Title
National Preparedness Month 2023
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Storm_Damage.jpg?h=45932144&itok=3hlLyxLW
Wednesday | September 13, 2023
Card Teaser
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.
Title
National Work Zone Awareness Week
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MarApr2021_WorkZone.jpg?itok=S4-K7aoX
Monday | March 8, 2021
Card Teaser
National Work Zone Awareness will be Recognized April 26-30, 2021.
National Work Zone Awareness will be Recognized April 26-30, 2021
United Power would like to remind our members of the importance of staying aware when entering and exiting roadside work zone areas for both your safety and our crews’ safety. Transportation accidents are one of the leading causes of on-the-job deaths nationwide.
As an electric utility, our work is fundamentally different from most highway construction work zones. When United Power conducts roadside construction work, it usually involves small crews working for short periods of time when compared to major highway and road construction. This poses challenges to keeping our lineworkers safe.
Major traffic construction will warn drivers in advance with signs posted hundreds of feet or even miles prior to the beginning of work. However, because the nature of our work is different, our crews use different warning techniques when preparing for roadside work. Traffic cones are typically used to delineate our work, which are quicker and easier for our crews to haul and set up when work near roadways is required. Much of our electrical infrastructure is located in high traffic areas, such as shoulders and right-of-ways, intersections and road medians.
To maintain high-powered electrical lines and equipment, our crews work in large vehicles, such as a bucket truck. When you see a United Power bucket truck located on a roadside, remember to look for signs and cones that it may be a work zone. Slow down and move over when possible to give our crews a wide enough path to continue working safely.
Please try to avoid distractions like cell phones or changing radio stations when entering a roadside work zone and be prepared for the unexpected.
We thank you for helping keep our crews safe!
New ERA Funding Update
Thursday | April 16, 2026
United Power is proud to announce that it received its first disbursement of the $262 million New ERA grant.
Read more >
New Fort Lupton Payment Kiosk
Friday | February 5, 2021
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.
Read more >
New Member Choice Grants Program
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 >
New Rates Effective Jan 1, 2020
Tuesday | December 31, 2019
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.
Read more >
New Rates Effective this Month
Thursday | January 3, 2019
It’s important to understand that while the rate change is effective for energy usage beginning on January 1, 2019, members won’t see the changes reflected on their bills until their February statements.
Read more >
Title
New Red Flag Fire Prevention Procedures
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/SeptOct2020_NL_FireMitigation.jpg?h=45932144&itok=vJP6gkTg
Friday | June 24, 2022
Card Teaser
United Power will adjust system settings during red flag events to stop power if interference is detected.
Red Flag Warning Procedure in Effect This Summer
To address the growing fire risk in Colorado, United Power has put in place new operating procedures. One of the latest precautions the cooperative has implemented is a Red Flag fire prevention procedure. The National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning when warm temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds are expected. When combined, these conditions produce an increased risk of fire danger. This alert is issued as a weather advisory and is often mentioned during the weather segment on local news.
When a Red Flag Warning impacts United Power’s service area, the cooperative will adjust system settings and operating procedures to immediately stop the flow of power if any interference is detected. What this means is if a tree or foreign object contacts a power line, a substation device will open automatically and remain de-energized until a United Power crew has patrolled the power line. If no cause is found and no hazard has been reported, system operators will close the device and restore power. Crews will then patrol the line a second time. Inspecting energized lines may identify an issue and prevent another outage.
These extra safety measures rely on our crews to complete labor-intensive inspections rather than remotely connecting to automated field devices, which may increase the duration of outages. United Power is committed to providing safe, reliable electric service to members, and recognizes extended outages are inconvenient. If an outage occurs during a Red Flag Warning, crews will work quickly and safely to restore power.
United Power reminds members to report any power issues and outages. In many cases, member information can help our crews narrow their focus and identify the cause of an outage.
Members who experience an outage or observe anything that seems out of the ordinary concerning power lines or electrical equipment should do the following:
Stay clear of downed trees, downed power lines, or damaged equipment.
