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Troy Whitmore Receives RMEL’s Industry Leadership Award
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Friday | November 4, 2022
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The Industry Leadership Award recognizes individuals whose leadership has made contributions that have made an impact within their organization.
Troy Whitmore, Vice President & Public Affairs Officer, United Power, received a 2022 RMEL Industry Leadership Award during RMEL’s 119th Annual Fall Convention on Wednesday, October 12th.
The Industry Leadership Award recognizes individuals whose leadership has made contributions that have made an impact within their organization. Recipients usually have more than 10 years of experience in the industry. These individuals are often active in various industry affiliations, associations and/or organizations that serve the electric energy industry.
Troy Whitmore is the Vice President & Public Affairs Officer at United Power, headquartered in Brighton, Colorado. Troy’s long tenure at United Power and in the electric industry has allowed him to be a real force in helping to guide not only cooperative, but legislative initiatives that affect our industry. An active voice at the state capitol, Troy has worked with legislators on issues ranging from election transparency for cooperatives, to helping to incorporate renewable energy guidelines for utilities. He is an engaged and active voice for the members of United Power, and for other electric consumers around Colorado.
During his 36 years at United Power, Troy has served in numerous functions including communications, marketing, customer service and governmental affairs. In his current position as Vice President & Public Affairs Officer, Troy oversees governmental affairs, community relations, key accounts, and economic development functions. His work has always balanced where the industry can move realistically, with the needs and wants of United Power’s members. Much of his work has allowed United Power to become an innovation leader among cooperatives. Troy remains extremely active in his community and serves as the Chair of the board of Colorado Advocates for Rural Electrification (CARE) which is Colorado’s electric cooperatives’ political action committee, and a Board member of Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC) which is Colorado’s premier energy assistance foundation.
RMEL also conferred the Distinguished Leadership Award to Mike Hummel, General Manager & Chief Executive Officer, SRP. RMEL’s Honorary Life Member Award recipients are Paul Barham, retired, CPS Energy; Joel Bladow, retired, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association; Kevin Howard, retired, Western Area Power Administration; Pat Pope, retired, Nebraska Public Power District; and Stuart Wevik, retired, Black Hills Energy. Also receiving the Industry Leadership Award are Tony Eddleman, Director of NERC Reliability Compliance, Nebraska Public Power District; Mike Jones, Senior Director of Strategic Risk Management, SRP; Keith Nix, Vice President of Operations, Texas-New Mexico Power; and Jim Trask, Department Manager – Energy Group, Burns & McDonnell.
Congratulations to all 2022 RMEL Award Winners and thank you for your dedication to the electric energy industry.
The 2023 Awards Program will kick off with the Emerging Leader Awards Nominations early next year. More information on the 2023 RMEL Awards Program will be available at www.RMEL.org soon.
About RMEL:
RMEL is a not-for-profit energy trade association that has served the electric utility industry with a variety of education and networking services since 1903. RMEL’s mission is: Preparing the electric energy industry for the future through education and networking. Once known as the Rocky Mountain Electrical League, the association officially became RMEL in the 1990s to better reflect a membership base that spans the entire country.
United for the Cure
Monday | December 16, 2019
This October, United Power joined the ongoing battle to find a cure through an employee-led effort t...
Read more >
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United Power 78th Annual Meeting of Members Held on April 18th
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Tuesday | April 18, 2017
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Brighton, Colo.—Growth in every industry sector is a challenge United Power is facing as they work on “Building Tomorrow’s Cooperative,” the theme of the 78th Annual Meeting held on Apr. 18th.
Incumbents Retain East, West and South Seats, New Director Fills Mountain Seat
Brighton, Colo.—Growth in every industry sector is a challenge United Power is facing as they work on “Building Tomorrow’s Cooperative,” the theme of the 78th Annual Meeting held on Apr. 18th. Nearly 850 attendees represented over 420 registered cooperative memberships at the annual member event held at the Adams County Fairgrounds. The evening included dinner, exhibit booths, entertainment, cooperative reports, and the election of directors.
Races for a seat in all four director districts were decided by a vote of the members. Incumbent Directors James Vigesaa and Ginny Buczek retained their respective seats. Director David Rose won the race for his seat in the South District. Incoming director Tamra Waltemath won the seat in the Mountain district left vacant by the retirement of director Douglas Pryce.
Member registration opened at 4:30 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall and was followed by balloting in the annual director election and a full barbeque dinner. Members then visited informational exhibit booths and enjoyed live entertainment by solo guitarist Dave Connelly in the Waymire Dome. The business meeting began at 6:30 p.m. in the Waymire Dome, and was broadcast live in Exhibit Hall.
Board Vice President, Susan Petrocco from the south district opened the business meeting at 6:30 p.m. with the invocation, followed by of the presentation of the colors by Brighton Fire Department Honor Guard and the singing of the national anthem by local Brighton High School graduate Lauren Rocha.
Board President, Brian McCormick, introduced the cooperative Directors and Executive Leadership team, and then Vice President Petrocco made a special presentation in honor of retiring director Doug Pryce, who has served on the United Power Board of Directors for 27 years. Petrocco listed the various local and national positions Pryce has held during his tenure as a United Power director.
“While Doug served on various national and state positions, he still found the energy to serve the United Power board in various leadership capacities,” said Petrocco. “He has served this cooperative and its members well.”
McCormick then called the meeting to order, introduced the candidates running for board seats in 2017 and introduced the cooperative reports for the evening. First to report was Troy Whitmore, Director of External Affairs for United Power. Whitmore presented this year’s Youth Report which included a special check presentation to United Power’s 2017 scholarship recipients. Students receiving awards were recognized on stage by Asst. Secretary-Treasurer Ursula J. Morgan and President McCormick.
McCormick followed with the President’s report which included an overview of United Power’s vision, mission and guiding cooperative principles. McCormick then reviewed power mix of Tri-State Generation & Tranmission, United Power’s wholesale power provider and energy sales trends for United Power. McCormick wrapped up his report by introducing United Power’s Chief Executive Officer, Darryl Schriver and reporting that United Power remains in strong financial condition and committed to delivering excellent service and value to its members.
Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Ursula J. Morgan took the stage to review the cooperative’s financial report. Morgan gave a summary of the highlights and the full financial report was made available to all members at the meeting in United Power’s 2016 Annual Report. The Annual Report is also available online at www.unitedpower.com.
Morgan reported operating revenues for the cooperative were up over $11 million—up more than 5 percent from 2015, which is mostly attributed to higher energy sales for the year. Energy sales, which grew more than 9 percent last year, are up mostly due to new large oil and gas related loads. The cooperative’s operating expenses totaled $212.3 million in 2016, an increase of $13 million from 2015, nearly all of which is due to higher purchased power costs. Morgan reported that the cost of purchased power represents over 76 percent of United Power’s operating costs.
After accounting for all revenues and expenses, United Power realized net margins of $13.7 million, and based on this sound financial position, the cooperative board authorized the retirement of $4.3 million in capital credits to the members in 2016. Morgan reminded the audience that the board evaluates the cooperative’s financial position each year to determine if a retirement is warranted and announcements about capital credit retirements are published on the cooperative’s website and newsletter, United Newsline.
United Power’s Chief Executive Officer Darryl Schriver took to the stage after a brief video highlighting the substantial growth in United Power’s service area. Schriver discussed some of the ways the cooperative is planning and preparing for an influx of members and new load on the distribution system. Schriver also discussed the operational changes that have been made since taking his position last April to make sure United Power’s crews are proactively addressing system maintenance issues. and new construction contract crews can be ramped up to better meet new construction schedules. He talked about how contract crews are being used to better meet new construction schedules.
