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Rosie's Moving In
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Tuesday | May 1, 2018
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Butterfly Pavilion, home to Rosie the tarantula, recently announced its plans to construct a new facility in Broomfield, inside United Power's service territory.
United Power members will soon share territory with one of Colorado’s most beloved invertebrates. Butterfly Pavilion, home to Rosie the tarantula, recently announced its plans to construct a new facility in Broomfield, just off Interstate 25 and Highway 7. The new facility will house a world-class research lab to serve as the hub for invertebrate knowledge, conservation, inspiration and connection.
As the hub for invertebrate research, the new facility will offer an opportunity for new discoveries to reach the public more quickly and help contribute to the conservation of pollinators.
“Butterfly Pavilion is launching this expansion to confront and solve global challenges in environmental conservation today and in the future,” said President and CEO Patrick Tennyson in a press release.
Butterfly Pavilion’s new facility will anchor Broomfield’s larger 900-acre science district in the Baseline neighborhood, which will include a linear park, a K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) school, and a “pollinator district,” with pollinator-friendly parks and open spaces.
The new facility expects to open in 2021. In the meantime, Butterfly Pavilion will continue operating at its current location.
In anticipation of this exciting move, United Power has partnered with Butterfly Pavilion to offer its members an exclusive opportunity to visit the current facility in Westminster at a discounted rate. Bring the coupon below in May, August or September between Monday and Thursday to receive $2 off general admission for guests of any age.
Butterfly Pavilion was founded in 1995 as the first stand-alone, nonprofit invertebrate zoo in the nation. Its mission is to foster an appreciation of invertebrates by educating the public about the need to protect and care for threatened habitats globally, while conducting research for solutions in invertebrate conservation.
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Rural Utilities Want Their Own Piece Of Colorado’s Low-Carbon Future. That Could Mean Breaking Up Big Power Providers
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Friday | December 20, 2019
Article published by Colorado Public Radio Dec. 20, 2019
Grace Hood/CPR News
United Power customer Stephen Whiteside loads a wheelbarrow with chopped wood near his rural home in Coal Creek Canyon Dec. 12, 2019.
When it comes to greening up Colorado’s power supply, seismic shifts aren’t just coming out of the state Capitol.
They’re also shaking out of rural Colorado, places like Coal Creek Canyon where utility customer Stephen Whiteside lives.
Whiteside is a conservative Republican. He’s also pro-renewable energy. It’s not a combination you’d expect, but a recent poll by Pew Research suggests many Republicans favor wind and solar.
But Whiteside doesn’t support renewables by building a big solar array in his backyard. He does it by cheering on his rural electric cooperative, United Power. In November, United Power said it’s considering parting ways with fossil fuel-heavy power provider Tri-State Generation and Transmission in pursuit of cheaper electricity bills and more renewable energy.
“I think that’s fairly recent that renewables may be more cost-effective than other types of energy,” Whiteside said. “To me that makes a lot of sense to pursue that kind of avenue.”
Grace Hood/CPR News
United Power customers Stephen and Sara Whiteside feed their horses near their rural home in Coal Creek Canyon outside Denver.
Right now, Tri-State gets about one-third of its power from renewable energy. Customers like Whiteside want more renewables because they think it will bring cheaper rates. According to a recent estimate by Standard and Poor’s, electricity rates for Whiteside and others under the Tri-State System could be as much as 20 percent above the statewide Colorado average.
Here’s how the model works now: United Power bands together with 42 other rural electricity providers, called electric cooperatives, to buy power from one entity: Tri-State.
“What that model has not done is kept up with the technological changes in the industry,” United Power CEO John Parker said.
Parker thinks it all adds up to growing pressure on the economic model that rural utilities have followed for decades. In the '80s and '90s, power providers like Tri-State invested heavily in coal-fired plants. Now, they’re trying to green up.
United Power is not the first or the last utility looking into leave Tri-State. La Plata Electric Association has filed a complaint with Colorado regulators seeking an exit fee from Tri-State.
Grace Hood/CPR News
John Parker, Chief Executive Officer of United Power, stands in front of the rural electric cooperative's large battery on Dec. 9, 2019. United Power is exploring whether it can procure wind and solar more cheaply by exiting its current contract with power provider Tri-State.
If those utilities part ways, they’ll follow in the footsteps of two other rural utilities: Colorado-based Delta Montrose Electric Association and New Mexico-based Kit Carson Electric Cooperative. Delta Montrose got the OK to leave its generation and transmission association (known as a G&T) with Tri-State in 2019. Kit Carson left in 2016.
