United Power Holds Second Consecutive Virtual Annual Meeting
Wednesday | April 14, 2021
Record participation at the 2021 Annual Meeting demonstrated how effective the virtual format could be in allowing the cooperative to share and celebrate United Power’s accomplishments over the past year with its members.
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United Power Honored as 2022 Solar and Storage Champion
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Tuesday | September 6, 2022
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COSSA honored United Power for its contribution to the growth of the solar and storage industry
BRIGHTON, Colorado – The Colorado Solar and Storage Association (COSSA) honored United Power as one of their Solar and Storage Champions for 2022 for the cooperative’s contribution to the growth of the solar and storage industry. This awards program started in 2021 at COSSA’s inaugural Topgolf Networking Event and developed out of COSSA’s annual tradition of recognizing individuals and organizations that have made invaluable contributions to the solar and storage energy industry.
United Power has taken several impactful steps to support solar and energy storage, with efforts touching multiple solar sectors. In addition to having some of the highest distributed generation penetration of Colorado utilities, United Power has advocated for community solar at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and recently issued a request for proposal for wholesale electric power supply to serve up to a peak load of 600 MW. United Power CEO and President Mark A. Gabriel accepted the award and made a short presentation at the awards ceremony.
“United Power is proud to be a leader and innovator in this arena,” stated Gabriel. “Supporting solar and storage options is an essential part of our plan for the future of this cooperative. As we move toward a more multifaceted power delivery system, distributed generation is a big consideration. Embracing these technologies is important for our cooperative as we continue to build an electric delivery system that meets the changing needs of our members.”
This year’s Solar and Storage Champions were celebrated during COSSA’s Topgolf Networking Event on Aug. 25, 2022, at Topgolf in Thornton, Colorado.
###About COSSACOSSA is the state trade association representing over 250 solar and storage businesses in Colorado. COSSA’s members provide solar and energy storage products and services to residential consumers, commercial businesses, utilities, and governmental entities throughout the state.
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United Power Hosted Annual Meeting on April 12
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Thursday | April 13, 2023
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Douglas Wins East District Seat; Three Incumbents Re-elected
Douglas Wins East District Seat; Three Incumbents Re-elected
Brighton, CO – United Power hosted its 2023 Annual Meeting on April 12. Members were invited to attend the meeting in person at Riverdale Regional Park in Brighton or watch live on the cooperative’s website. Approximately 500 members and guests participated in this year’s meeting, which included a video recap highlighting accomplishments over the last year, an annual financial report, a presentation on the future of the cooperative, and the certification of the 2023 Director Election.
Voting in the Director Election was conducted via mail-in and electronic balloting. The cooperative introduced electronic balloting in 2022 to provide members with a fast, secure, and convenient way to submit ballots and avoid delays in mail handling. Nearly 7,000 member ballots were cast in the election. Mountain District incumbent, Tamra “Tami” Waltemath, ran unopposed and will retain her seat with 5,918 votes. James Vigesaa received 1,960 votes winning the seat in the South District. Jamie Klein, Ken Kreutzer, and Katherine “Kathy” Mills received 1,271, 1,876, and 1,455 votes, respectively. In the West District, Virginia “Ginny” A. Buczek retained her seat after receiving 4,003 votes in this year’s election. Thomas “Tom” Hogan received 2,510 votes. Steven “Steve” Douglas received 3,614 votes to win the East District seat. Robert “Rob” Masden received 2,994 votes.Â
Beth Martin, United Power’s Board Chairman, and Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO, summarized the cooperative’s performance in 2022 with a video presentation. Last year, United Power reaffirmed its decision to exit its wholesale power contract in an effort pursue a more flexible, affordable, and reliable power supply. Over the course of the year, the cooperative achieved record-breaking reliability, and introduced its members to Our Cooperative Roadmap, an ever evolving plan outlining the co-op’s vision for maintaining its strength in a rapidly changing electric industry.Â
“No matter what the future holds, providing reliable electric service will always be at the core of our business,” said Martin. “We made great strides in 2022 – strengthening our system, improving reliability, and protecting our communities.”Â
Wildfire danger is an element of risk United Power takes seriously, with a continuously updated fire mitigation plan designed to protect our members and communities. In 2022, the cooperative removed vegetation encroaching on approximately 40 miles of line; applied a fire retardant to more than 400 poles; and added red flag warning procedures, which are activated when suitable wildfire conditions are present.
