County Fair Returns August 1-5, 2018
The childhood spirit is one of nearly unbreakable confidence, unflinching resilience and endless tenacity. When toddlers get knocked down, they get back up, dust the dirt off and are ready to go another round (or five). For years, the Adams County Fair has provided an opportunity to channel that spirit into a popular rugrat rodeo activity – Mutton Bustin’.
Mutton Bustin’ will return with the fair in August, but will introduce an exciting new change from previous event formats. In previous years, children lined up in hopes of participating, but only a select few riders were able to compete on opening night before the event vanished from the Fair. However, due to high demand, the Adams County Fair plans to host Mutton Bustin’ all five days this year, allowing more children to experience the thrills of rodeo life.
For those unfamiliar with mutton busting, also known as wool riding, the sport gently introduces children to the rough and tumble world of bull riding, but on the backs of more mild ewes. Youthful hopefuls between the ages of 4-7 weighing less than 60 pounds are able to compete. Riders don protective gear, including a vest and helmet with metal face guard, before straddling a sheep in an individual chute and awaiting their opportunity for glory.
Much like their adult counterparts, who earned reputations on the backs of formidably powerful steers and bulls, wool riders must maintain perfect balance on the ewe in order to earn a score. Ride for six seconds, and a score is awarded. Highest score wins a round.
While Mutton Bustin’ has certainly been a crowd favorite over the years, the Adams County Fair features several other exciting kid-friendly activities, including bounce houses, ropes courses, zip lines, laser tag and a toddler zone. On Friday, Aug. 3, 9NEWS Kids Day will return, featuring appearances from local mascots, including the Rockies’ Dinger, the Avalanche’s Bernie and Bronco cheerleaders, as well as a United Power booth.
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Myths of Energy Efficiency
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Monday | February 14, 2022
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As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills.
As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills. To help you make more informed decisions, we tackle some common energy efficiency myths in this column.
Reducing Energy Use is Too Expensive
A common and enduring myth about energy efficiency is cost. The stigma associated with it assumes it’s too expensive and not worth it. While costly energy efficiency upgrades are possible, many immediate steps you can take are simple behavioral and habitual changes. These include turning off lights in unused rooms, unplugging or shutting down unused electronics, closing doors to empty rooms while heating/cooling systems are running, limiting use of vents in the kitchen or bathroom and remembering to close your curtains in the summer – and conversely open them in the winter – to keep sunlight from affecting the temperature inside your home.
Setting Thermostat Higher Heats Home Faster
No matter what temperature you set your thermostat, your furnace will work equally as hard and fast to meet that goal. The only difference achieved by setting the temperature to a higher degree is that the system will work for a longer period of time, therefore using more energy. The same applies to air conditioners when set to a lower temperature than necessary. Although blasting your heater or air conditioning does not heat or cool your home more quickly, adjusting your thermostat up or down a few degrees, depending on the season, can help you save energy.
Closing Vents in Unused Rooms Saves Energy
Shutting vents in empty or unused rooms may seem logical to save energy. Heating or cooling an empty space does appear to waste energy. However, your system cannot detect closed vents and will continue trying to push air to them. When the air cannot escape, it reverses and can cause damage to your system. Instead of closing vents, practice closing doors to rooms that are not in use. When doors are open, it allows the hot or cold air from inside the room to escape and the air from outside the room to enter, which can force your system to work harder to maintain thermostat settings. Closed doors prevent air from entering or exiting so the system can properly heat or cool the room and maintain it more easily.
Using energy more efficiently isn’t as difficult as you may believe. Small behavioral changes make a big difference. To review more ways to save, check out our website at www.unitedpower.com/energy-tips or contact an Energy Management Specialist at 303-637-1300.
How to Monitor Your Energy Usage
United Power members looking for ways to use energy more efficiently this year and save on their energy bills can utilize free resources available exclusively to the cooperative’s members.
View Usage With Power Portal
Power Portal was launched as an ancillary feature of the cooperative’s online account tool for members to view advanced data on their energy use over the course of days, weeks, months and more. The software breaks your energy usage down into 15-minute segments to provide you with a detailed picture of what activities or habits are controlling your energy usage. Members can even use the tool to evaluate on- and off-peak energy usage.
