Title
March/April Message from Mark A. Gabriel
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/CEO_Message.jpg?h=45932144&itok=pNegmSzP
Tuesday | March 1, 2022
Card Teaser
A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
Looking ahead while focusing on the present is a challenge in today’s electric power industry. Whether it is changing regulations; the desire of more members to engage with us as their electric cooperative in new ways; the advancement of technologies; or simply the expectations of high quality, always on, reliable power, being prepared is key.
Thanks to the hard work of staff at United Power, supported by our Board of Directors, we have created “Our Cooperative Roadmap,” or Roadmap, to document both where we are today and how we are looking toward the future. The Roadmap has four Guiding Principles: Reliability, Affordability, Flexibility, and Responsibility. Each of these principles embodies the elements most critical to us as we seek to prepare for the future while building and maintaining the important investments we have made on behalf of our members over the decades. These are the lenses through which we evaluate options such as reimagining our power supply, integrating new technologies, preparing for future markets, and supporting the needs of the workforce.
Reliability
Strive to deliver high-quality, uninterrupted service to our members through the design, operation, protection, and maintenance of a failure-resistant and resilient electric distribution system.
Affordability
Continually seek fair and equitable wholesale rates, manage distribution costs in a highly efficient manner, and responsibly allocate those costs across our membership with stable and transparent rate options.
Flexibility
Demonstrate maximum agility and adaptiveness through forward-looking plans; versatile, innovative programs and business models; and diverse power supply options as we respond to changes in our environment and the needs of our members and community.
Responsibility
Act honestly, ethically, sustainably, and in the best interest of our members and communities as we manage operations and secure resources.
The Roadmap defines the working plan priorities for your cooperative and aligns the work of employees at United Power. The document will ensure continuity in our thinking and guide us as we make important resource decisions.
The Roadmap also keeps us looking at the immediate opportunities and challenges we face. The criticality of electricity has never been more evident as a growing number of our members work from home. The advances of technology require high quality, reliable power. And, as our communities grow, so too do the demands for more power.
A good example in planning ahead and working for today lies in the investments your cooperative made in our fire mitigation plan. Several years ago, we began switching to covered cable in the mountains, undergrounded critical lines, and moved to an advanced breaker. While no plan can perfectly protect us from the unpredictability of wildfires, we were ready to respond during the recent events here in Colorado. Fortunately, our system was not impacted.
The same is true as we ready our technologies to accept more distributed energy resources, storage, and solar on our system while preparing for the advent of a power market here in the west.
We encourage members to read Our Cooperative Roadmap and engage in future discussions about it. The senior team and I welcome the opportunity to come and speak to community groups and will be posting several videos online that cover the Roadmap’s key elements.
Our Cooperative Roadmap covers a wide range of areas – all designed with you, our member, in mind. Importantly, it helps define the cooperative’s future and keeps us on track today. As always, I welcome your comments, questions, and feedback on any topic, including the Roadmap. Please contact me here.
Title
Mark A. Gabriel Announced as New GridWise Alliance Board Member
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Grid_Layout.jpg?itok=QANx6rRH
Tuesday | December 6, 2022
Card Teaser
The GridWise Alliance announced nine new members to its Board of Directors, all strongly committed to advancing the organization's mission to articulate the benefits of grid modernization.
Washington D.C. - The GridWise Alliance announced nine new members to its Board of Directors today, all of whom are strongly committed to advancing the organization's mission to articulate the benefits of grid modernization.
“The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act are further evidence of the increasing rate of change in the industry. GridWise Alliance and other organizations in the field will play a critical role, and bringing in leaders with fresh perspectives is critical,” said Gil Quiniones, CEO, ComEd and Chair of the GridWise Alliance. “Our new board members bring this type of innovative thinking and leadership to the Board of Directors and continue to ensure that it is at the forefront of our country’s energy transformation.”