“Just as the industry changes, [generation and transmission cooperatives] have to change,” said Lee Boughey, Tri-State senior manager for communications and public affairs.
Generation and Transmission Cooperatives like Tri-State formed in rural America in the middle of the last century. It was historically expensive for rural electricity providers to provide power because they just served a few customers per mile of the electricity line. That’s unlike urban utilities, which have hundreds of customers per mile. G&Ts helped shoulder the burden by providing power to rural utilities, building expensive coal-fired power plants and setting up contracts that lasted decades to help pay off the plants.
Flashforward to 2019, and power customers like Parker have a keen interest to modernize the grid and experiment with battery storage to keep customers like Whiteside happy. United Power owns the largest battery in the state, but it’s locked into a contract with Tri-State that lasts another 30 years. After power supplier Tri-State quoted United Power a $1.2 billion exit fee to leave its 30-year contract, Parker turned to state regulators for help.
“That’s the balance we’re trying to find. If it costs us $1.2 billion to get out, we probably can’t save enough money to make that work,” Parker said.
Boughey said 2019 was a big year for Tri-State. It opened up community solar options to its members and brought 104 megawatts of new wind power online. It announced plans to build a 100 megawatt new solar farm. Its Nucla coal-fired power plant was retired early from service, reducing emissions and making operations more efficient.
Tri-State’s member cooperatives are finalizing new contracts that would allow rural utilities like United Power more flexibility to buy renewables. Currently, they’re capped in their contracts at generating just 5 percent of renewable power locally.
Nate Minor
The Craig Station power plant features three generating units, all of which are fully or partially owned by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. Unit 1 will be retired by the end of 2025.
One of the challenges for Tri-State will be to get even more fossil fuel sources off its financial books as it faces regulatory pressure to do so in Colorado and New Mexico. Legislatures in both states passed carbon-reduction goals for utilities this year. Tri-State will be required to participate in expensive planning. However, there are no financial penalties if Tri-State doesn’t meet the goals.
“As we move into 2020 and chart our course for the future I think there should be confidence that we’ll be able to meet the challenges ahead,” Boughey said.
Similar disputes are playing out between rural utilities and their power suppliers across the United States. In Indiana, Tipmont Rural Electric is seeking to part ways from its power supplier over high rates. In Minneapolis, suburban utility Connexus is in the midst of talks with its power provider to get lower rates and more flexibility.
“Today memberships across the country are expecting more from their G&Ts. They’re expecting competitive prices and a greening of the grid,” Connexus CEO Greg Ridderbusch said.
Like United Power, Connexus is locked into a decades-long contact with its power provider. Ridderbusch said in the future it will be important for his utility and others to form more robust partnerships with their power suppliers.
“We need the G&T to lower the constraints on things we’re doing in our own backyard for our members,” Ridderbusch said.
Whiteside said he’s on United Power’s side.
“To have reliable electric service is absolutely critical,” Whiteside said. “If solar power can supplement the other sources that United Power has, it would make sense to do that if it’s available.”
As relationships start to shift across the country between power suppliers and rural utilities, all eyes will be on Colorado. The Public Utilities Commission could rule on the La Plata and United Power cases in 2020.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect that Tri-State’s members will ultimately decide how to roll out a partial-requirements contract.
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Safe Tree Trimming
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Wednesday | July 21, 2021
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Observe ten-foot rule to safely trim trees near power lines.
Observe Ten-Foot Rule to Safely Trim Trees Near Power Lines
Summer is in full swing, and as trees begin to grow and bud, they may get close enough to come into contact with power lines. While the fires and damage from 2020 are still fresh on everyone’s minds, we want to remind members that trees near power lines can cause potential hazards, tree-related power outages and increase the risk of fire.
To protect your power and your community, United Power will be concentrating significant resources on clearing vegetation from power lines this summer – especially in portions of our mountain territory that are heavily forested. United Power adheres to industry best practices and will trim away any vegetation within ten feet of power lines. You can help protect your community from power outages, damaged utility equipment and fires by observing the ten-foot rule between trees and power lines.
If you encounter a tree in the vicinity of a primary line, immediately contact United Power. These are the high-voltage lines running from pole to pole, and they require specially trained tree-trimming crews. Report tree hazards on our website.
Members are responsible for trimming vegetation away from secondary lines – the lines that stretch beyond your electric meter to your service location. For your safety, United Power will disconnect secondary lines for tree trimming activity at no cost to the member. Avoid trimming when you encounter the following: tree limbs in direct contact with a power line, dead tree limbs hanging near power lines, tree limbs growing toward power lines.