Schriver went on to discuss the addition of 19.5 megawatts of renewable solar power that was energized on the United Power system in 2016. A solar farm in Fort Lupton is generating 13 megawatts of power and the Maverick solar farm in Mead is generating 6.5 megawatts. These new systems are powering more than 4,000 homes in the United Power service territory with local renewable energy.
“In the coming year I am challenging United Power employees in every operational area to look at the way they serve our members,” said Schriver. “I want them to explore ways to streamline, improve and leverage technology to provide a better experience for our members.”
Schriver then announced the purchase a new building located in the west district of the cooperative’s service area on I-25, just south of the Hwy 119 exit. Schriver explained that serving the entire membership from one location on the easternmost corridor of the territory is becoming problematic. The new facility will provide a second location for operations crews to respond more quickly to communities in the northwest corridor of the territory and to provide additional back up support to United Power’s mountain territory. The facility will also offer members a full-service walk-in member services department.
President McCormick then moved to the member forum portion of the meeting. Prior to the start of the meeting, board members collected comments of general interest from members in attendance. A selection of those questions were addressed by the Board President and Chief Executive Officer during this time.
Election results for the 2017 director election were announced following the member forum. United Power members cast 5,730 ballots, and the following results were certified by the Election and Credentials Committee at the 2017 Annual Meeting.
The South district was the only contested race on the ballot this year and David Rose won that seat with 3,393 votes, beating out Keith E. Alquist who received 2,209 votes.
In the Mountain district, the retirement of Douglas Pryce left the seat open for candidate Tamra Waltemath, who ran unopposed. Waltemath received 5,093 votes.
Incumbent directors James E. Vigesaa in the East, and Virginia “Ginny” Buczek in the West ran unopposed and retained their seats with 5,065 votes for Vigessa and 5,102 vote for Buczek.
RESULTS OF THE 2017 UNITED POWER DIRECTOR ELECTIONEAST DISTRICT
James E. Vigesaa 5,065
SOUTH DISTRICT
Keith Alquist 2,209
David Rose 3,393
WEST DISTRICT
Virginia (Ginny) Buczek 5,102
MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Tamra Waltemath 5,093
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United Power Adds Officer, Emphasizes Member Focus
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Thursday | August 15, 2019
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In August, United Power welcomed Meghan Dewey to fill its newly created role of Member Engagement Officer.
Brighton, CO – In August, United Power welcomed Meghan Dewey to fill its newly created role of Member Engagement Officer. At United Power, Dewey will be responsible for developing and implementing a cohesive engagement strategy highlighting the cooperative’s commitment to its communities and its members. She will direct member services, new business, energy management and marketing and communications to develop programs to meet members’ diverse and changing needs.
“I am delighted to join United Power as its first Member Engagement Officer,” Dewey said. “United Power’s commitment to its members and community, and its strong track record of performance and innovation, provides a real foundation for our future. I’m looking forward to working together with our members, our board, community leaders, and the United Power executive team to continue to provide value to our members and help lead us forward into a better energy future – the cooperative way.”
Dewey comes to United Power with a track record of enhancing customer experience and implementing successful customer-minded energy efficiency programs after spending seven years in various leadership roles at one of California’s largest utilities, Pacific Gas & Electric. While with PG&E, she spearheaded one of the country’s largest and most impactful energy efficiency programs and technology portfolios with more than 100 customer programs. She was most recently involved in the company’s wildfire safety program, designing new programs, products and services to advance customers’ resiliency and meet their energy needs during proactive power shutoffs.
In addition to her experience leading program development and new product design, Dewey also oversaw the company’s legislative strategy for energy efficiency and demand-side management. She successfully advocated for landmark legislation giving investor-owned utilities the ability to develop new program models that would help meet the state’s aggressive carbon neutral goals. She served as co-chair of a statewide stakeholder engagement coalition representing California investor-owned utilities as the state moved to a new energy efficiency administration and program design model.
Committed to extending her leadership influence beyond the office, Dewey has also been active in representing the industry on various boards and committees and mentoring men and women pursuing careers in the energy and utility industry.
“United Power has a bold vision for its future, and we’re excited to add Meghan’s perspective as we develop our long-term strategy,” said John Parker, United Power Chief Executive Officer. “She brings a wealth of experience with her from her time at PG&E and will be a valuable addition as we continue to look for better ways to serve our members.”
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving more than 90,000 homes and businesses along Colorado’s northern front range. To learn more about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative at Facebook.com/UnitedPower.
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United Power Advances Capital Credit Retirement to Alleviate COVID Impacts
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Tuesday | April 28, 2020
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Members are getting cash back from their co-op in May.
Article originally published on April 18, 2020.
United Power is returning $5.5 million in Capital Credits to members beginning in May and nearly every member is getting a payment. Due to the unique economic stresses being placed on our members because of the COVID 19 situation, United Power’s Board of Directors has opted to distribute Capital Credit refunds earlier than in prior years. In past years the retirements were made in August, but the United Power Board felt members could use the economic relief now.
“We know that many of our members have been impacted by this health emergency – through cuts in pay, job losses, or increased health costs,” said Bryant Robbins, Chief Executive Officer. “This retirement will provide money back to nearly all our members when they need it most.”
In 2020, United Power is retiring $5.5 million to members. The total amount of money retired is divided among all members and is being issued in May. Additionally, while these payments have typically been issued as checks, more refunds will be applied to bills in order to reduce the need for our members to go to a bank during this health emergency. Members receiving a retirement of $50 or less, will see a bill credit directly on their May electric bill. Those receiving larger retirement amounts will receive a check.
Capital credits represent ownership in United Power and are one of the most unique and rewarding benefits afforded to members of electric cooperatives. Unlike investor-owned utilities that maximize profits to pay dividends to shareholders, not-for-profit electric co-ops like United Power provide our members with “at cost” electric service—we do not exist to earn a profit. At the end of each year, after all operational expenses have been covered, a portion of any excess funds is returned to the members in the form of capital credits. Learn more about capital credits, or if you have additional questions please call our Member Services team at 303-637-1300.
In addition to the advancement of Capital Credit refunds, the cooperative has temporarily suspended disconnections and is providing payment arrangements for members who have been directly impacted by COVID 19. The Board of Directors has also established the Co-op Cares fund allocating $250,000 in unclaimed capital credits to provide direct assistance to members facing hardships due to the pandemic.
Any members who may have troubles paying their electric bills are encouraged to call United Power at 303-637-1300 and our Member Services team will match them with all of the available resources and assistance options.
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United Power Among Nation’s Best in Reliability and Resiliency
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Tuesday | February 27, 2024
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Cooperative achieves record SAIDI score for second year in a row.
Cooperative Achieves Record SAIDI Score for Second Year in a Row
United Power’s core responsibility to its members as an electric cooperative is ensuring consistently reliable power, which means the lights stay on and the power continues flowing whenever you need it to be available. Several years ago, the co-op’s operations and engineering staff began coordinating the implementation of an innovative system maintenance strategy. It incorporated embedded devices throughout the system and preventative maintenance practices to meet ambitious goals for reliability and resiliency – defined as the ability to rapidly recover from power outages, such as reducing frequency or duration.