The new GridWise Alliance Board members who will begin two-year terms, include:
Astrid Atkinson, CEO and Co-Founder, Camus Energy
Michelle Blaise, Senior Vice President Engineering and Project Management, ComEd
Russell Boyer, Global Energy Field Director, Dell Technologies
Michelle Fay, Partner, Guidehouse
Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO, United Power
Hanna Grene, Worldwide Power and Utilities Leader, Microsoft
Wade Lauer, Senior Vice President Transmission, North America, Siemens Energy Inc.
Deepa Poduval, Global Advisory Lead, Senior Vice President, Black & Veatch
Jeannie Salo, Vice President, Government Relations, Schneider Electric
“I am excited to work with the new Directors over the next two years, which will see historic investments in grid modernization in the U.S.,” said Karen Wayland, CEO of the GridWise Alliance. “The GridWise Board of Directors is a group of industry leaders who will help shape the trajectory of grid modernization across the country to enhance reliability, resilience, decarbonization and energy equity.”
The nine incoming Board members will join a group of 16 other Board Directors representing all areas of the electric grid industry. The full list of GridWise Board of Directors is easily accessible on the GridWise website.
About GridWise Alliance:
The GridWise Alliance leads a diverse membership of electricity industry stakeholders focused on accelerating innovation that delivers a more secure, reliable, resilient, and affordable grid to support decarbonization of the U.S. economy. For more information about the GridWise Alliance, visit: www.gridwise.org.
May is National Electrical Safety Month
Thursday | May 2, 2019
May is National Electrical Safety Month, and United Power is joining with the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI)to raise awareness about potential home electrical hazards and the importance of electrical safety.
Read more >
Title
May Message from Mark A. Gabriel
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/CEO_Message_85.jpg?h=45932144&itok=fpbFupeq
Thursday | May 1, 2025
Card Teaser
A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
Several years ago, while working for the federal government, I had the opportunity to spend time aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. The captain explained that aircraft carriers are focused on being a “forward projection of force.” I enjoyed my time with the crew of 4,000 and the leadership command team as they went about the complex duties of operating the finest example of U.S. power in the middle of the ocean.
Part of my experience included a tailhook landing in a COD (carrier onboard delivery) plane that appears way too big to land on anything but a runway, as well as a catapult takeoff. When preparing for takeoff, there is a tremendous amount of noise, confusion, and turmoil. Once hooked onto the catapult, the noise cuts through your body and your vision blurs. The anticipation of the launch is an adrenaline rush. Then a strange thing happens; the noise disappears as the plane clears the runway, dips off the deck, and heads into the air. The flight at that point is quiet and smooth, heading toward its destination. There may be occasional turbulence, but flight plans are executed with great precision.
A year ago, there was a lot of noise as your cooperative awaited takeoff on the catapult to independence. Like the catapult takeoff, silence quickly replaced the noise. The co-op’s flight plan — also known as Our Cooperative Roadmap — is being executed with great precision. United Power is the forward projection of force, taking action to meet the needs today and in the future.
There are headwinds and tailwinds on the energy horizon. The West may find itself short of capacity, the critical back-up generation resource to ensure grid reliability. It, and specifically United Power, will also find it has plenty of energy thanks to more and more people adding their own generating resources, coupled with new solar and wind facilities. The headwinds and tailwinds mean there will be times of excess and inexpensive power and times when things are tight.
Electricity has never been more important to our homes, businesses, and communities. United Power, like many other utilities, is finding the need to balance each new opportunity with the realities of power supply. We have created the LIT process to work with potential large commercial and industrial members, which focuses on three key items: location, investment, and timing. The good news for United Power is our history of ensuring growth pays its own way. The better news is that companies want to be in your cooperative’s territory.
Part of United Power’s flight plan involves the strategy to hyper-localize generation and storage resources. This is one way we will maintain reliability, as well as add to the local tax base. We have added a new gas-fired power plant and 115 MW of battery storage located at substations across our system. The battery array is the largest in Colorado and most likely the West, allowing us to buy power when prices are low and use it when prices are high. As a matter of fact, this month marks the first time United Power actively managed the deployment of power from two of our battery systems to meet a contingency reserve need on the system. The batteries improve and support our grid and leverage the storage capacity for financial benefit.