Remember to trim only from a steady, level surface, removing small, easy to manage sections. Large tree/branch sections may call unexpectedly and take down power lines and cause potential injury. If this is not possible, contact a professional tree trimmer.
When in doubt about safety or responsibility, please contact United Power at 303-637-1300. We’ll be happy to assess the situation and keep you safe.
For more information on digging and planting safely, go to our Dig Safe, Plant Safe page.
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Safe Tree Trimming
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Tuesday | May 1, 2018
Card Teaser
As trees begin to grow and bud, they may come in contact with power lines, creating confusion about responsibility and concern about member safety.
May is National Electrical Safety Month
Were you aware tree limbs may become a safety hazard when in contact with power lines? Did you know attempting to trim a tree in contact with a power line puts you in danger of electrocution? Have you ever been uncertain about when and where to trim your trees located near power lines?
The warm weather of spring often arrives with May, which is also recognized as National Electrical Safety Month. As trees begin to grow and bud, they may come in contact with power lines, creating confusion about responsibility and concern about member safety. United Power wants to make sure you know the answers to your questions so you can safely tackle your spring yard work.
(For quick reference about who’s responsible for maintaining trees near power lines, please read “Who’s Responsible” below.)
When you encounter a tree in the vicinity of a primary power line, immediately contact United Power. Avoid trimming when you encounter the following: tree limbs in direct contact with a power line, dead tree limbs hanging near power lines, tree limbs growing toward power lines.
Observe the Ten-Foot Rule to safely trim trees on your property located near power lines. This means anything inside that radius may put you at risk. For your safety, United Power will disconnect secondary lines when notified in advance of any tree trimming activity at no cost to the member. Remember to trim only from a steady, level surface, removing small, easy to manage sections. Large tree/branch sections may fall unexpectedly and risk taking down power lines and causing potential injury. If this is not possible, contact a professional tree trimmer.
When in doubt about safety or responsibility, please contact United Power at 303-637-1300. We’ll be happy to send out a troubleshooter or one of our tree contractors to assess the situation and keep you safe.
Who's Responsible
United Power has an aggressive tree trimming program to reduce the number of tree related outages. However, in some cases, the homeowner may be responsible for keeping a line to their home clear of trees. Here is how it works:
United Power is responsible for trimming around primary lines. These are lines running from pole to pole. United Power maintains these lines because they are higher voltage and require special handling from a qualified tree trimming crew.
Members are responsible for obstructions in secondary lines. These are typically single lines stretching from our pole to a member’s home - often seen in backyards, crossing from the main electric line to the home.
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Safe Zones Around Pad-Mounted Transformers
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Friday | June 1, 2018
Card Teaser
Though pad-mounted transformers may appear safe to use as workbenches and climbing obstacles, electrical equipment can still pose a risk to anyone who may come in contact with it. Members should always use caution and keep a safe distance.
Pad-mounted transformers, those big green utility boxes commonly seen around town, serve the purpose of lowering high voltage to standard household voltage used to power electronics, appliances and lighting. These transformers are not protected in the way overhead lines and substations are. Though they may appear safe to use as workbenches and climbing obstacles, electrical equipment can still pose a risk to anyone who may come in contact with it. Members should always use caution and keep a safe distance.
United Power crews also need safe access for repairs and maintenance. Barriers, such as landscaping and fencing, should be kept clear of electrical equipment. While it may be tempting to “camouflage” transformers with landscaping, please remember cooperative crews need at least 10-feet of clearance at the opening of a pad-mounted transformer and four-feet at the rear and sides of the housing. The distance allows crews to safely use tools required for working with energized equipment. It also ensures crews have the ability to move about safely should problems arise.
In many newer subdivisions and residential developments pad-mounted transformers are more common – and in many cases are located on consumer property. These transformers are connected to primary high voltage lines, and secondary lines can extend from the transform in several directions underground. Remember this before planting shrubs or trees, setting fence posts, installing sprinkler systems or digging anywhere near a transformer. You should always dial 811 before you dig to ensure lines are located so your project doesn’t disrupt utility service, cause serious injury or worse.
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Sol Partners Celebrates 10 Years
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Monday | July 8, 2019
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United Power powered the state's first community solar farm in May 2009 at its Brighton headquarters.
Over the past several years, solar panels have become a mainstay of the push for more renewable energy. Utilities, large and small, across the country have unveiled plans to add thousands of megawatts of solar-generated energy to portfolios as they aim for a net zero carbon-emission future.