Results exceeded expectations. United Power successfully prevented thousands of potential power interruptions before they occurred, dramatically reducing the number of outages members experience and limiting the duration when outages do occur. The strategy has produced sustained improvements in reliability and resiliency year-over-year since it was implemented in 2017, cementing the cooperative’s status among the best performing electric utilities in the country.
By the Numbers
Electric utilities measure system performance and develop improvement plans using a variety of indicators, such as the System Average Interruption Duration Index – more commonly known as SAIDI – and the System Average Interruption Frequency Index, or SAIFI. These indicators, among the many that United Power and other electric utilities use to measure how successful systems are performing, essentially analyze data and calculate outage expectations for an average member.
SAIDI measures the total outage time an average member would expect to experience over the course of a year (cumulative duration of all outages experienced). The national average is approximately 120 minutes. United Power has not produced a SAIDI score above 72 minutes since 2017 and has maintained a score below 60 minutes – less than half the national average – for the past two years.
SAIFI measures the total number of outages an average member would expect to experience over the course of a year (frequency of outages experienced). United Power’s SAIFI score of 0.65 in 2023 means the average meter experienced fewer than one outage throughout the year. Put another way, many of the cooperative’s members did not experience an outage last year.
Other performance indicators are used, as well. One of those indicators measures the system’s overall availability rate. The co-op’s availability in 2023 was greater than 99%.
“These metrics demonstrate the success of the strategies we are using to improve reliability and resiliency across our system,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and CEO. “Thank you to our operations and engineering teams, who are responsible for interpreting data from the system and designing the strategies we practice in the field.”
Preventative Maintenance Practices Installed
United Power incorporated a proactive approach to system maintenance in 2017. The strategy relies on analyzing data collected across thousands of miles of line and isolating the worst-performing segments. Targeted maintenance projects are then scheduled to improve the performance for that segment.
One example of this strategy is the co-op’s drone maintenance program. The program began in United Power’s mountain territory, where accessing poles and infrastructure can be difficult and time consuming due to the rugged terrain and weather. Drones can quickly conduct detailed investigations and document broken, failing, or aging equipment. Drones have saved the cooperative countless hours and prevented hundreds of potential outages. Since completing initial inspections in Coal Creek Canyon and Golden Gate Canyon, the drone maintenance program has been used throughout the entire service territory.
Advanced Monitoring Technology
Preventative maintenance would not be possible without automated monitoring devices embedded throughout the system that report irregularities and potential concerns. These devices capture important information to help system operators determine the best power restoration process in the event of an outage and can help crews in the field pinpoint the time and location of a fault.
The ability to quickly locate a fault, identify its cause, and restore power to members, often remotely due to redundancies built into the system for this very purpose, has significantly improved the cooperative’s outage response and reduced the duration of outages. Identifying problematic areas would be difficult without this information and could create additional delays in power restoration because lineworkers would need to physically inspect miles of line to locate and repair the cause.
Readying for the Power Supply Transition
United Power will be transitioning to new power suppliers on May 1 as the cooperative exits its existing power supply contract. United Power’s robust distribution system is ready to take the cooperative into the future of our new energy supply. This transition will have no impact on the system’s reliability.
The added flexibility of additional power supply contracts as the cooperative grows may even improve system performance in the long term with the ability to make proactive infrastructure upgrades.
United Power is already among the best performing electric utilities in the country, and leadership at the co-op is continually seeking to improve its system reliability and resiliency. Whether it is proactive maintenance strategies, automated devices, or other system improvements, the cooperative is always looking for ways to improve and meet member expectations.
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United Power and Silicon Ranch Expand Partnership with New 150 MW Byers Solar Farm
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Wednesday | January 22, 2025
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Partners to collaborate on fifth joint energy project since 2014.
Partners to collaborate on fifth joint energy project since 2014Brighton, CO – United Power, Inc. (United Power), an electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern front range, announces the signing of a power purchase agreement for its latest solar resource, the 150-megawatt (MW) Byers Solar Farm. Located in Adams County, 10 miles northeast of Byers, the new solar installation is being developed in partnership with Silicon Ranch, one of the nation’s largest independent power producers and a community-focused renewable energy company.
“As United Power continues to add to its diverse power portfolio, the Byers Solar Farm illustrates the best-case scenario for local production,” said Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “Our partnership with Silicon Ranch allows us to build this project with the latest technology and development techniques to optimize the use of the site. Additionally, there are strong financial and environmental incentives for generating and delivering clean, renewable electricity locally.”
The solar farm will be built, owned, and operated by Silicon Ranch, who will also be responsible for its operation and maintenance, with United Power purchasing all the power it produces. As the long-term owner of both the facility and the underlying property, Silicon Ranch is taking a thoughtful approach to stewardship of the land, with plans to establish short grass prairie at the site by pre-seeding ahead of construction. In addition, the company is exploring opportunities to employ managed sheep grazing on the site, through its Regenerative Energy® platform of land stewardship that it deploys at sites across the country, including the Mavericks Solar Farm that serves United Power.
“Silicon Ranch is honored by the trust and confidence that United Power and its members continue to place in our company to deliver value on their behalf, and we are grateful for the opportunity to expand our relationship and the positive impact we can have together,” said Silicon Ranch Co-Founder and CEO Reagan Farr. “As we enter our second decade of partnership with United Power, Silicon Ranch looks forward to continuing our meaningful work together by collaborating to help make communities stronger, healthier, and more resilient here in northern Colorado.”
United Power has partnered with Silicon Ranch on four other energy infrastructure projects since 2014 – Fort Lupton Solar (13 MW), Mavericks Solar (6.5 MW), Platteville Solar (16 MW), and Rattlesnake Solar (6 MW). Each of these installations, located within the cooperative’s service territory, was developed working closely with local governments and neighboring landowners to make sure the projects fulfilled the needs of each community and United Power.
“Byers Solar Farm continues United Power’s march toward energy independence,” said Gabriel. “Since leaving our wholesale power contract on May 1, 2024, United Power has worked to build a power portfolio that both reduces our carbon emissions and stabilizes our costs. Our vision to diversify and hyper-localize power production will pay dividends to cooperative members in an increasingly volatile energy market.”
Learn more about United Power and its ongoing energy transition plans in Our Cooperative Roadmap.
About United Power: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 co-ops in the nation, serving nearly 114,000 meters. Its 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 United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.About Silicon Ranch:Founded in 2011, Silicon Ranch is a fully integrated provider of customized solar energy, battery storage, and carbon solutions. The company is one of the largest independent power producers in the U.S., with a portfolio that includes more than seven gigawatts of solar and battery storage systems that are contracted, under construction, or operating across the U.S. and Canada. Silicon Ranch owns and operates every project in its portfolio and has maintained an unrivaled track record of project execution. Silicon Ranch has the largest wholly owned agrivoltaics portfolio in the country under Regenerative Energy®, its nationally recognized holistic approach to project design, construction, and land stewardship. This model incorporates regenerative ranching and other regenerative land stewardship practices to restore soil health, promote biodiversity, and improve water quality. Silicon Ranch’s carbon solutions platform, Clearloop, helps businesses of all sizes reclaim their carbon footprint by commissioning new solar projects in American communities where significant economic and environmental benefits can be achieved. To learn more, visit siliconranch.com and clearloop.us. Follow Silicon Ranch on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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United Power and Transitional Energy Sign Letter of Intent to Develop Geothermal Resources
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Wednesday | February 16, 2022
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Transitional Energy & United Power announce a groundbreaking pilot to leverage energy from oil and gas wells to generate dispatchable power.