Our flight plan also includes becoming a distribution system operator (DSO), which allows the management of systems in concert with each other and not just individual pieces. As on the aircraft carrier, everything will be coordinated to manage costs and keep the lights on. This means members can offer their self-generation or storage to United Power as an aggregator that gets sold back to the market. It also means the possibility of smoothing out demand through the system to lower overall costs and the better use of resources in a capacity constrained world.
For three days on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, I witnessed the tight coordination of people, safely navigating in open ocean while defending our nation. At United Power, I see the tight coordination of our tremendous staff, supported by the oversight of your Board who lead the cooperative. We have nailed the landing, cleared the takeoff, and are flying ahead. Full steam ahead.
Title
May Message from Mark. A. Gabriel
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/CEO_Message.jpg?h=45932144&itok=pNegmSzP
Monday | May 8, 2023
Card Teaser
A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
My old boss used to have a saying, “Predicting rain is one thing, building the ark is another.” I am proud to say that your cooperative, with support from the Board of Directors, developed and is following Our Cooperative Roadmap — the ark for success now and into the future. This journey will continue the evolution of the electric business as we work to meet the needs of you, our members, wherever you are.
There continues to be a lot of talk about the energy transition — how the future will look, the challenges of changing power suppliers, and the issues with more people and businesses seeking alternative generation sources. Many of these conversations in the industry revolve around concerns for reliability, resilience, and of course affordability, three watchwords for all of us operating your cooperative.
A distribution cooperative like United Power stands at the crossroads of a changing energy industry. It needs to transition from a simple distribution operator to managing a system that is agnostic to inputs and flexible enough to handle both centralized power and local generation. Very few central power stations are being built today, more fossil fuel generation facilities are closing, and transmission projects lag needs. A distribution system operator (DSO) will be counted on to manage a more complex, yet interlocked, system. This will empower you as members and monetize investments in a shared energy economy.
We are focused on staying closely tied to the economic drivers of the communities we serve to bring tax dollars, revenue, and well-paying job opportunities. We must be good stewards of our resources and build on the solid partnerships with our local businesses. I am proud to say that these partnerships are the cornerstone of the cooperative business model.
Providing high quality and reliable service is crucial because businesses matter. We are restructuring some staff to focus on business and community partnerships — our key accounts. This will allow us to be more responsive, anticipate needs in areas such as power quality, and leverage available grant dollars and tax incentives. Another benefit in controlling our power supply will allow us to craft rates that work for these members.
As a member-owned cooperative, the concept of “meeting you where you are,” aligns with our goal of delivering mutual value. It has the added benefit of keeping investments in the communities we serve while ensuring the reliability and resiliency required in today’s environment. The quiet transition to localized grids, combined with the advancements in management tools and software, returns to continue the electricity enterprises’ original intent of bringing light, motive power, and comfort to the communities being served.
Our Cooperative Roadmap makes sure we are invested in the technological changes our members are navigating in our industry. More members want to self-generate or make energy efficient upgrades to their homes. Others are investing in technologies that will change the way we interface with members. United Power must continue supporting technologies that reduce costs for all members. Programs such as United EV, Smart Rewards for thermostats, energy efficiency rebates, and solar interconnections give members control over how they use power. We are here to support members who want to produce their own power and provide financial incentives that align with our goals of affordability and system control. These programs are aimed at sharing savings with our members when they participate in programs that can reduce our costs.
What does this mean in practice? United Power provides the people and tools to help members make decisions about their own energy use, power generation, use of technologies, and safe integration of batteries and solar panels. It means we are continuously scanning the horizon to make sure our distribution system is ready for tomorrow and safe for today.