In May 2009, United Power jumpstarted its renewable energy program when it powered a new, innovative concept for its members – the state’s first community solar farm, Sol Partners – at its Brighton headquarters facility.
The solar farm offered the cooperative’s members leasable solar panels and allowed members to dip their toes in the pool of renewable energy without making a costly commitment on a home installation. Panels were leased to members on a 25-year period for a small initial investment, and those members would receive a credit for power generated on the panels. In addition, the cooperative agreed to maintain the solar farm.
The innovative model received immediate adoption and quickly sold out. In August 2010, the cooperative launched its second community solar module. Its instant success incentivized other co-ops to invest in community solar projects of their own.
“The community solar model was initially meant as a tool for the local co-op and their members to bring more solar onto the system,” said New Business Director Jerry Marizza. “What was a unique concept 10 years ago has now blossomed throughout Colorado and the nation.
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Special Member Rebate a NEW Nissan Leaf
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Saturday | June 1, 2019
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Take Advantage of a Member-Exclusive Rebate on the All-New NISSAN LEAF through JULY 1, 2019.
Take Advantage of a Member-Exclusive Rebate on the All-New NISSAN LEAF through JULY 1, 2019. Our friends at Touchstone Energy have been working behind the scenes to bring United Power members and employees a special opportunity to get behind the wheel of the world's best-selling 100 percent electric car, the all-new NISSAN LEAF, thanks to a rebate program that's been extended through July 1. Offer is eligible for fleet or individual purchases.
A $3,500 special rebate is available on the 40 kWh model NISSAN LEAF and a new$2,500 rebate is available on the 226 mile range, 62 kWh, ePlus model. This offer can be combined with the $7,500 Federal ED Tax Credit to provide you with savings up to $11,000 on your purchase of a new Nissan Leaf.
Simply print this flyer (linked) and bring your electric bill and/or proof of cooperative employment to your local NISSAN Dealer and you can become eligible to use the special Fleet Certification Code to obtain your special rebate. Please see eligibility requirements for more details.
Offer expires July 1, 2019!More Range, More Power, More Confidence
Consumers can now embrace the excitement of more range, more power and more tech. With 2 battery options (40 kWh and 62 kWh), and enhanced available technology, consumers can pick the car that best fits their every day needs and drive with confidence.
Join us in Making a Difference
As part of our effort to accelerate electric vehicle transportation alternatives across the United State, Nissan North America, Inc. is offering eligible Touchstone Energy cooperatives, members and employees a special incentive toward the purchase of the all-new, 100% electric, Nissan Leaf. With each qualified purchase, eligible buyers can receive a $3,500 Fleetail Rebate of MSRP, plus eligibility for a Federal EV Tax Credit, up to $7,500. State incentives may also be available.
How to Get this Great Incentive
Simply bring a copy of this flyer, both the front and back pages, along with your monthly electric bill or proof of employment to your participating Nissan dealership. This limited time offer expires July 1, 2019 and cannot be combined with other Nissan or NMAC special incentives. Residency restrictions apply.
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Students Attend D.C. Youth Tour
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Wednesday | August 1, 2018
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In June, United Power proudly joined with local electric cooperatives from around the country to sponsor teenagers from small towns and cities to spend a week in the nation’s capital learning about the political process and interacting with their elected officials.
In June, United Power proudly joined with local electric cooperatives from around the country to sponsor teenagers from small towns and cities to spend a week in the nation’s capital learning about the political process and interacting with their elected officials. The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been a tradition among cooperatives since the late 1950s.
The origins of the Youth Tour date back to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s 1957 annual meeting in Chicago, where keynote speaker and future president Lyndon B. Johnson suggested sending youth to the capital to “actually see what the flag stands for and represents.”
What began with a small group of 34 students from Iowa in 1958 has since ballooned to nearly 2,000 students from 42 states. To date, nearly 50,000 students have participated in the program.
This year, United Power sponsored three local students to represent the cooperative during the 2018 Youth Tour – Hannah Rockwell of Weld Central High School, Jordyn Saffy of Eagle Ridge Academy, and Megan Lewis of Frederick High School.
Between meetings with elected officials, learning the value of the cooperatives they represent and developing leadership skills, students were able to spend time touring some of Washington D.C.’s landmarks and memorials. Before flying out, Colorado students were also treated to a high-voltage safety demonstration at United Power’s headquarters in Brighton, Colo.
Each year United Power selects three ambitious high school students to attend Youth Tour. Applications to represent the cooperative during next year’s tour will be available in December.