Groundbreaking Pilot to Leverage Energy from Oil and Gas Wells to Generate Dispatchable Power
Denver and Brighton, Colo. – Transitional Energy, a geothermal development company, joined Brighton-based United Power to announce that they have signed a Letter of Intent to develop a dispatchable energy pilot program. The program will focus on geothermal resources from oil and gas operations located in the electric cooperative’s service territory.
United Power provides electric service to multiple oil and gas operations in Colorado’s DJ Oil Basin. Transitional Energy’s program will use geothermal energy to generate dispatchable baseload electric power. The program may be used with both operational and abandoned wells to capture and convert what would otherwise be waste geothermal energy to electricity.
Many oil and gas operators use traditional electric service to power drilling rigs and other well pad equipment. Through this partnership, United Power and Transitional Energy will be able to provide a unique solution that can convert oil and gas operations using traditional electric service to facilities powered by up to 100% geothermal resources. Owner-operators of wells in the United Power service territory would work directly with Transitional Energy to utilize the technology to offset their energy purchases while reducing their greenhouse gas footprint.
Transitional Energy was founded in Colorado and is partially funded by a grant from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Taking advantage of the team’s oil and gas expertise as well as emerging advancements in Organic Rankine Cycle technology for heat recovery, Transitional Energy will tap into the geothermal potential of thousands of wellbores within the DJ Basin. Reuse of existing wells and infrastructure is a capital-efficient way to use the heat beneath our feet. This pilot program compliments the many innovative energy investments United Power has made in renewable energy projects in its territory.
“United Power is excited to work on this innovative pilot project,” stated Dean Hubbuck, United Power’s Chief Energy Resources Officer. “Utilizing clean, economical geothermal energy to provide local power that can be dispatched when needed is a critical component of our growing energy portfolio. Geothermal energy represents a huge untapped renewable resource that can reduce our reliance on power from other traditional sources.”
About Transitional EnergyTransitional Energy is a geothermal development company based in Denver. The company is majority women owned and Native led. With deep expertise in subsurface engineering, facilities engineering and geology, Transitional Energy is passionate about a clean energy future and utilizing existing oil and gas wells and infrastructure to generate geothermal energy. Learn more at www.transitionalenergy.us.About the United PowerUnited 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 2021 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. United Power is also a founding member of the NextGen Cooperative Alliance, dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.###
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United Power and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Execute Settlement Term Sheet
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Wednesday | November 8, 2023
Terms outline Settlement Agreement for power purchases and sale of utility assets.
Following execution of a Settlement Agreement, United Power and Tri-State will file to dismiss litigation in the Adams County District Court.
Settlement Agreement does not address contract termination payment proceeding before federal regulators.
Brighton/Westminster, Colorado – On Nov. 1, 2023, United Power, Inc. (United Power) and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State) executed a Term Sheet that sets forth terms for the two utilities to make good faith efforts to execute a formal Settlement Agreement involving power purchases and the sale of utility assets from Tri-State to United Power.
The Term Sheet provides for a mutual release of claims and that the parties will cooperate to complete a Settlement Agreement and related agreements by Dec. 8, 2023, at which time United Power and Tri-State will jointly file for dismissal of the lawsuit, with prejudice, pending in the Adams County District Court.
On Nov. 1, 2023, Tri-State’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the Term Sheet. On Nov. 6, 2023, United Power’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the Term Sheet.
Tri-State and United Power will continue to take actions to ensure United Power’s timely exit by May 1, 2024, upon payment of a contract termination payment, with the amount to be set by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission).
The Settlement Agreement will not address the Commission proceeding related to the contract termination payment that members will pay to Tri-State to terminate their contracts early and withdraw from membership. The parties expect the Commission to issue a decision in that proceeding shortly.
No further public comments will be made about the Settlement Agreement.
About United PowerUnited 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 co-ops in the nation, and in June 2021 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. United Power is also a founding member of the NextGen Cooperative Alliance, which is dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options available to distribution co-ops and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.About Tri-State Generation and TransmissionTri-State is a power supply cooperative of 45 members, operating on a not-for-profit basis, including 42 utility electric distribution cooperative and public power district members in four states. Together with our member/owners, we deliver reliable, affordable and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the West. For more information about Tri-State, visit www.tristate.coop.
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United Power and Xcel Energy Announce Strategic Relationship for Power Supply
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Thursday | September 14, 2023
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Xcel Energy to provide United Power and its members with excess low-carbon, renewable electricity.
Xcel Energy to provide United Power and its members with excess low-carbon, renewable electricityBrighton, CO – United Power an electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern Front Range, and Xcel Energy, one of the nation’s largest investor-owned utilities, entered into a strategic relationship to explore opportunities for maximizing the value of their combined portfolios and advancing the State of Colorado’s progress toward a low-carbon energy footprint. The utilities are entering a power supply arrangement that would provide United Power access to Xcel Energy’s increasingly carbon neutral portfolio to the benefit of Xcel Energy customers and United Power members. The working agreement will allow both utilities to leverage cost savings through power purchases while continuing to invest in new, clean renewable resources.
“This is a win-win for both utilities,” stated Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “The ability of two large utilities working toward a common goal will benefit everyone. Together we will plan our energy needs, negotiate lower pricing, and assure reliability for our members and customers. This is an important step as we enter the new future of electric procurement and delivery.”
The agreement aims to facilitate a shared strategic vision for electric power delivery. Xcel Energy seeks to leverage its renewable energy resources by making sales to United Power at times when excess energy is available, providing United Power with access to Xcel Energy’s significant portfolio at attractive prices. The two utilities hope to develop a long-term relationship in which both will work in tandem to drive down power costs, understand how best to serve the future load of the cooperative’s members and Xcel Energy’s customers, and work toward the mutual goal of integrating more renewable energy in support of the State of Colorado’s renewable resource goals.
“The electric industry is changing, and United Power is working with Xcel Energy to help lead this revolution,” stated Gabriel. “Meeting federal and state requirements, keeping costs economical, and making certain our load is predicable are planned outcomes of this strategic relationship.”
United Power is preparing for an exit from its current wholesale power contract with another power supplier on May 1, 2024. The electric cooperative has been securing a variety of power generation contracts to continue to supply its members following its exit from the contract.
“Today’s announcement solidifies our close working relationship with United Power, one of the largest and fastest-growing cooperative utilities in Colorado, by supplying increasingly carbon-free energy from Xcel Energy’s generation resources,” said Robert Kenney, President of Xcel Energy-Colorado. “Our strategic relationship will maximize the value of both companies’ combined generation towards achieving our goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2030, from 2005 levels, and providing 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050.”
United Power serves nearly 110,000 meters and maintains and operates over 6,500 miles of distribution line. The 900-square mile service territory wraps around the north and west borders of the Denver International Airport. It includes the north and northeast metropolitan development corridors along Interstate 25, Interstate 76, State Highway 85, and E-470 and the Golden Gate and Coal Creek canyons, two of Colorado’s most iconic and historic mountain canyons. As a result of its geographic location, United Power’s system is experiencing significant demand and energy growth, averaging approximately 6% annually.
To learn more about United Power’s power supply transition, visit Power Supply.
About United PowerUnited 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 co-ops in the nation, and in June 2021 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. United Power is also a founding member of the NextGen Co-op Alliance, which is dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options available to distribution co-ops and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.About Xcel EnergyXcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook. ###
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Troy Whitmore Receives RMEL’s Industry Leadership Award
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Friday | November 4, 2022
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The Industry Leadership Award recognizes individuals whose leadership has made contributions that have made an impact within their organization.