We are not just predicting the rain of change but building the ark to ensure we sail into this bright new future.
Member Choice Grants
Friday | March 13, 2020
Member Choice Grants allow our members to nominate a nonprofit organization within the cooperative's service territory to receive grant funds from United Power.
Read more >
Member Choice Grants Renewed for 2021
Monday | January 11, 2021
Members will be able to nominate their favorite local nonprofits to receive grant funds from the cooperative through the program.
Read more >
Title
Member Choice Grants Renewed for 2022
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/EarlyFall2022_MemberChoice.jpg?itok=a3kXaAbk
Wednesday | September 7, 2022
Card Teaser
Nominate a local nonprofit to receive grant dollars from United Power by November 18.
Electric cooperatives are unique from for-profit electric utilities, which are governed by investor decisions that boost revenue and profits. Instead, co-ops are defined by a set of core principles, chief among them a commitment to the communities they serve. United Power is an active supporter and participant in community events and programs, but depends on knowledge from members like you to ensure it is supporting causes you care about.
The co-op launched Member Choice grants to provide a way for members to put their community knowledge into action – by nominating area nonprofits for United Power grant dollars. Nominating a local nonprofit for Member Choice grants allows you to have a voice in what organizations the cooperative is supporting.
United Power has distributed more than $10,000 to nonprofits within its service territory through Member Choice grants since its launch in 2020. The first grants were awarded to local food banks early in the pandemic. Members recognized the need for additional resources at food banks as many families lost their source of income. Members also nominated nonprofits that provided for mental health needs and outdoor recreation. The cooperative renewed Member Choice grants for three rounds in 2021. Recipients provided a variety of needs, including animal rescue and adoption, youth job force training and empowerment, and ending the cycle of homelessness.
Member Choice grants have been renewed again for 2022. Your nominations will help six worthy organizations receive a total of $12,000 in grant dollars to continue providing services to the communities they reach. To receive a Member Choice grant, nominated organizations must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit operating within the cooperative’s service territory and serving United Power members. Ineligible nonprofits include organizations that further religious doctrine or support the interests of political parties.
United Power began accepting new Member Choice grant nominations in August. Nominations must be received by November 18 to ensure consideration for the next round of grants. Recipients will be notified at the end of November and posted in the cooperative’s December newsletter and on its website.
For the nomination form, qualification requirements, and previous winners, please go to our Member Choice Grants page.
Member Choice Recipient Announced for First Round of 2021
Monday | March 8, 2021
Let Your Light Shine, located in Brighton, and the Highlandlake & Mead, Historical Society have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the first part of the year.
Read more >
Title
Member Choice Recipient Announced for Second Round of 2021
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MemberChoice.jpg?itok=xQRicKHr
Monday | July 19, 2021
Card Teaser
Community Uplift Partnership, located in Commerce City, and the Soul Dog Rescue have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the second part of the year.
Nominations are Now Open for the Third Round of Grant Recipients
The second-round recipients of Member Choice Grants for 2021 have been selected. United Power is proud to announce Commerce City’s Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) and Soul Dog Rescue, out of Fort Lupton, 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.
United Power has received several dozen nominations for nonprofit organizations providing a variety of services for those in need within the communities we serve. To submit a nomination for round three, go to www.unitedpower.com/memberchoice.
Community Uplift Partnership
Young adults are some of the most vibrant people in our communities. Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) reminds them they have value beyond a paycheck, strengthens them to conquer barriers to employment opportunities that provide sustainable wages and equips them to make better decisions for the future of their families.
Soul Dog Rescue
Soul Dog Rescue is an animal rescue located in Fort Lupton with the mission to spay/neuter and protect animals. Soul Dog performs collaborative, targeted work, primarily through spay/neuter, in underserved regions in order to create sustainable change and promote cultural shifts regarding the treatment of animals.
Nominations are now open for the third round of Member Choice Grants, which will be announced in an upcoming issue of the United Newsline. Submit a nomination at www.unitedpower.com/memberchoice.