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Rosie's Moving In
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Tuesday | May 1, 2018
Card Teaser
Butterfly Pavilion, home to Rosie the tarantula, recently announced its plans to construct a new facility in Broomfield, inside United Power's service territory.
United Power members will soon share territory with one of Colorado’s most beloved invertebrates. Butterfly Pavilion, home to Rosie the tarantula, recently announced its plans to construct a new facility in Broomfield, just off Interstate 25 and Highway 7. The new facility will house a world-class research lab to serve as the hub for invertebrate knowledge, conservation, inspiration and connection.
As the hub for invertebrate research, the new facility will offer an opportunity for new discoveries to reach the public more quickly and help contribute to the conservation of pollinators.
“Butterfly Pavilion is launching this expansion to confront and solve global challenges in environmental conservation today and in the future,” said President and CEO Patrick Tennyson in a press release.
Butterfly Pavilion’s new facility will anchor Broomfield’s larger 900-acre science district in the Baseline neighborhood, which will include a linear park, a K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) school, and a “pollinator district,” with pollinator-friendly parks and open spaces.
The new facility expects to open in 2021. In the meantime, Butterfly Pavilion will continue operating at its current location.
In anticipation of this exciting move, United Power has partnered with Butterfly Pavilion to offer its members an exclusive opportunity to visit the current facility in Westminster at a discounted rate. Bring the coupon below in May, August or September between Monday and Thursday to receive $2 off general admission for guests of any age.
Butterfly Pavilion was founded in 1995 as the first stand-alone, nonprofit invertebrate zoo in the nation. Its mission is to foster an appreciation of invertebrates by educating the public about the need to protect and care for threatened habitats globally, while conducting research for solutions in invertebrate conservation.
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Rural Utilities Want Their Own Piece Of Colorado’s Low-Carbon Future. That Could Mean Breaking Up Big Power Providers
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Friday | December 20, 2019
Article published by Colorado Public Radio Dec. 20, 2019
Grace Hood/CPR News
United Power customer Stephen Whiteside loads a wheelbarrow with chopped wood near his rural home in Coal Creek Canyon Dec. 12, 2019.
When it comes to greening up Colorado’s power supply, seismic shifts aren’t just coming out of the state Capitol.
They’re also shaking out of rural Colorado, places like Coal Creek Canyon where utility customer Stephen Whiteside lives.
Whiteside is a conservative Republican. He’s also pro-renewable energy. It’s not a combination you’d expect, but a recent poll by Pew Research suggests many Republicans favor wind and solar.
But Whiteside doesn’t support renewables by building a big solar array in his backyard. He does it by cheering on his rural electric cooperative, United Power. In November, United Power said it’s considering parting ways with fossil fuel-heavy power provider Tri-State Generation and Transmission in pursuit of cheaper electricity bills and more renewable energy.
“I think that’s fairly recent that renewables may be more cost-effective than other types of energy,” Whiteside said. “To me that makes a lot of sense to pursue that kind of avenue.”
Grace Hood/CPR News
United Power customers Stephen and Sara Whiteside feed their horses near their rural home in Coal Creek Canyon outside Denver.
Right now, Tri-State gets about one-third of its power from renewable energy. Customers like Whiteside want more renewables because they think it will bring cheaper rates. According to a recent estimate by Standard and Poor’s, electricity rates for Whiteside and others under the Tri-State System could be as much as 20 percent above the statewide Colorado average.
Here’s how the model works now: United Power bands together with 42 other rural electricity providers, called electric cooperatives, to buy power from one entity: Tri-State.
“What that model has not done is kept up with the technological changes in the industry,” United Power CEO John Parker said.
Parker thinks it all adds up to growing pressure on the economic model that rural utilities have followed for decades. In the '80s and '90s, power providers like Tri-State invested heavily in coal-fired plants. Now, they’re trying to green up.
United Power is not the first or the last utility looking into leave Tri-State. La Plata Electric Association has filed a complaint with Colorado regulators seeking an exit fee from Tri-State.
Grace Hood/CPR News
John Parker, Chief Executive Officer of United Power, stands in front of the rural electric cooperative's large battery on Dec. 9, 2019. United Power is exploring whether it can procure wind and solar more cheaply by exiting its current contract with power provider Tri-State.
If those utilities part ways, they’ll follow in the footsteps of two other rural utilities: Colorado-based Delta Montrose Electric Association and New Mexico-based Kit Carson Electric Cooperative. Delta Montrose got the OK to leave its generation and transmission association (known as a G&T) with Tri-State in 2019. Kit Carson left in 2016.