Troy Whitmore, Vice President & Public Affairs Officer, United Power, received a 2022 RMEL Industry Leadership Award during RMEL’s 119th Annual Fall Convention on Wednesday, October 12th.
The Industry Leadership Award recognizes individuals whose leadership has made contributions that have made an impact within their organization. Recipients usually have more than 10 years of experience in the industry. These individuals are often active in various industry affiliations, associations and/or organizations that serve the electric energy industry.
Troy Whitmore is the Vice President & Public Affairs Officer at United Power, headquartered in Brighton, Colorado. Troy’s long tenure at United Power and in the electric industry has allowed him to be a real force in helping to guide not only cooperative, but legislative initiatives that affect our industry. An active voice at the state capitol, Troy has worked with legislators on issues ranging from election transparency for cooperatives, to helping to incorporate renewable energy guidelines for utilities. He is an engaged and active voice for the members of United Power, and for other electric consumers around Colorado.
During his 36 years at United Power, Troy has served in numerous functions including communications, marketing, customer service and governmental affairs. In his current position as Vice President & Public Affairs Officer, Troy oversees governmental affairs, community relations, key accounts, and economic development functions. His work has always balanced where the industry can move realistically, with the needs and wants of United Power’s members. Much of his work has allowed United Power to become an innovation leader among cooperatives. Troy remains extremely active in his community and serves as the Chair of the board of Colorado Advocates for Rural Electrification (CARE) which is Colorado’s electric cooperatives’ political action committee, and a Board member of Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC) which is Colorado’s premier energy assistance foundation.
RMEL also conferred the Distinguished Leadership Award to Mike Hummel, General Manager & Chief Executive Officer, SRP. RMEL’s Honorary Life Member Award recipients are Paul Barham, retired, CPS Energy; Joel Bladow, retired, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association; Kevin Howard, retired, Western Area Power Administration; Pat Pope, retired, Nebraska Public Power District; and Stuart Wevik, retired, Black Hills Energy. Also receiving the Industry Leadership Award are Tony Eddleman, Director of NERC Reliability Compliance, Nebraska Public Power District; Mike Jones, Senior Director of Strategic Risk Management, SRP; Keith Nix, Vice President of Operations, Texas-New Mexico Power; and Jim Trask, Department Manager – Energy Group, Burns & McDonnell.
Congratulations to all 2022 RMEL Award Winners and thank you for your dedication to the electric energy industry.
The 2023 Awards Program will kick off with the Emerging Leader Awards Nominations early next year. More information on the 2023 RMEL Awards Program will be available at www.RMEL.org soon.
About RMEL:
RMEL is a not-for-profit energy trade association that has served the electric utility industry with a variety of education and networking services since 1903. RMEL’s mission is: Preparing the electric energy industry for the future through education and networking. Once known as the Rocky Mountain Electrical League, the association officially became RMEL in the 1990s to better reflect a membership base that spans the entire country.
United for the Cure
Monday | December 16, 2019
This October, United Power joined the ongoing battle to find a cure through an employee-led effort t...
Read more >
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United Power 78th Annual Meeting of Members Held on April 18th
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Tuesday | April 18, 2017
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Brighton, Colo.—Growth in every industry sector is a challenge United Power is facing as they work on “Building Tomorrow’s Cooperative,” the theme of the 78th Annual Meeting held on Apr. 18th.
Incumbents Retain East, West and South Seats, New Director Fills Mountain Seat
Brighton, Colo.—Growth in every industry sector is a challenge United Power is facing as they work on “Building Tomorrow’s Cooperative,” the theme of the 78th Annual Meeting held on Apr. 18th. Nearly 850 attendees represented over 420 registered cooperative memberships at the annual member event held at the Adams County Fairgrounds. The evening included dinner, exhibit booths, entertainment, cooperative reports, and the election of directors.
Races for a seat in all four director districts were decided by a vote of the members. Incumbent Directors James Vigesaa and Ginny Buczek retained their respective seats. Director David Rose won the race for his seat in the South District. Incoming director Tamra Waltemath won the seat in the Mountain district left vacant by the retirement of director Douglas Pryce.
Member registration opened at 4:30 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall and was followed by balloting in the annual director election and a full barbeque dinner. Members then visited informational exhibit booths and enjoyed live entertainment by solo guitarist Dave Connelly in the Waymire Dome. The business meeting began at 6:30 p.m. in the Waymire Dome, and was broadcast live in Exhibit Hall.
Board Vice President, Susan Petrocco from the south district opened the business meeting at 6:30 p.m. with the invocation, followed by of the presentation of the colors by Brighton Fire Department Honor Guard and the singing of the national anthem by local Brighton High School graduate Lauren Rocha.
Board President, Brian McCormick, introduced the cooperative Directors and Executive Leadership team, and then Vice President Petrocco made a special presentation in honor of retiring director Doug Pryce, who has served on the United Power Board of Directors for 27 years. Petrocco listed the various local and national positions Pryce has held during his tenure as a United Power director.
“While Doug served on various national and state positions, he still found the energy to serve the United Power board in various leadership capacities,” said Petrocco. “He has served this cooperative and its members well.”
McCormick then called the meeting to order, introduced the candidates running for board seats in 2017 and introduced the cooperative reports for the evening. First to report was Troy Whitmore, Director of External Affairs for United Power. Whitmore presented this year’s Youth Report which included a special check presentation to United Power’s 2017 scholarship recipients. Students receiving awards were recognized on stage by Asst. Secretary-Treasurer Ursula J. Morgan and President McCormick.
McCormick followed with the President’s report which included an overview of United Power’s vision, mission and guiding cooperative principles. McCormick then reviewed power mix of Tri-State Generation & Tranmission, United Power’s wholesale power provider and energy sales trends for United Power. McCormick wrapped up his report by introducing United Power’s Chief Executive Officer, Darryl Schriver and reporting that United Power remains in strong financial condition and committed to delivering excellent service and value to its members.
Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Ursula J. Morgan took the stage to review the cooperative’s financial report. Morgan gave a summary of the highlights and the full financial report was made available to all members at the meeting in United Power’s 2016 Annual Report. The Annual Report is also available online at www.unitedpower.com.
Morgan reported operating revenues for the cooperative were up over $11 million—up more than 5 percent from 2015, which is mostly attributed to higher energy sales for the year. Energy sales, which grew more than 9 percent last year, are up mostly due to new large oil and gas related loads. The cooperative’s operating expenses totaled $212.3 million in 2016, an increase of $13 million from 2015, nearly all of which is due to higher purchased power costs. Morgan reported that the cost of purchased power represents over 76 percent of United Power’s operating costs.
After accounting for all revenues and expenses, United Power realized net margins of $13.7 million, and based on this sound financial position, the cooperative board authorized the retirement of $4.3 million in capital credits to the members in 2016. Morgan reminded the audience that the board evaluates the cooperative’s financial position each year to determine if a retirement is warranted and announcements about capital credit retirements are published on the cooperative’s website and newsletter, United Newsline.
United Power’s Chief Executive Officer Darryl Schriver took to the stage after a brief video highlighting the substantial growth in United Power’s service area. Schriver discussed some of the ways the cooperative is planning and preparing for an influx of members and new load on the distribution system. Schriver also discussed the operational changes that have been made since taking his position last April to make sure United Power’s crews are proactively addressing system maintenance issues. and new construction contract crews can be ramped up to better meet new construction schedules. He talked about how contract crews are being used to better meet new construction schedules.