Title
March/April Message from Mark A. Gabriel
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/CEO_Message.jpg?h=45932144&itok=pNegmSzP
Tuesday | March 1, 2022
Card Teaser
A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
Looking ahead while focusing on the present is a challenge in today’s electric power industry. Whether it is changing regulations; the desire of more members to engage with us as their electric cooperative in new ways; the advancement of technologies; or simply the expectations of high quality, always on, reliable power, being prepared is key.
Thanks to the hard work of staff at United Power, supported by our Board of Directors, we have created “Our Cooperative Roadmap,” or Roadmap, to document both where we are today and how we are looking toward the future. The Roadmap has four Guiding Principles: Reliability, Affordability, Flexibility, and Responsibility. Each of these principles embodies the elements most critical to us as we seek to prepare for the future while building and maintaining the important investments we have made on behalf of our members over the decades. These are the lenses through which we evaluate options such as reimagining our power supply, integrating new technologies, preparing for future markets, and supporting the needs of the workforce.
Reliability
Strive to deliver high-quality, uninterrupted service to our members through the design, operation, protection, and maintenance of a failure-resistant and resilient electric distribution system.
Affordability
Continually seek fair and equitable wholesale rates, manage distribution costs in a highly efficient manner, and responsibly allocate those costs across our membership with stable and transparent rate options.
Flexibility
Demonstrate maximum agility and adaptiveness through forward-looking plans; versatile, innovative programs and business models; and diverse power supply options as we respond to changes in our environment and the needs of our members and community.
Responsibility
Act honestly, ethically, sustainably, and in the best interest of our members and communities as we manage operations and secure resources.
The Roadmap defines the working plan priorities for your cooperative and aligns the work of employees at United Power. The document will ensure continuity in our thinking and guide us as we make important resource decisions.
The Roadmap also keeps us looking at the immediate opportunities and challenges we face. The criticality of electricity has never been more evident as a growing number of our members work from home. The advances of technology require high quality, reliable power. And, as our communities grow, so too do the demands for more power.
A good example in planning ahead and working for today lies in the investments your cooperative made in our fire mitigation plan. Several years ago, we began switching to covered cable in the mountains, undergrounded critical lines, and moved to an advanced breaker. While no plan can perfectly protect us from the unpredictability of wildfires, we were ready to respond during the recent events here in Colorado. Fortunately, our system was not impacted.
The same is true as we ready our technologies to accept more distributed energy resources, storage, and solar on our system while preparing for the advent of a power market here in the west.
We encourage members to read Our Cooperative Roadmap and engage in future discussions about it. The senior team and I welcome the opportunity to come and speak to community groups and will be posting several videos online that cover the Roadmap’s key elements.
Our Cooperative Roadmap covers a wide range of areas – all designed with you, our member, in mind. Importantly, it helps define the cooperative’s future and keeps us on track today. As always, I welcome your comments, questions, and feedback on any topic, including the Roadmap. Please contact me here.
Title
Mark A. Gabriel Announced as New GridWise Alliance Board Member
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Grid_Layout.jpg?itok=QANx6rRH
Tuesday | December 6, 2022
Card Teaser
The GridWise Alliance announced nine new members to its Board of Directors, all strongly committed to advancing the organization's mission to articulate the benefits of grid modernization.
Washington D.C. - The GridWise Alliance announced nine new members to its Board of Directors today, all of whom are strongly committed to advancing the organization's mission to articulate the benefits of grid modernization.
“The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act are further evidence of the increasing rate of change in the industry. GridWise Alliance and other organizations in the field will play a critical role, and bringing in leaders with fresh perspectives is critical,” said Gil Quiniones, CEO, ComEd and Chair of the GridWise Alliance. “Our new board members bring this type of innovative thinking and leadership to the Board of Directors and continue to ensure that it is at the forefront of our country’s energy transformation.”