United Power also continued to evaluate opportunities to expand its electric vehicle (EV) offerings for members in 2022. The cooperative energized its third fast charger, rolled out its United EV pilot program, and launched its EV wiring rebate.Â
Member Choice grants, which allow members to nominate local nonprofits to receive grant dollars from the cooperative, were renewed for a third year in 2022. Six organizations were selected from dozens of nominations to receive a total of $12,000 through the program.Â
“Underlying all of these accomplishments is a dedicated team of United Power employees working to ensure they meet your needs,” said Gabriel. “Over 180 cooperative employees show up every day ready to put you first. They keep our systems secure and strong, take pride in working safely, and make sure that our members’ needs are met.”
Keith Alquist, United Power’s Board Treasurer, presented the cooperative’s financials and reported another strong year. The finance team continues to receive compliments from auditors for their professionalism, completeness, and accuracy in preparing financial statements at year-end and on a monthly basis.
Gabriel concluded the business meeting with a presentation about the future of the electric industry. He highlighted the many ways the cooperative has already begun to proactively address the changing utility environment – from driving economic prosperity for its communities through tax revenue and job creation to how it is meeting the crucial needs of large business members. He also discussed local generation and self-generation as well as the technologies that work in conjunction with a robust electrical system that benefit the cooperative, its communities, and the members.Â
“A distribution utility like United Power stands at the crossroads of a changing energy industry and needs to transition from a simple distribution operator to managing a system that is agnostic to inputs and flexible enough to handle both centralized power and local generation,” he said.
Videos and information presented at the 2023 Annual Meeting, including the cooperative’s 2022 Annual Report, are available here.Â
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms, and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the nation, and in June 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, reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.###
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United Power Hosts Hybrid Annual Meeting on April 13
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Thursday | April 14, 2022
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First In-Person Meeting Since 2019; Incumbents Re-elected
Date: 4/29/2022
United Power filed a non-conditional Notice of Intent to Withdraw from our power supplier in compliance with a recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruling. This changes our previously announced Tri-State exit date of Jan. 1, 2024 to May 1, 2024.
United Power hosted a hybrid Annual Meeting on April 13, allowing members to gather in person for the first time since 2019. The cooperative was pleased to return to an in-person format this year. Nearly 450 members and guests attended the meeting either in person or online. The meeting included a video recap highlighting the cooperative’s accomplishments over the last year, an annual financial report, and the certification of the director election.
Voting in the director election was conducted via mail-in and electronic balloting. The cooperative introduced electronic balloting this year to provide members with a fast, secure and convenient way to submit ballots and avoid delays in mail handling. More than 6,000 member ballots were cast in the election. East District incumbent, Elizabeth “Beth” Martin, retained her seat, receiving 2,728 votes. Steven “Steve” Douglas received 2,536 votes and Naptali A. Lucks received 700 votes in the race for the East District. Ursula J. Morgan, West District, and Keith Alquist, South District, ran unopposed and will retain their seats with 5,341 and 5,337 votes, respectively.
Ursula J. Morgan, Board Chairman and Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO, summarized the cooperative’s performance in 2021 with a video presentation. The cooperative surpassed 100,000 meter connections, improved operational efficiencies, and implemented several innovative projects all in the last year.
The addition of more than 4,600 new meters pushed United Power beyond 100,000 meters early last summer. It became just the 31st electric cooperative nationwide to surpass this mark and only the second in Colorado. While more meters were being added, the operations team conducted targeted maintenance, which reduced outage times to nearly half the national average.
United Power also expanded its electric vehicle charging network, installed a diesel generator in Gilpin County, and deployed its first hybrid bucket truck. The cooperative’s second charging station at the Market Street Mart in Keenesburg filled a gap in available charging infrastructure along Interstate 76. The generator project provided an outage solution and emergency backup to members located at the ends of the co-op’s lines where it can be difficult to restore power quickly due to isolation and mountain terrain.
Most significantly, United Power announced its intentions to pursue a change in its wholesale power supplier effective January 2024. Wholesale power costs account for approximately 75% of member rates and attempts to negotiate the cooperative’s existing contract have failed. Based on the broader economic landscape, leadership believes it is in the best interest of members to find an alternate supplier moving forward.
“This was not a decision that was reached without exhaustive research and deliberation,” said Morgan. “We considered the impact on rates and reliability, as well as the flexibility of our power supply. The Board believes this is the right direction for our cooperative.”
The cost of power under the current contract is nearly 20-25% higher than market levels. The availability of self-generation and storage options combined with existing contract limitations no longer meet the needs of United Power members.
“Our goal is to provide both lower-cost power and more options for our members,” Gabriel said. “We are confident we can craft a new future for our members, and we are excited to bring the opportunities to you.”