Schriver went on to discuss the addition of 19.5 megawatts of renewable solar power that was energized on the United Power system in 2016. A solar farm in Fort Lupton is generating 13 megawatts of power and the Maverick solar farm in Mead is generating 6.5 megawatts. These new systems are powering more than 4,000 homes in the United Power service territory with local renewable energy.
“In the coming year I am challenging United Power employees in every operational area to look at the way they serve our members,” said Schriver. “I want them to explore ways to streamline, improve and leverage technology to provide a better experience for our members.”
Schriver then announced the purchase a new building located in the west district of the cooperative’s service area on I-25, just south of the Hwy 119 exit. Schriver explained that serving the entire membership from one location on the easternmost corridor of the territory is becoming problematic. The new facility will provide a second location for operations crews to respond more quickly to communities in the northwest corridor of the territory and to provide additional back up support to United Power’s mountain territory. The facility will also offer members a full-service walk-in member services department.
President McCormick then moved to the member forum portion of the meeting. Prior to the start of the meeting, board members collected comments of general interest from members in attendance. A selection of those questions were addressed by the Board President and Chief Executive Officer during this time.
Election results for the 2017 director election were announced following the member forum. United Power members cast 5,730 ballots, and the following results were certified by the Election and Credentials Committee at the 2017 Annual Meeting.
The South district was the only contested race on the ballot this year and David Rose won that seat with 3,393 votes, beating out Keith E. Alquist who received 2,209 votes.
In the Mountain district, the retirement of Douglas Pryce left the seat open for candidate Tamra Waltemath, who ran unopposed. Waltemath received 5,093 votes.
Incumbent directors James E. Vigesaa in the East, and Virginia “Ginny” Buczek in the West ran unopposed and retained their seats with 5,065 votes for Vigessa and 5,102 vote for Buczek.
RESULTS OF THE 2017 UNITED POWER DIRECTOR ELECTIONEAST DISTRICT
James E. Vigesaa 5,065
SOUTH DISTRICT
Keith Alquist 2,209
David Rose 3,393
WEST DISTRICT
Virginia (Ginny) Buczek 5,102
MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Tamra Waltemath 5,093
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United Power Adds Officer, Emphasizes Member Focus
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Thursday | August 15, 2019
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In August, United Power welcomed Meghan Dewey to fill its newly created role of Member Engagement Officer.
Brighton, CO – In August, United Power welcomed Meghan Dewey to fill its newly created role of Member Engagement Officer. At United Power, Dewey will be responsible for developing and implementing a cohesive engagement strategy highlighting the cooperative’s commitment to its communities and its members. She will direct member services, new business, energy management and marketing and communications to develop programs to meet members’ diverse and changing needs.
“I am delighted to join United Power as its first Member Engagement Officer,” Dewey said. “United Power’s commitment to its members and community, and its strong track record of performance and innovation, provides a real foundation for our future. I’m looking forward to working together with our members, our board, community leaders, and the United Power executive team to continue to provide value to our members and help lead us forward into a better energy future – the cooperative way.”
Dewey comes to United Power with a track record of enhancing customer experience and implementing successful customer-minded energy efficiency programs after spending seven years in various leadership roles at one of California’s largest utilities, Pacific Gas & Electric. While with PG&E, she spearheaded one of the country’s largest and most impactful energy efficiency programs and technology portfolios with more than 100 customer programs. She was most recently involved in the company’s wildfire safety program, designing new programs, products and services to advance customers’ resiliency and meet their energy needs during proactive power shutoffs.
In addition to her experience leading program development and new product design, Dewey also oversaw the company’s legislative strategy for energy efficiency and demand-side management. She successfully advocated for landmark legislation giving investor-owned utilities the ability to develop new program models that would help meet the state’s aggressive carbon neutral goals. She served as co-chair of a statewide stakeholder engagement coalition representing California investor-owned utilities as the state moved to a new energy efficiency administration and program design model.
Committed to extending her leadership influence beyond the office, Dewey has also been active in representing the industry on various boards and committees and mentoring men and women pursuing careers in the energy and utility industry.
“United Power has a bold vision for its future, and we’re excited to add Meghan’s perspective as we develop our long-term strategy,” said John Parker, United Power Chief Executive Officer. “She brings a wealth of experience with her from her time at PG&E and will be a valuable addition as we continue to look for better ways to serve our members.”
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving more than 90,000 homes and businesses along Colorado’s northern front range. To learn more about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative at Facebook.com/UnitedPower.
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United Power Advances Capital Credit Retirement to Alleviate COVID Impacts
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Tuesday | April 28, 2020
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Members are getting cash back from their co-op in May.
Article originally published on April 18, 2020.
United Power is returning $5.5 million in Capital Credits to members beginning in May and nearly every member is getting a payment. Due to the unique economic stresses being placed on our members because of the COVID 19 situation, United Power’s Board of Directors has opted to distribute Capital Credit refunds earlier than in prior years. In past years the retirements were made in August, but the United Power Board felt members could use the economic relief now.
“We know that many of our members have been impacted by this health emergency – through cuts in pay, job losses, or increased health costs,” said Bryant Robbins, Chief Executive Officer. “This retirement will provide money back to nearly all our members when they need it most.”
In 2020, United Power is retiring $5.5 million to members. The total amount of money retired is divided among all members and is being issued in May. Additionally, while these payments have typically been issued as checks, more refunds will be applied to bills in order to reduce the need for our members to go to a bank during this health emergency. Members receiving a retirement of $50 or less, will see a bill credit directly on their May electric bill. Those receiving larger retirement amounts will receive a check.
Capital credits represent ownership in United Power and are one of the most unique and rewarding benefits afforded to members of electric cooperatives. Unlike investor-owned utilities that maximize profits to pay dividends to shareholders, not-for-profit electric co-ops like United Power provide our members with “at cost” electric service—we do not exist to earn a profit. At the end of each year, after all operational expenses have been covered, a portion of any excess funds is returned to the members in the form of capital credits. Learn more about capital credits, or if you have additional questions please call our Member Services team at 303-637-1300.
In addition to the advancement of Capital Credit refunds, the cooperative has temporarily suspended disconnections and is providing payment arrangements for members who have been directly impacted by COVID 19. The Board of Directors has also established the Co-op Cares fund allocating $250,000 in unclaimed capital credits to provide direct assistance to members facing hardships due to the pandemic.
Any members who may have troubles paying their electric bills are encouraged to call United Power at 303-637-1300 and our Member Services team will match them with all of the available resources and assistance options.
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United Power Among Nation’s Best in Reliability and Resiliency
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Tuesday | February 27, 2024
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Cooperative achieves record SAIDI score for second year in a row.
Cooperative Achieves Record SAIDI Score for Second Year in a Row
United Power’s core responsibility to its members as an electric cooperative is ensuring consistently reliable power, which means the lights stay on and the power continues flowing whenever you need it to be available. Several years ago, the co-op’s operations and engineering staff began coordinating the implementation of an innovative system maintenance strategy. It incorporated embedded devices throughout the system and preventative maintenance practices to meet ambitious goals for reliability and resiliency – defined as the ability to rapidly recover from power outages, such as reducing frequency or duration.