The new GridWise Alliance Board members who will begin two-year terms, include:
Astrid Atkinson, CEO and Co-Founder, Camus Energy
Michelle Blaise, Senior Vice President Engineering and Project Management, ComEd
Russell Boyer, Global Energy Field Director, Dell Technologies
Michelle Fay, Partner, Guidehouse
Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO, United Power
Hanna Grene, Worldwide Power and Utilities Leader, Microsoft
Wade Lauer, Senior Vice President Transmission, North America, Siemens Energy Inc.
Deepa Poduval, Global Advisory Lead, Senior Vice President, Black & Veatch
Jeannie Salo, Vice President, Government Relations, Schneider Electric
“I am excited to work with the new Directors over the next two years, which will see historic investments in grid modernization in the U.S.,” said Karen Wayland, CEO of the GridWise Alliance. “The GridWise Board of Directors is a group of industry leaders who will help shape the trajectory of grid modernization across the country to enhance reliability, resilience, decarbonization and energy equity.”
The nine incoming Board members will join a group of 16 other Board Directors representing all areas of the electric grid industry. The full list of GridWise Board of Directors is easily accessible on the GridWise website.
About GridWise Alliance:
The GridWise Alliance leads a diverse membership of electricity industry stakeholders focused on accelerating innovation that delivers a more secure, reliable, resilient, and affordable grid to support decarbonization of the U.S. economy. For more information about the GridWise Alliance, visit: www.gridwise.org.
May is National Electrical Safety Month
Thursday | May 2, 2019
May is National Electrical Safety Month, and United Power is joining with the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI)to raise awareness about potential home electrical hazards and the importance of electrical safety.
Read more >
Title
May Message from Mark A. Gabriel
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/CEO_Message_85.jpg?h=45932144&itok=fpbFupeq
Thursday | May 1, 2025
Card Teaser
A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
Several years ago, while working for the federal government, I had the opportunity to spend time aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. The captain explained that aircraft carriers are focused on being a “forward projection of force.” I enjoyed my time with the crew of 4,000 and the leadership command team as they went about the complex duties of operating the finest example of U.S. power in the middle of the ocean.
Part of my experience included a tailhook landing in a COD (carrier onboard delivery) plane that appears way too big to land on anything but a runway, as well as a catapult takeoff. When preparing for takeoff, there is a tremendous amount of noise, confusion, and turmoil. Once hooked onto the catapult, the noise cuts through your body and your vision blurs. The anticipation of the launch is an adrenaline rush. Then a strange thing happens; the noise disappears as the plane clears the runway, dips off the deck, and heads into the air. The flight at that point is quiet and smooth, heading toward its destination. There may be occasional turbulence, but flight plans are executed with great precision.
A year ago, there was a lot of noise as your cooperative awaited takeoff on the catapult to independence. Like the catapult takeoff, silence quickly replaced the noise. The co-op’s flight plan — also known as Our Cooperative Roadmap — is being executed with great precision. United Power is the forward projection of force, taking action to meet the needs today and in the future.
There are headwinds and tailwinds on the energy horizon. The West may find itself short of capacity, the critical back-up generation resource to ensure grid reliability. It, and specifically United Power, will also find it has plenty of energy thanks to more and more people adding their own generating resources, coupled with new solar and wind facilities. The headwinds and tailwinds mean there will be times of excess and inexpensive power and times when things are tight.
Electricity has never been more important to our homes, businesses, and communities. United Power, like many other utilities, is finding the need to balance each new opportunity with the realities of power supply. We have created the LIT process to work with potential large commercial and industrial members, which focuses on three key items: location, investment, and timing. The good news for United Power is our history of ensuring growth pays its own way. The better news is that companies want to be in your cooperative’s territory.