“Just as the industry changes, [generation and transmission cooperatives] have to change,” said Lee Boughey, Tri-State senior manager for communications and public affairs.
Generation and Transmission Cooperatives like Tri-State formed in rural America in the middle of the last century. It was historically expensive for rural electricity providers to provide power because they just served a few customers per mile of the electricity line. That’s unlike urban utilities, which have hundreds of customers per mile. G&Ts helped shoulder the burden by providing power to rural utilities, building expensive coal-fired power plants and setting up contracts that lasted decades to help pay off the plants.
Flashforward to 2019, and power customers like Parker have a keen interest to modernize the grid and experiment with battery storage to keep customers like Whiteside happy. United Power owns the largest battery in the state, but it’s locked into a contract with Tri-State that lasts another 30 years. After power supplier Tri-State quoted United Power a $1.2 billion exit fee to leave its 30-year contract, Parker turned to state regulators for help.
“That’s the balance we’re trying to find. If it costs us $1.2 billion to get out, we probably can’t save enough money to make that work,” Parker said.
Boughey said 2019 was a big year for Tri-State. It opened up community solar options to its members and brought 104 megawatts of new wind power online. It announced plans to build a 100 megawatt new solar farm. Its Nucla coal-fired power plant was retired early from service, reducing emissions and making operations more efficient.
Tri-State’s member cooperatives are finalizing new contracts that would allow rural utilities like United Power more flexibility to buy renewables. Currently, they’re capped in their contracts at generating just 5 percent of renewable power locally.
Nate Minor
The Craig Station power plant features three generating units, all of which are fully or partially owned by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. Unit 1 will be retired by the end of 2025.
One of the challenges for Tri-State will be to get even more fossil fuel sources off its financial books as it faces regulatory pressure to do so in Colorado and New Mexico. Legislatures in both states passed carbon-reduction goals for utilities this year. Tri-State will be required to participate in expensive planning. However, there are no financial penalties if Tri-State doesn’t meet the goals.
“As we move into 2020 and chart our course for the future I think there should be confidence that we’ll be able to meet the challenges ahead,” Boughey said.
Similar disputes are playing out between rural utilities and their power suppliers across the United States. In Indiana, Tipmont Rural Electric is seeking to part ways from its power supplier over high rates. In Minneapolis, suburban utility Connexus is in the midst of talks with its power provider to get lower rates and more flexibility.
“Today memberships across the country are expecting more from their G&Ts. They’re expecting competitive prices and a greening of the grid,” Connexus CEO Greg Ridderbusch said.
Like United Power, Connexus is locked into a decades-long contact with its power provider. Ridderbusch said in the future it will be important for his utility and others to form more robust partnerships with their power suppliers.
“We need the G&T to lower the constraints on things we’re doing in our own backyard for our members,” Ridderbusch said.
Whiteside said he’s on United Power’s side.
“To have reliable electric service is absolutely critical,” Whiteside said. “If solar power can supplement the other sources that United Power has, it would make sense to do that if it’s available.”
As relationships start to shift across the country between power suppliers and rural utilities, all eyes will be on Colorado. The Public Utilities Commission could rule on the La Plata and United Power cases in 2020.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect that Tri-State’s members will ultimately decide how to roll out a partial-requirements contract.
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Safe Tree Trimming
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Wednesday | July 21, 2021
Card Teaser
Observe ten-foot rule to safely trim trees near power lines.
Observe Ten-Foot Rule to Safely Trim Trees Near Power Lines
Summer is in full swing, and as trees begin to grow and bud, they may get close enough to come into contact with power lines. While the fires and damage from 2020 are still fresh on everyone’s minds, we want to remind members that trees near power lines can cause potential hazards, tree-related power outages and increase the risk of fire.
To protect your power and your community, United Power will be concentrating significant resources on clearing vegetation from power lines this summer – especially in portions of our mountain territory that are heavily forested. United Power adheres to industry best practices and will trim away any vegetation within ten feet of power lines. You can help protect your community from power outages, damaged utility equipment and fires by observing the ten-foot rule between trees and power lines.
If you encounter a tree in the vicinity of a primary line, immediately contact United Power. These are the high-voltage lines running from pole to pole, and they require specially trained tree-trimming crews. Report tree hazards on our website.
Members are responsible for trimming vegetation away from secondary lines – the lines that stretch beyond your electric meter to your service location. For your safety, United Power will disconnect secondary lines for tree trimming activity at no cost to the member. Avoid trimming when you encounter the following: tree limbs in direct contact with a power line, dead tree limbs hanging near power lines, tree limbs growing toward power lines.