Results exceeded expectations. United Power successfully prevented thousands of potential power interruptions before they occurred, dramatically reducing the number of outages members experience and limiting the duration when outages do occur. The strategy has produced sustained improvements in reliability and resiliency year-over-year since it was implemented in 2017, cementing the cooperative’s status among the best performing electric utilities in the country.
By the Numbers
Electric utilities measure system performance and develop improvement plans using a variety of indicators, such as the System Average Interruption Duration Index – more commonly known as SAIDI – and the System Average Interruption Frequency Index, or SAIFI. These indicators, among the many that United Power and other electric utilities use to measure how successful systems are performing, essentially analyze data and calculate outage expectations for an average member.
SAIDI measures the total outage time an average member would expect to experience over the course of a year (cumulative duration of all outages experienced). The national average is approximately 120 minutes. United Power has not produced a SAIDI score above 72 minutes since 2017 and has maintained a score below 60 minutes – less than half the national average – for the past two years.
SAIFI measures the total number of outages an average member would expect to experience over the course of a year (frequency of outages experienced). United Power’s SAIFI score of 0.65 in 2023 means the average meter experienced fewer than one outage throughout the year. Put another way, many of the cooperative’s members did not experience an outage last year.
Other performance indicators are used, as well. One of those indicators measures the system’s overall availability rate. The co-op’s availability in 2023 was greater than 99%.
“These metrics demonstrate the success of the strategies we are using to improve reliability and resiliency across our system,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and CEO. “Thank you to our operations and engineering teams, who are responsible for interpreting data from the system and designing the strategies we practice in the field.”
Preventative Maintenance Practices Installed
United Power incorporated a proactive approach to system maintenance in 2017. The strategy relies on analyzing data collected across thousands of miles of line and isolating the worst-performing segments. Targeted maintenance projects are then scheduled to improve the performance for that segment.
One example of this strategy is the co-op’s drone maintenance program. The program began in United Power’s mountain territory, where accessing poles and infrastructure can be difficult and time consuming due to the rugged terrain and weather. Drones can quickly conduct detailed investigations and document broken, failing, or aging equipment. Drones have saved the cooperative countless hours and prevented hundreds of potential outages. Since completing initial inspections in Coal Creek Canyon and Golden Gate Canyon, the drone maintenance program has been used throughout the entire service territory.
Advanced Monitoring Technology
Preventative maintenance would not be possible without automated monitoring devices embedded throughout the system that report irregularities and potential concerns. These devices capture important information to help system operators determine the best power restoration process in the event of an outage and can help crews in the field pinpoint the time and location of a fault.
The ability to quickly locate a fault, identify its cause, and restore power to members, often remotely due to redundancies built into the system for this very purpose, has significantly improved the cooperative’s outage response and reduced the duration of outages. Identifying problematic areas would be difficult without this information and could create additional delays in power restoration because lineworkers would need to physically inspect miles of line to locate and repair the cause.
Readying for the Power Supply Transition
United Power will be transitioning to new power suppliers on May 1 as the cooperative exits its existing power supply contract. United Power’s robust distribution system is ready to take the cooperative into the future of our new energy supply. This transition will have no impact on the system’s reliability.
The added flexibility of additional power supply contracts as the cooperative grows may even improve system performance in the long term with the ability to make proactive infrastructure upgrades.
United Power is already among the best performing electric utilities in the country, and leadership at the co-op is continually seeking to improve its system reliability and resiliency. Whether it is proactive maintenance strategies, automated devices, or other system improvements, the cooperative is always looking for ways to improve and meet member expectations.
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United Power and Silicon Ranch Expand Partnership with New 150 MW Byers Solar Farm
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Wednesday | January 22, 2025
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Partners to collaborate on fifth joint energy project since 2014.
Partners to collaborate on fifth joint energy project since 2014Brighton, CO – United Power, Inc. (United Power), an electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern front range, announces the signing of a power purchase agreement for its latest solar resource, the 150-megawatt (MW) Byers Solar Farm. Located in Adams County, 10 miles northeast of Byers, the new solar installation is being developed in partnership with Silicon Ranch, one of the nation’s largest independent power producers and a community-focused renewable energy company.
“As United Power continues to add to its diverse power portfolio, the Byers Solar Farm illustrates the best-case scenario for local production,” said Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “Our partnership with Silicon Ranch allows us to build this project with the latest technology and development techniques to optimize the use of the site. Additionally, there are strong financial and environmental incentives for generating and delivering clean, renewable electricity locally.”
The solar farm will be built, owned, and operated by Silicon Ranch, who will also be responsible for its operation and maintenance, with United Power purchasing all the power it produces. As the long-term owner of both the facility and the underlying property, Silicon Ranch is taking a thoughtful approach to stewardship of the land, with plans to establish short grass prairie at the site by pre-seeding ahead of construction. In addition, the company is exploring opportunities to employ managed sheep grazing on the site, through its Regenerative Energy® platform of land stewardship that it deploys at sites across the country, including the Mavericks Solar Farm that serves United Power.
“Silicon Ranch is honored by the trust and confidence that United Power and its members continue to place in our company to deliver value on their behalf, and we are grateful for the opportunity to expand our relationship and the positive impact we can have together,” said Silicon Ranch Co-Founder and CEO Reagan Farr. “As we enter our second decade of partnership with United Power, Silicon Ranch looks forward to continuing our meaningful work together by collaborating to help make communities stronger, healthier, and more resilient here in northern Colorado.”
United Power has partnered with Silicon Ranch on four other energy infrastructure projects since 2014 – Fort Lupton Solar (13 MW), Mavericks Solar (6.5 MW), Platteville Solar (16 MW), and Rattlesnake Solar (6 MW). Each of these installations, located within the cooperative’s service territory, was developed working closely with local governments and neighboring landowners to make sure the projects fulfilled the needs of each community and United Power.
“Byers Solar Farm continues United Power’s march toward energy independence,” said Gabriel. “Since leaving our wholesale power contract on May 1, 2024, United Power has worked to build a power portfolio that both reduces our carbon emissions and stabilizes our costs. Our vision to diversify and hyper-localize power production will pay dividends to cooperative members in an increasingly volatile energy market.”
Learn more about United Power and its ongoing energy transition plans in Our Cooperative Roadmap.
About United Power: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 co-ops in the nation, serving nearly 114,000 meters. Its 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 United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.About Silicon Ranch:Founded in 2011, Silicon Ranch is a fully integrated provider of customized solar energy, battery storage, and carbon solutions. The company is one of the largest independent power producers in the U.S., with a portfolio that includes more than seven gigawatts of solar and battery storage systems that are contracted, under construction, or operating across the U.S. and Canada. Silicon Ranch owns and operates every project in its portfolio and has maintained an unrivaled track record of project execution. Silicon Ranch has the largest wholly owned agrivoltaics portfolio in the country under Regenerative Energy®, its nationally recognized holistic approach to project design, construction, and land stewardship. This model incorporates regenerative ranching and other regenerative land stewardship practices to restore soil health, promote biodiversity, and improve water quality. Silicon Ranch’s carbon solutions platform, Clearloop, helps businesses of all sizes reclaim their carbon footprint by commissioning new solar projects in American communities where significant economic and environmental benefits can be achieved. To learn more, visit siliconranch.com and clearloop.us. Follow Silicon Ranch on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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United Power and Transitional Energy Sign Letter of Intent to Develop Geothermal Resources
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Wednesday | February 16, 2022
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Transitional Energy & United Power announce a groundbreaking pilot to leverage energy from oil and gas wells to generate dispatchable power.