Armed with the ability to diagnose behaviors that lead to excess energy usage, members can begin taking real steps toward using energy more efficiently. Members can even use this tool to gauge the effectiveness of energy efficient updates to their home.
For more information, go to the Power Portal page.
Demand Calculator
Adding or upgrading an appliance in your home? United Power recently debuted its new demand calculator, which allows members to toggle different appliances on and off to see what demand they could require in your home. To use the calculator or learn more about the demand rate, go to the Understanding Demand page.
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Myths of Energy Efficiency
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Friday | February 5, 2021
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As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills.
As your cooperative, we want to provide you with the most useful information and applicable resources to help you save on bills. In a previous newsletter, we tackled some common energy efficiency myths. This follow up to that article dives into a few more myths to help you make more informed decisions.
Reducing Energy Use is Too Expensive
The first and most common misconception about energy efficiency is cost. There’s a stigma associated with it that assumes it’s far too expensive to be worth it, which is incorrect. While members can begin to see increased savings by upgrading insulation and replacing old appliances, many of the immediate steps you can take toward using energy efficiently are behavioral changes. Some of these will be addressed below, but others include turning off lights when you leave a room, limiting use of kitchen and bathroom vents, closing doors to empty rooms while heating or cooling systems are running, and remembering to close your curtains in the summer – and conversely open them in the winter – to keep sunlight from affecting the temperature inside your home.
Myth or Truth: Myth
Adjusting the Thermostat Saves Energy
Adjusting your thermostat up or down a few degrees, depending on the season, can help you save energy. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates this little behavioral change could save consumers as much as 10 percent per year on their energy bills. Since heating and cooling our homes accounts for approximately half of our annual energy usage, that could result in significant savings. To see additional savings on your energy bills, you can adjust the thermostat a few more degrees when you and your family won’t be home. It is recommended to practice adjusting your thermostat 6-8 degrees when your home will be empty for several hours, such as when you’re at work. It’s important to note you may not see savings from this practice when you’re only away from the home for a couple hours. This practice is easily paired with a smart thermostat, which can either adjust your thermostat automatically based your location relative to the home or on a pre-programmed schedule. If you and your family are traveling for the holidays, you can set your thermostat to an even lower temperature, roughly 50 degrees, to both save energy and protect your pipes from winter temperatures. In certain situations, it may even be possible to turn your system off altogether, such as a family vacation in the summer or at night when you can allow Colorado’s mild climate to cool your home naturally by opening windows.
Myth or Truth: Truth
Ceiling Fans Keep Rooms Cool
Sitting in a room with a running ceiling fan may feel more comfortable than a room without one, but that’s not because the ceiling fan is actually cooling the air in the room. Instead, the room feels cooler because the ceiling fan keeps air in the room flowing constantly, cooling those who are in the room rather than the air itself. To use ceiling fans efficiently, run them only in occupied rooms while adjusting your thermostat up a few degrees. Leaving a ceiling fan running in an empty room just wastes energy.
Myth or Truth: Myth.
Setting Thermostat Higher Heats Home Faster
No matter what temperature you set your thermostat, your furnace will work equally as hard and fast to meet that goal. The only difference achieved by setting the temperature to a higher degree is that the system will work for a longer period of time, therefore using more energy. The same applies to air conditioners when set to a lower temperature then desired.
Myth or Truth: Myth
Appliances Don’t Use Power When Turned Off
You may have heard the term “vampire loads,” but do you know what causes them? When you turn off an electronic device or appliance, many don’t actually turn off. They go into a “standby” mode, which still draws a small amount of energy. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates these loads are approaching nearly 10% of our annual energy usage, due in large part to the increased number of electronics we use daily. To save energy, make sure your electronics are turned off rather than in standby and unplug unused chargers. Using a smart power strip may be an effective way to combat these loads, as well.
Myth or Truth: Myth
Using energy more efficiently isn’t as difficult as you may believe. Many of the quickest ways to see results are to make small behavioral changes. If you’re curious about more ways you can save, check out our website at www.unitedpower.com/energy-tips or contact an Energy Management Specialist at 303-637-1300.