Remember to trim only from a steady, level surface, removing small, easy to manage sections. Large tree/branch sections may call unexpectedly and take down power lines and cause potential injury. If this is not possible, contact a professional tree trimmer.
When in doubt about safety or responsibility, please contact United Power at 303-637-1300. We’ll be happy to assess the situation and keep you safe.
For more information on digging and planting safely, go to our Dig Safe, Plant Safe page.
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Safe Tree Trimming
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Tuesday | May 1, 2018
Card Teaser
As trees begin to grow and bud, they may come in contact with power lines, creating confusion about responsibility and concern about member safety.
May is National Electrical Safety Month
Were you aware tree limbs may become a safety hazard when in contact with power lines? Did you know attempting to trim a tree in contact with a power line puts you in danger of electrocution? Have you ever been uncertain about when and where to trim your trees located near power lines?
The warm weather of spring often arrives with May, which is also recognized as National Electrical Safety Month. As trees begin to grow and bud, they may come in contact with power lines, creating confusion about responsibility and concern about member safety. United Power wants to make sure you know the answers to your questions so you can safely tackle your spring yard work.
(For quick reference about who’s responsible for maintaining trees near power lines, please read “Who’s Responsible” below.)
When you encounter a tree in the vicinity of a primary power line, immediately contact United Power. Avoid trimming when you encounter the following: tree limbs in direct contact with a power line, dead tree limbs hanging near power lines, tree limbs growing toward power lines.
Observe the Ten-Foot Rule to safely trim trees on your property located near power lines. This means anything inside that radius may put you at risk. For your safety, United Power will disconnect secondary lines when notified in advance of any tree trimming activity at no cost to the member. Remember to trim only from a steady, level surface, removing small, easy to manage sections. Large tree/branch sections may fall unexpectedly and risk taking down power lines and causing potential injury. If this is not possible, contact a professional tree trimmer.
When in doubt about safety or responsibility, please contact United Power at 303-637-1300. We’ll be happy to send out a troubleshooter or one of our tree contractors to assess the situation and keep you safe.
Who's Responsible
United Power has an aggressive tree trimming program to reduce the number of tree related outages. However, in some cases, the homeowner may be responsible for keeping a line to their home clear of trees. Here is how it works:
United Power is responsible for trimming around primary lines. These are lines running from pole to pole. United Power maintains these lines because they are higher voltage and require special handling from a qualified tree trimming crew.
Members are responsible for obstructions in secondary lines. These are typically single lines stretching from our pole to a member’s home - often seen in backyards, crossing from the main electric line to the home.
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Safe Zones Around Pad-Mounted Transformers
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Friday | June 1, 2018
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Though pad-mounted transformers may appear safe to use as workbenches and climbing obstacles, electrical equipment can still pose a risk to anyone who may come in contact with it. Members should always use caution and keep a safe distance.
Pad-mounted transformers, those big green utility boxes commonly seen around town, serve the purpose of lowering high voltage to standard household voltage used to power electronics, appliances and lighting. These transformers are not protected in the way overhead lines and substations are. Though they may appear safe to use as workbenches and climbing obstacles, electrical equipment can still pose a risk to anyone who may come in contact with it. Members should always use caution and keep a safe distance.
United Power crews also need safe access for repairs and maintenance. Barriers, such as landscaping and fencing, should be kept clear of electrical equipment. While it may be tempting to “camouflage” transformers with landscaping, please remember cooperative crews need at least 10-feet of clearance at the opening of a pad-mounted transformer and four-feet at the rear and sides of the housing. The distance allows crews to safely use tools required for working with energized equipment. It also ensures crews have the ability to move about safely should problems arise.
In many newer subdivisions and residential developments pad-mounted transformers are more common – and in many cases are located on consumer property. These transformers are connected to primary high voltage lines, and secondary lines can extend from the transform in several directions underground. Remember this before planting shrubs or trees, setting fence posts, installing sprinkler systems or digging anywhere near a transformer. You should always dial 811 before you dig to ensure lines are located so your project doesn’t disrupt utility service, cause serious injury or worse.
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Sol Partners Celebrates 10 Years
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Monday | July 8, 2019
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United Power powered the state's first community solar farm in May 2009 at its Brighton headquarters.
Over the past several years, solar panels have become a mainstay of the push for more renewable energy. Utilities, large and small, across the country have unveiled plans to add thousands of megawatts of solar-generated energy to portfolios as they aim for a net zero carbon-emission future.