Groundbreaking Pilot to Leverage Energy from Oil and Gas Wells to Generate Dispatchable Power
Denver and Brighton, Colo. – Transitional Energy, a geothermal development company, joined Brighton-based United Power to announce that they have signed a Letter of Intent to develop a dispatchable energy pilot program. The program will focus on geothermal resources from oil and gas operations located in the electric cooperative’s service territory.
United Power provides electric service to multiple oil and gas operations in Colorado’s DJ Oil Basin. Transitional Energy’s program will use geothermal energy to generate dispatchable baseload electric power. The program may be used with both operational and abandoned wells to capture and convert what would otherwise be waste geothermal energy to electricity.
Many oil and gas operators use traditional electric service to power drilling rigs and other well pad equipment. Through this partnership, United Power and Transitional Energy will be able to provide a unique solution that can convert oil and gas operations using traditional electric service to facilities powered by up to 100% geothermal resources. Owner-operators of wells in the United Power service territory would work directly with Transitional Energy to utilize the technology to offset their energy purchases while reducing their greenhouse gas footprint.
Transitional Energy was founded in Colorado and is partially funded by a grant from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Taking advantage of the team’s oil and gas expertise as well as emerging advancements in Organic Rankine Cycle technology for heat recovery, Transitional Energy will tap into the geothermal potential of thousands of wellbores within the DJ Basin. Reuse of existing wells and infrastructure is a capital-efficient way to use the heat beneath our feet. This pilot program compliments the many innovative energy investments United Power has made in renewable energy projects in its territory.
“United Power is excited to work on this innovative pilot project,” stated Dean Hubbuck, United Power’s Chief Energy Resources Officer. “Utilizing clean, economical geothermal energy to provide local power that can be dispatched when needed is a critical component of our growing energy portfolio. Geothermal energy represents a huge untapped renewable resource that can reduce our reliance on power from other traditional sources.”
About Transitional EnergyTransitional Energy is a geothermal development company based in Denver. The company is majority women owned and Native led. With deep expertise in subsurface engineering, facilities engineering and geology, Transitional Energy is passionate about a clean energy future and utilizing existing oil and gas wells and infrastructure to generate geothermal energy. Learn more at www.transitionalenergy.us.About the United PowerUnited 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 2021 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. United Power is also a founding member of the NextGen Cooperative Alliance, dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.###
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United Power and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Execute Settlement Term Sheet
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Wednesday | November 8, 2023
Terms outline Settlement Agreement for power purchases and sale of utility assets.
Following execution of a Settlement Agreement, United Power and Tri-State will file to dismiss litigation in the Adams County District Court.
Settlement Agreement does not address contract termination payment proceeding before federal regulators.
Brighton/Westminster, Colorado – On Nov. 1, 2023, United Power, Inc. (United Power) and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State) executed a Term Sheet that sets forth terms for the two utilities to make good faith efforts to execute a formal Settlement Agreement involving power purchases and the sale of utility assets from Tri-State to United Power.
The Term Sheet provides for a mutual release of claims and that the parties will cooperate to complete a Settlement Agreement and related agreements by Dec. 8, 2023, at which time United Power and Tri-State will jointly file for dismissal of the lawsuit, with prejudice, pending in the Adams County District Court.
On Nov. 1, 2023, Tri-State’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the Term Sheet. On Nov. 6, 2023, United Power’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the Term Sheet.
Tri-State and United Power will continue to take actions to ensure United Power’s timely exit by May 1, 2024, upon payment of a contract termination payment, with the amount to be set by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission).
The Settlement Agreement will not address the Commission proceeding related to the contract termination payment that members will pay to Tri-State to terminate their contracts early and withdraw from membership. The parties expect the Commission to issue a decision in that proceeding shortly.
No further public comments will be made about the Settlement Agreement.
About United PowerUnited 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 co-ops in the nation, and in June 2021 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. United Power is also a founding member of the NextGen Cooperative Alliance, which is dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options available to distribution co-ops and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.About Tri-State Generation and TransmissionTri-State is a power supply cooperative of 45 members, operating on a not-for-profit basis, including 42 utility electric distribution cooperative and public power district members in four states. Together with our member/owners, we deliver reliable, affordable and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the West. For more information about Tri-State, visit www.tristate.coop.
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United Power and Xcel Energy Announce Strategic Relationship for Power Supply
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Thursday | September 14, 2023
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Xcel Energy to provide United Power and its members with excess low-carbon, renewable electricity.
Xcel Energy to provide United Power and its members with excess low-carbon, renewable electricityBrighton, CO – United Power an electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern Front Range, and Xcel Energy, one of the nation’s largest investor-owned utilities, entered into a strategic relationship to explore opportunities for maximizing the value of their combined portfolios and advancing the State of Colorado’s progress toward a low-carbon energy footprint. The utilities are entering a power supply arrangement that would provide United Power access to Xcel Energy’s increasingly carbon neutral portfolio to the benefit of Xcel Energy customers and United Power members. The working agreement will allow both utilities to leverage cost savings through power purchases while continuing to invest in new, clean renewable resources.
“This is a win-win for both utilities,” stated Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “The ability of two large utilities working toward a common goal will benefit everyone. Together we will plan our energy needs, negotiate lower pricing, and assure reliability for our members and customers. This is an important step as we enter the new future of electric procurement and delivery.”
The agreement aims to facilitate a shared strategic vision for electric power delivery. Xcel Energy seeks to leverage its renewable energy resources by making sales to United Power at times when excess energy is available, providing United Power with access to Xcel Energy’s significant portfolio at attractive prices. The two utilities hope to develop a long-term relationship in which both will work in tandem to drive down power costs, understand how best to serve the future load of the cooperative’s members and Xcel Energy’s customers, and work toward the mutual goal of integrating more renewable energy in support of the State of Colorado’s renewable resource goals.
“The electric industry is changing, and United Power is working with Xcel Energy to help lead this revolution,” stated Gabriel. “Meeting federal and state requirements, keeping costs economical, and making certain our load is predicable are planned outcomes of this strategic relationship.”
United Power is preparing for an exit from its current wholesale power contract with another power supplier on May 1, 2024. The electric cooperative has been securing a variety of power generation contracts to continue to supply its members following its exit from the contract.
“Today’s announcement solidifies our close working relationship with United Power, one of the largest and fastest-growing cooperative utilities in Colorado, by supplying increasingly carbon-free energy from Xcel Energy’s generation resources,” said Robert Kenney, President of Xcel Energy-Colorado. “Our strategic relationship will maximize the value of both companies’ combined generation towards achieving our goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2030, from 2005 levels, and providing 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050.”
United Power serves nearly 110,000 meters and maintains and operates over 6,500 miles of distribution line. The 900-square mile service territory wraps around the north and west borders of the Denver International Airport. It includes the north and northeast metropolitan development corridors along Interstate 25, Interstate 76, State Highway 85, and E-470 and the Golden Gate and Coal Creek canyons, two of Colorado’s most iconic and historic mountain canyons. As a result of its geographic location, United Power’s system is experiencing significant demand and energy growth, averaging approximately 6% annually.
To learn more about United Power’s power supply transition, visit Power Supply.
About United PowerUnited 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 co-ops in the nation, and in June 2021 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. United Power is also a founding member of the NextGen Co-op Alliance, which is dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options available to distribution co-ops and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.About Xcel EnergyXcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook. ###