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National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18, 2019
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Friday | March 1, 2019
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United Power is dedicated to keeping our members’ lights on. That wouldn’t be possible without the help of our skilled linemen, who work each day behind the scenes to improve our system and prevent outages before they happen.
United Power is dedicated to keeping our members’ lights on. That wouldn’t be possible without the help of our skilled linemen, who work each day behind the scenes to improve our system and prevent outages before they happen. On April 18th, we will join in celebrating National Lineman Appreciation Day, honoring the hard work, innovation and dedication of America’s electrical lineworkers.
Linemen must be prepared to face daily situations that may be less than ideal, regularly tasked with resolving intricate and hazardous problems in unknown or perilous conditions.
During the past year, our linemen have had to help restore power to members following severe hail storms and high winds, which caught many offguard. When severe weather hits our service territory, our linemen are ready to assess the situation and begin the process of restoring power. When the skies are clear and the wind is calm, our linemen are monitoring our system and making improvements to prevent outages where possible.
Our linemen are on call 24 hours a day, ready to respond to any situation in any type of weather. So next time you lose power, rest assured a highly trained United Power crew is on the way, dedicated to getting the lights back on quickly and safely.
Without our linemen, the power that makes our member’s homes comfortable wouldn’t be possible. We invite our members to take a moment to thank our United Power linemen for the work they do. Use #ThankALineman on social media to show your support, or take a moment to drop a kind note in the mail.
United PowerThank a Lineman500 Cooperative WayBrighton, CO 80603
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National Preparedness Month 2023
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Wednesday | September 13, 2023
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This year’s theme, “Preparing for Older Adults,” touches how to plan ahead.
Colorado is no stranger to weather-related disasters and record-breaking storm systems. Strong storms may dump feet of snow, generate destructive wind speeds, or spark a devastating wildfire. Each September, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recognizes National Preparedness Month to educate and empower Americans to take simple steps to prepare for and respond to potential emergencies that could affect us where we live, work, and visit. This year’s theme, “Preparing for Older Adults,” touches how to plan ahead.
Make a Plan. Expecting the unexpected begins with having a plan in place. Coordinate with your family, loved ones, or caregivers to respond quickly in the event of a disaster or weather-related emergency. A plan should include the following:
Create a support network of family, friends, and others, including caregivers, who can assist you during an emergency. Establish two-way communications, transportation, and living arrangements between you and your care community, especially if power is interrupted. Consider how any pets or service animals can continue receiving care, if necessary.
Make sure at least one person in your support network has an extra key to your home, knows where you keep your emergency supplies, and knows how to use life-saving equipment or administer medicine.
If you undergo routine treatments at a clinic or hospital, find out their emergency plans and work with them to identify backup service providers.
If you rely on any devices for physical assistance, plan on how you will have those with you during an evacuation, if required.
Build a Kit. Gather supplies for several days, considering your unique needs. Include items such as food and water; medications and medical supplies; any necessary medical documentation, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and other insurance cards; pet supplies; batteries and chargers; etc. You may also include items such as a first aid kit, flashlight, and/or radio. Remember to keep your kit updated.
Electronic Benefits. If you depend on Social Security or other regular benefits, switching to electronic payments is a simple, important way to protect yourself financially. You can sign up for direct deposit by calling 800-333-1795 or visiting www.godirect.gov/gpw.
For more information on National Preparedness Month, including sample emergency communications plans, organizations you can volunteer with during disasters, and more, visit www.ready.gov.
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New Fort Lupton Payment Kiosk
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Friday | February 5, 2021
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United Power members living in and around Fort Lupton now have access to a new payment kiosk. The new kiosk is located inside the Bank of Colorado’s Operations Center, 605 4th St.
United Power members living in and around Fort Lupton now have access to a new payment kiosk. The new kiosk is located inside the Bank of Colorado’s Operations Center, 605 4th St.
Payment kiosks are hassle-free and easy to use. To make a payment, bring your United Power account number and a form of payment. Kiosks accept cash, credit card or check payments. Cash and credit card payments made using the kiosk are applied to your account immediately, and accounts subject to disconnection are restored immediately upon payment.