Part of United Power’s flight plan involves the strategy to hyper-localize generation and storage resources. This is one way we will maintain reliability, as well as add to the local tax base. We have added a new gas-fired power plant and 115 MW of battery storage located at substations across our system. The battery array is the largest in Colorado and most likely the West, allowing us to buy power when prices are low and use it when prices are high. As a matter of fact, this month marks the first time United Power actively managed the deployment of power from two of our battery systems to meet a contingency reserve need on the system. The batteries improve and support our grid and leverage the storage capacity for financial benefit.
Our flight plan also includes becoming a distribution system operator (DSO), which allows the management of systems in concert with each other and not just individual pieces. As on the aircraft carrier, everything will be coordinated to manage costs and keep the lights on. This means members can offer their self-generation or storage to United Power as an aggregator that gets sold back to the market. It also means the possibility of smoothing out demand through the system to lower overall costs and the better use of resources in a capacity constrained world.
For three days on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, I witnessed the tight coordination of people, safely navigating in open ocean while defending our nation. At United Power, I see the tight coordination of our tremendous staff, supported by the oversight of your Board who lead the cooperative. We have nailed the landing, cleared the takeoff, and are flying ahead. Full steam ahead.
Title
May Message from Mark. A. Gabriel
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/CEO_Message.jpg?h=45932144&itok=pNegmSzP
Monday | May 8, 2023
Card Teaser
A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
My old boss used to have a saying, “Predicting rain is one thing, building the ark is another.” I am proud to say that your cooperative, with support from the Board of Directors, developed and is following Our Cooperative Roadmap — the ark for success now and into the future. This journey will continue the evolution of the electric business as we work to meet the needs of you, our members, wherever you are.
There continues to be a lot of talk about the energy transition — how the future will look, the challenges of changing power suppliers, and the issues with more people and businesses seeking alternative generation sources. Many of these conversations in the industry revolve around concerns for reliability, resilience, and of course affordability, three watchwords for all of us operating your cooperative.
A distribution cooperative like United Power stands at the crossroads of a changing energy industry. It needs to transition from a simple distribution operator to managing a system that is agnostic to inputs and flexible enough to handle both centralized power and local generation. Very few central power stations are being built today, more fossil fuel generation facilities are closing, and transmission projects lag needs. A distribution system operator (DSO) will be counted on to manage a more complex, yet interlocked, system. This will empower you as members and monetize investments in a shared energy economy.
We are focused on staying closely tied to the economic drivers of the communities we serve to bring tax dollars, revenue, and well-paying job opportunities. We must be good stewards of our resources and build on the solid partnerships with our local businesses. I am proud to say that these partnerships are the cornerstone of the cooperative business model.
Providing high quality and reliable service is crucial because businesses matter. We are restructuring some staff to focus on business and community partnerships — our key accounts. This will allow us to be more responsive, anticipate needs in areas such as power quality, and leverage available grant dollars and tax incentives. Another benefit in controlling our power supply will allow us to craft rates that work for these members.
As a member-owned cooperative, the concept of “meeting you where you are,” aligns with our goal of delivering mutual value. It has the added benefit of keeping investments in the communities we serve while ensuring the reliability and resiliency required in today’s environment. The quiet transition to localized grids, combined with the advancements in management tools and software, returns to continue the electricity enterprises’ original intent of bringing light, motive power, and comfort to the communities being served.
Our Cooperative Roadmap makes sure we are invested in the technological changes our members are navigating in our industry. More members want to self-generate or make energy efficient upgrades to their homes. Others are investing in technologies that will change the way we interface with members. United Power must continue supporting technologies that reduce costs for all members. Programs such as United EV, Smart Rewards for thermostats, energy efficiency rebates, and solar interconnections give members control over how they use power. We are here to support members who want to produce their own power and provide financial incentives that align with our goals of affordability and system control. These programs are aimed at sharing savings with our members when they participate in programs that can reduce our costs.
What does this mean in practice? United Power provides the people and tools to help members make decisions about their own energy use, power generation, use of technologies, and safe integration of batteries and solar panels. It means we are continuously scanning the horizon to make sure our distribution system is ready for tomorrow and safe for today.