In May 2009, United Power jumpstarted its renewable energy program when it powered a new, innovative concept for its members – the state’s first community solar farm, Sol Partners – at its Brighton headquarters facility.
The solar farm offered the cooperative’s members leasable solar panels and allowed members to dip their toes in the pool of renewable energy without making a costly commitment on a home installation. Panels were leased to members on a 25-year period for a small initial investment, and those members would receive a credit for power generated on the panels. In addition, the cooperative agreed to maintain the solar farm.
The innovative model received immediate adoption and quickly sold out. In August 2010, the cooperative launched its second community solar module. Its instant success incentivized other co-ops to invest in community solar projects of their own.
“The community solar model was initially meant as a tool for the local co-op and their members to bring more solar onto the system,” said New Business Director Jerry Marizza. “What was a unique concept 10 years ago has now blossomed throughout Colorado and the nation.
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Special Member Rebate a NEW Nissan Leaf
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Saturday | June 1, 2019
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Take Advantage of a Member-Exclusive Rebate on the All-New NISSAN LEAF through JULY 1, 2019.
Take Advantage of a Member-Exclusive Rebate on the All-New NISSAN LEAF through JULY 1, 2019. Our friends at Touchstone Energy have been working behind the scenes to bring United Power members and employees a special opportunity to get behind the wheel of the world's best-selling 100 percent electric car, the all-new NISSAN LEAF, thanks to a rebate program that's been extended through July 1. Offer is eligible for fleet or individual purchases.
A $3,500 special rebate is available on the 40 kWh model NISSAN LEAF and a new$2,500 rebate is available on the 226 mile range, 62 kWh, ePlus model. This offer can be combined with the $7,500 Federal ED Tax Credit to provide you with savings up to $11,000 on your purchase of a new Nissan Leaf.
Simply print this flyer (linked) and bring your electric bill and/or proof of cooperative employment to your local NISSAN Dealer and you can become eligible to use the special Fleet Certification Code to obtain your special rebate. Please see eligibility requirements for more details.
Offer expires July 1, 2019!More Range, More Power, More Confidence
Consumers can now embrace the excitement of more range, more power and more tech. With 2 battery options (40 kWh and 62 kWh), and enhanced available technology, consumers can pick the car that best fits their every day needs and drive with confidence.
Join us in Making a Difference
As part of our effort to accelerate electric vehicle transportation alternatives across the United State, Nissan North America, Inc. is offering eligible Touchstone Energy cooperatives, members and employees a special incentive toward the purchase of the all-new, 100% electric, Nissan Leaf. With each qualified purchase, eligible buyers can receive a $3,500 Fleetail Rebate of MSRP, plus eligibility for a Federal EV Tax Credit, up to $7,500. State incentives may also be available.
How to Get this Great Incentive
Simply bring a copy of this flyer, both the front and back pages, along with your monthly electric bill or proof of employment to your participating Nissan dealership. This limited time offer expires July 1, 2019 and cannot be combined with other Nissan or NMAC special incentives. Residency restrictions apply.
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Students Attend D.C. Youth Tour
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Wednesday | August 1, 2018
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In June, United Power proudly joined with local electric cooperatives from around the country to sponsor teenagers from small towns and cities to spend a week in the nation’s capital learning about the political process and interacting with their elected officials.
In June, United Power proudly joined with local electric cooperatives from around the country to sponsor teenagers from small towns and cities to spend a week in the nation’s capital learning about the political process and interacting with their elected officials. The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been a tradition among cooperatives since the late 1950s.
The origins of the Youth Tour date back to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s 1957 annual meeting in Chicago, where keynote speaker and future president Lyndon B. Johnson suggested sending youth to the capital to “actually see what the flag stands for and represents.”
What began with a small group of 34 students from Iowa in 1958 has since ballooned to nearly 2,000 students from 42 states. To date, nearly 50,000 students have participated in the program.
This year, United Power sponsored three local students to represent the cooperative during the 2018 Youth Tour – Hannah Rockwell of Weld Central High School, Jordyn Saffy of Eagle Ridge Academy, and Megan Lewis of Frederick High School.
Between meetings with elected officials, learning the value of the cooperatives they represent and developing leadership skills, students were able to spend time touring some of Washington D.C.’s landmarks and memorials. Before flying out, Colorado students were also treated to a high-voltage safety demonstration at United Power’s headquarters in Brighton, Colo.
Each year United Power selects three ambitious high school students to attend Youth Tour. Applications to represent the cooperative during next year’s tour will be available in December.