Over the past few years, the cooperative has seen a steady increase in demand from members who prefer to use self-serve and digital account and payment options, and a corresponding reduction in visits to our offices.
“The installation of payment kiosks demonstrates our commitment to providing the types of services our members want,” said Francis Ashu, Member Services Director. “Through our many convenient account management and payment options, we are able to provide the same level of quality service without costs associated with operating a storefront location.”
United Power now operates four payment kiosks, conveniently located throughout the service territory, with the addition of the Fort Lupton kiosk. The other kiosks are located at the cooperative’s office locations in Brighton, Carbon Valley and Coal Creek.
Find more information on payment kiosks and other payment options on our payments page.
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New Hours for Brighton & Ft. Lupton Walk-In Services
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Thursday | April 27, 2017
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More Hours to Serve You!
More Hours to Serve You!
United Power’s Brighton and Ft. Lupton offices will offer expanded hours beginning on May 1st. Both offices will now be open from 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Monday–Friday to serve walk-in members with account changes and in-person payments. United Power’s Brighton office is located at 500 Cooperative Way along the I-76 frontage road in Brighton, and the Ft. Lupton office is located at 1200 Dexter Street in the Safeway shopping center in Ft. Lupton. United Power’s Coal Creek office hours will stay the same, offering walk-in services and payments from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday–Friday and we will continue to offer 24 hour dispatch for outages and emergencies.
Walk-in payment locations are one of many convenient options for United Power members to make a payment and access account information. Members can pay 24 hours per day over the phone and online through SmartHub. In addition, United Power members can also make cash payments at any MoneyGram location. Check out all of our payment and billing options here.
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New Rates Effective Jan 1, 2020
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Tuesday | December 31, 2019
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While the increase became effective beginning with usage on January 1, 2020, members won’t see the increase on their bills until February statements are mailed out.
More Residential Rate Options Available to Members
Residential RatesUnderstanding Demand
A modest increase in residential rates proposed by the United Power board of directors in November became effective in January. Members on the Standard Residential rate will see a 1.5% rate increase, which amounts to an average increase of $1.58 per month. Members on the residential Time of Day and Irrigation rates will see a 2% increase, or an average monthly increase of $3.23. While the increase became effective beginning with usage on January 1, 2020, members won’t see the increase on their bills until February statements are mailed out.
Changes to residential rates include a small increase to the demand component, which was introduced to members beginning in 2019, and a corresponding reduction in the energy charge. For example, in the Standard Residential rate, the demand charge increased by 50¢ per kW while the energy charge dropped from 10.15¢ per kWh to 9.95¢ per kWh. The separation of the demand and energy elements allows the cooperative to more accurately, and fairly, charge members for their usage and impact on the system.
In addition to the rate change, residential members now have more options with the addition of the new Peak Time of Day Rate. Members who opt into the new rate will pay a slightly higher demand charge than on the standard residential or time of day rates, but are only charged for demand during on-peak hours (2 p.m. – 10 p.m., Monday – Saturday), providing more incentive and savings when members switch usage to off-peak hours.
“United Power is constantly looking into its rates and trying to find the best way to serve its members both individually and collectively,” said Dean Hubbuck, Director of Power Supply and Rates. “The addition of the Smart Choice and Peak Time of Day rates over the past two years has given members more options to find something that’s flexible and works for them.”
The new Peak Time of Day rate offers relief to members who utilize energy-intensive appliances that can cause spikes in demand overnight, such as electric thermal storage. With the new rate, members can charge their storage off-peak without worrying about demand. Electric vehicle owners who charge at night will also benefit from the new rate.
United Power will also be adding a new component to its billing statements that shows members exactly when they hit their peak demand. While this information is available through the Power Portal, it is not currently printed on bills. To find detailed information on United Power’s available residential rates for 2020, go to Residential Rates. There you can compare the demand and energy charges of each rate and choose one that works best for you.
The cooperative has also compiled a helpful list of resources to better understand the demand rate, including videos, printable materials and frequently asked questions. To view these resources and more, go to Understanding Demand.