We are not just predicting the rain of change but building the ark to ensure we sail into this bright new future.
Member Choice Grants
Friday | March 13, 2020
Member Choice Grants allow our members to nominate a nonprofit organization within the cooperative's service territory to receive grant funds from United Power.
Read more >
Member Choice Grants Renewed for 2021
Monday | January 11, 2021
Members will be able to nominate their favorite local nonprofits to receive grant funds from the cooperative through the program.
Read more >
Title
Member Choice Grants Renewed for 2022
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/EarlyFall2022_MemberChoice.jpg?itok=a3kXaAbk
Wednesday | September 7, 2022
Card Teaser
Nominate a local nonprofit to receive grant dollars from United Power by November 18.
Electric cooperatives are unique from for-profit electric utilities, which are governed by investor decisions that boost revenue and profits. Instead, co-ops are defined by a set of core principles, chief among them a commitment to the communities they serve. United Power is an active supporter and participant in community events and programs, but depends on knowledge from members like you to ensure it is supporting causes you care about.
The co-op launched Member Choice grants to provide a way for members to put their community knowledge into action – by nominating area nonprofits for United Power grant dollars. Nominating a local nonprofit for Member Choice grants allows you to have a voice in what organizations the cooperative is supporting.
United Power has distributed more than $10,000 to nonprofits within its service territory through Member Choice grants since its launch in 2020. The first grants were awarded to local food banks early in the pandemic. Members recognized the need for additional resources at food banks as many families lost their source of income. Members also nominated nonprofits that provided for mental health needs and outdoor recreation. The cooperative renewed Member Choice grants for three rounds in 2021. Recipients provided a variety of needs, including animal rescue and adoption, youth job force training and empowerment, and ending the cycle of homelessness.
Member Choice grants have been renewed again for 2022. Your nominations will help six worthy organizations receive a total of $12,000 in grant dollars to continue providing services to the communities they reach. To receive a Member Choice grant, nominated organizations must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit operating within the cooperative’s service territory and serving United Power members. Ineligible nonprofits include organizations that further religious doctrine or support the interests of political parties.
United Power began accepting new Member Choice grant nominations in August. Nominations must be received by November 18 to ensure consideration for the next round of grants. Recipients will be notified at the end of November and posted in the cooperative’s December newsletter and on its website.
For the nomination form, qualification requirements, and previous winners, please go to our Member Choice Grants page.
Member Choice Recipient Announced for First Round of 2021
Monday | March 8, 2021
Let Your Light Shine, located in Brighton, and the Highlandlake & Mead, Historical Society have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the first part of the year.
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Member Choice Recipient Announced for Second Round of 2021
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Monday | July 19, 2021
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Community Uplift Partnership, located in Commerce City, and the Soul Dog Rescue have been selected based on nominations submitted by members throughout the second part of the year.
Nominations are Now Open for the Third Round of Grant Recipients
The second-round recipients of Member Choice Grants for 2021 have been selected. United Power is proud to announce Commerce City’s Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) and Soul Dog Rescue, out of Fort Lupton, 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.
United Power has received several dozen nominations for nonprofit organizations providing a variety of services for those in need within the communities we serve. To submit a nomination for round three, go to www.unitedpower.com/memberchoice.
Community Uplift Partnership
Young adults are some of the most vibrant people in our communities. Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) reminds them they have value beyond a paycheck, strengthens them to conquer barriers to employment opportunities that provide sustainable wages and equips them to make better decisions for the future of their families.
Soul Dog Rescue
Soul Dog Rescue is an animal rescue located in Fort Lupton with the mission to spay/neuter and protect animals. Soul Dog performs collaborative, targeted work, primarily through spay/neuter, in underserved regions in order to create sustainable change and promote cultural shifts regarding the treatment of animals.
Nominations are now open for the third round of Member Choice Grants, which will be announced in an upcoming issue of the United Newsline. Submit a nomination at www.unitedpower.com/memberchoice.