Title
New Training Tool for United Power Linemen
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/July2018_NL_LinemenTraining.png?itok=SSlpfQoC
Monday | July 2, 2018
Card Teaser
Earlier this year, the cooperative began construction on its new, state-of-the-art outdoor linemen training facility.
Training Yard Offers New Possibilities for Linemen Training
If you’ve driven by United Power’s headquarters off I-76 in Brighton, you may have noticed the series of poles and wires going up along the eastern edge of its property. Earlier this year, the cooperative began construction on its new, state-of-the-art outdoor linemen training facility.
Once completed, the new training yard will feature multiple phases for linemen to practice and prepare for real scenarios they may encounter in the field. The two most prominent phases visible at the moment are the high poles, situated throughout the training yard, and the short poles, along the southern side of the yard.
While high poles are standard place on utility training yards and in linemen schools, short poles are an innovative idea brought to the cooperative all the way from Las Vegas through journeyman lineman Jeff Soole. These allow linemen to practice regular maintenance and upgrades while instructors are able to watch from below.
“It’s a training tool with endless possibilities,” said Operations Superintendent Mike Lanckriet. “It can be what we need it to be whenever we need it. It has the ability to constantly evolve depending on what we need to train for.”
Before construction of the training yard, linemen often had to learn by watching more experienced linemen in the field. However, even experienced linemen may encounter rare or unknown situations. The training yard allows them to train for both rare and routine tasks.
In addition to training current linemen on various tasks and responsibilities, it has already proven useful in helping attract more qualified and capable linemen to join the Operations team.
“It’s not going to be as large as a training yard at a line school, but once it’s completed it will be comparable,” Lanckriet said.
United Power is one of the state’s first cooperatives to begin construction on a training yard and phase in an innovative training regimen for its linemen.
Title
NextGen Cooperative Alliance to Add United Power CEO to Board
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/NextGen.jpg?itok=b8yq_Qfw
Monday | September 13, 2021
Card Teaser
NextGen is a coalition of leaders from distribution cooperatives leading the charge to restore local control over power supply decisions. Gabriel will become one of the organization’s founding board members.
Brighton, CO – The NextGen Cooperative Alliance is set to name United Power President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A. Gabriel to its board of directors later this month. NextGen is a coalition of leaders from distribution cooperatives leading the charge to restore local control over power supply decisions. Gabriel will become one of the organization’s founding board members.
“I am honored to represent United Power on the NextGen board of directors,” said Gabriel. “United Power has been leading the charge advancing policy to shift away from a decades-old model. NextGen was formed precisely for the purpose of advancing the future interests of cooperatives like United Power and its members, which requires re-envisioning and transforming current relationships with power providers.”
The coalition of CEOs that make up NextGen represent cooperatives across the nation leading the way in expanding power supply options, reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model and developing better, more principled relationships with power providers. Their goal is to ensure distribution cooperatives are properly positioned for a secure and cost-effective future.
The NextGen Cooperative Alliance brings together co-op leaders to accomplish goals that restore power to members without being committed to any singular solution. These goals include:
• Restoring local control over power options and decisions regarding their own power supplies. • Positioning power supplies for the future, which includes increasing clean energy, facilitating stable rates and driving local economic development. • Removing barriers that prevent or discourage local innovation. • Restoring and strengthening cooperative principles of democratic governance, ensuring board directors prioritize the members who elected them.
NextGen was formed so cooperative leaders can work together to establish more equitable and flexible agreements with power providers, according to the website. It is dedicated to providing a collective advocacy voice, educational tools and networking opportunities to all distribution cooperatives seeking more autonomy and control over power supply.
“United Power has been working toward a mutually beneficial relationship with Tri-State Generation & Transmission that allows us to be responsive to our members and take advantage of a competitive energy marketplace,” Gabriel said. “What we need is a new G&T structure to address the energy needs of the future and help cooperatives better serve their members. NextGen brings together leaders from distribution co-ops facing similar push back from G&Ts determined to maintain current contracts that no longer make sense in the current energy marketplace.”
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the nation, and in June joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900 square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson and Keenesburg. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.
###
Title
National Preparedness Month 2023
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Storm_Damage.jpg?h=45932144&itok=3hlLyxLW
Wednesday | September 13, 2023
Card Teaser
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.
Title
National Work Zone Awareness Week
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MarApr2021_WorkZone.jpg?itok=S4-K7aoX
Monday | March 8, 2021
Card Teaser
National Work Zone Awareness will be Recognized April 26-30, 2021.
National Work Zone Awareness will be Recognized April 26-30, 2021
United Power would like to remind our members of the importance of staying aware when entering and exiting roadside work zone areas for both your safety and our crews’ safety. Transportation accidents are one of the leading causes of on-the-job deaths nationwide.
As an electric utility, our work is fundamentally different from most highway construction work zones. When United Power conducts roadside construction work, it usually involves small crews working for short periods of time when compared to major highway and road construction. This poses challenges to keeping our lineworkers safe.
Major traffic construction will warn drivers in advance with signs posted hundreds of feet or even miles prior to the beginning of work. However, because the nature of our work is different, our crews use different warning techniques when preparing for roadside work. Traffic cones are typically used to delineate our work, which are quicker and easier for our crews to haul and set up when work near roadways is required. Much of our electrical infrastructure is located in high traffic areas, such as shoulders and right-of-ways, intersections and road medians.
To maintain high-powered electrical lines and equipment, our crews work in large vehicles, such as a bucket truck. When you see a United Power bucket truck located on a roadside, remember to look for signs and cones that it may be a work zone. Slow down and move over when possible to give our crews a wide enough path to continue working safely.
Please try to avoid distractions like cell phones or changing radio stations when entering a roadside work zone and be prepared for the unexpected.
We thank you for helping keep our crews safe!
New ERA Funding Update
Thursday | April 16, 2026
United Power is proud to announce that it received its first disbursement of the $262 million New ERA grant.
Read more >
New Fort Lupton Payment Kiosk
Friday | February 5, 2021
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.
Read more >
New Member Choice Grants Program
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 >
New Rates Effective Jan 1, 2020
Tuesday | December 31, 2019
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.
Read more >
New Rates Effective this Month
Thursday | January 3, 2019
It’s important to understand that while the rate change is effective for energy usage beginning on January 1, 2019, members won’t see the changes reflected on their bills until their February statements.
Read more >
Title
New Red Flag Fire Prevention Procedures
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/SeptOct2020_NL_FireMitigation.jpg?h=45932144&itok=vJP6gkTg
Friday | June 24, 2022
Card Teaser
United Power will adjust system settings during red flag events to stop power if interference is detected.
Red Flag Warning Procedure in Effect This Summer
To address the growing fire risk in Colorado, United Power has put in place new operating procedures. One of the latest precautions the cooperative has implemented is a Red Flag fire prevention procedure. The National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning when warm temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds are expected. When combined, these conditions produce an increased risk of fire danger. This alert is issued as a weather advisory and is often mentioned during the weather segment on local news.
When a Red Flag Warning impacts United Power’s service area, the cooperative will adjust system settings and operating procedures to immediately stop the flow of power if any interference is detected. What this means is if a tree or foreign object contacts a power line, a substation device will open automatically and remain de-energized until a United Power crew has patrolled the power line. If no cause is found and no hazard has been reported, system operators will close the device and restore power. Crews will then patrol the line a second time. Inspecting energized lines may identify an issue and prevent another outage.
These extra safety measures rely on our crews to complete labor-intensive inspections rather than remotely connecting to automated field devices, which may increase the duration of outages. United Power is committed to providing safe, reliable electric service to members, and recognizes extended outages are inconvenient. If an outage occurs during a Red Flag Warning, crews will work quickly and safely to restore power.
United Power reminds members to report any power issues and outages. In many cases, member information can help our crews narrow their focus and identify the cause of an outage.
Members who experience an outage or observe anything that seems out of the ordinary concerning power lines or electrical equipment should do the following:
Stay clear of downed trees, downed power lines, or damaged equipment.
Title
New Training Tool for United Power Linemen
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/July2018_NL_LinemenTraining.png?itok=SSlpfQoC
Monday | July 2, 2018
Card Teaser
Earlier this year, the cooperative began construction on its new, state-of-the-art outdoor linemen training facility.
Training Yard Offers New Possibilities for Linemen Training
If you’ve driven by United Power’s headquarters off I-76 in Brighton, you may have noticed the series of poles and wires going up along the eastern edge of its property. Earlier this year, the cooperative began construction on its new, state-of-the-art outdoor linemen training facility.
Once completed, the new training yard will feature multiple phases for linemen to practice and prepare for real scenarios they may encounter in the field. The two most prominent phases visible at the moment are the high poles, situated throughout the training yard, and the short poles, along the southern side of the yard.
While high poles are standard place on utility training yards and in linemen schools, short poles are an innovative idea brought to the cooperative all the way from Las Vegas through journeyman lineman Jeff Soole. These allow linemen to practice regular maintenance and upgrades while instructors are able to watch from below.
“It’s a training tool with endless possibilities,” said Operations Superintendent Mike Lanckriet. “It can be what we need it to be whenever we need it. It has the ability to constantly evolve depending on what we need to train for.”
Before construction of the training yard, linemen often had to learn by watching more experienced linemen in the field. However, even experienced linemen may encounter rare or unknown situations. The training yard allows them to train for both rare and routine tasks.
In addition to training current linemen on various tasks and responsibilities, it has already proven useful in helping attract more qualified and capable linemen to join the Operations team.
“It’s not going to be as large as a training yard at a line school, but once it’s completed it will be comparable,” Lanckriet said.
United Power is one of the state’s first cooperatives to begin construction on a training yard and phase in an innovative training regimen for its linemen.
Title
NextGen Cooperative Alliance to Add United Power CEO to Board
/sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/NextGen.jpg?itok=b8yq_Qfw
Monday | September 13, 2021
Card Teaser
NextGen is a coalition of leaders from distribution cooperatives leading the charge to restore local control over power supply decisions. Gabriel will become one of the organization’s founding board members.
Brighton, CO – The NextGen Cooperative Alliance is set to name United Power President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A. Gabriel to its board of directors later this month. NextGen is a coalition of leaders from distribution cooperatives leading the charge to restore local control over power supply decisions. Gabriel will become one of the organization’s founding board members.
“I am honored to represent United Power on the NextGen board of directors,” said Gabriel. “United Power has been leading the charge advancing policy to shift away from a decades-old model. NextGen was formed precisely for the purpose of advancing the future interests of cooperatives like United Power and its members, which requires re-envisioning and transforming current relationships with power providers.”
The coalition of CEOs that make up NextGen represent cooperatives across the nation leading the way in expanding power supply options, reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model and developing better, more principled relationships with power providers. Their goal is to ensure distribution cooperatives are properly positioned for a secure and cost-effective future.
The NextGen Cooperative Alliance brings together co-op leaders to accomplish goals that restore power to members without being committed to any singular solution. These goals include:
• Restoring local control over power options and decisions regarding their own power supplies. • Positioning power supplies for the future, which includes increasing clean energy, facilitating stable rates and driving local economic development. • Removing barriers that prevent or discourage local innovation. • Restoring and strengthening cooperative principles of democratic governance, ensuring board directors prioritize the members who elected them.
NextGen was formed so cooperative leaders can work together to establish more equitable and flexible agreements with power providers, according to the website. It is dedicated to providing a collective advocacy voice, educational tools and networking opportunities to all distribution cooperatives seeking more autonomy and control over power supply.
“United Power has been working toward a mutually beneficial relationship with Tri-State Generation & Transmission that allows us to be responsive to our members and take advantage of a competitive energy marketplace,” Gabriel said. “What we need is a new G&T structure to address the energy needs of the future and help cooperatives better serve their members. NextGen brings together leaders from distribution co-ops facing similar push back from G&Ts determined to maintain current contracts that no longer make sense in the current energy marketplace.”
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the nation, and in June joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900 square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson and Keenesburg. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.
###