United Power anticipates far-reaching change and innovation to come to the electric utility industry in the years ahead. One of the cooperative’s biggest accomplishments last year was developing Our Cooperative Roadmap, a long-term action plan to maintain United Power’s strength and competitiveness in the evolving industry.
“What does the future look like for United Power?” Gabriel asked. “We need to continue to provide a robust network so that every member behind every meter has every possible option and opportunity to engage in the way they desire. Bottom line: we need to do this while ensuring high quality, high reliability, and reasonably priced power.”
Keith Alquist, United Power’s Board Treasurer, presented the cooperative’s financials and reported the cooperative is in good fiscal shape. The finance team at United Power continues to receive compliments from auditors for their professionalism, completeness and accuracy in preparing financial statements at year-end and on a monthly basis.
Videos and information presented at the 2022 Annual Meeting, including the cooperative’s 2021 Annual Report, are available here.
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United Power Hosts Member Forum to Discuss Power Supply
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Monday | June 13, 2022
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United Power held a member forum on June 7 to discuss the upcoming exit from its current wholesale power contract.
United Power held a member forum on June 7 to discuss the upcoming exit from its current wholesale power contract and highlight opportunities to purchase low cost, high reliability power that is produced in an environmentally responsible manner. In April, the cooperative filed a nonconditional Notice of Intent to Withdraw from Tri-State Generation and Transmission, reaffirming its decision to leave its wholesale power supplier. The withdrawal is effective May 1, 2024.
Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer, and Dean Hubbuck, the cooperative’s Chief Energy Resources Officer, discussed the exit process, goals of the transition, and impact to members with both in person and virtual attendees. Gabriel reassured members the shift in power suppliers would not affect their status as members of the cooperative and the exit was ultimately about controlling costs and potentially lowering rates.
“We’re working diligently so that we can save money,” Gabriel said. “If we can control costs and if we can manage to get better pricing out in the market, we are able then to lower rates. I think that’s something that’s critical as a member-owned cooperative.”
Hubbuck provided a high-level overview of various steps the cooperative has taken to negotiate a fair and equitable contract termination fee through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, including several recent decisions in favor of United Power, and its recent request for proposal (RFP) for new power supply.
“We are expecting a healthy response to our RFP, which is due in the early part of August,” Hubbuck said. “We’ll spend about two months evaluating proposals before selecting a handful of suppliers to work with directly. We hope to select a supplier, or group of suppliers, and begin contract negotiations early next year.”
United Power has attempted to negotiate contract modifications with its wholesale power supplier, including an option for partial requirements, but has been met with resistance. The current contract no longer makes economic sense for the cooperative or its members. It limits local generation and member flexibility while rates are well above market price.
“Historically, our wholesale power contract was entered into because, at that time, our most pressing issue was to secure a reliable source of power when very few viable options were available,” said Beth Martin, United Power’s Board Chairman. “Our situation has substantially changed, with more affordable, reliable, and environmentally sustainable power supply options now available. We believe we should deliver electricity that is more reflective of the current market price, ultimately helping our members save."
More information about United Power’s contract negotiations and transition to new power suppliers is available on the Power Supply page. Members who were unable to attend the Power Supply Forum can watch it here.
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United Power Hosts Members at Carbon Valley Open House Celebration
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Monday | August 30, 2021
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United Power joined a small group of elite cooperatives in June when it surpassed 100,000 meters served off its lines. To celebrate, the co-op hosted an Open House Celebration for members at its Carbon Valley Service Center on August 28.
Open House Celebrated Co-op Surpassing 100,000 Meters in June
Brighton, CO – United Power joined a small group of elite cooperatives in June when it surpassed 100,000 meters served off its lines. It became just the second Colorado co-op, and 31st nationally, to cross the meter milestone. To commemorate the achievement, the co-op hosted an Open House Celebration for members at its Carbon Valley Service Center, located off the I-25 Frontage Road just west of Firestone and Frederick, on August 28.
Several hundred members attended the Open House Celebration, which featured a variety of family-friendly activities, educational opportunities and prize giveaways. It was the first in-person member event the cooperative has hosted since the pandemic began in March 2020. The come-and-go structure of the event enabled members to maintain social distancing by discouraging crowds and allowing attendees to walk through at their own leisure. Breakfast and refreshments were also provided as attendees made their way through the exhibits.
“It is important that we as a cooperative get back to our roots of engaging and interacting with our members,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This was the perfect platform to showcase our newest facility and celebrate our historic meter accomplishment with our members while also accounting for their health and safety.”
United Power packed its garage with interactive exhibits to give members a hands-on experience with everything from electrical safety to electric vehicle ownership. The cooperative’s well-known safety demonstration team kicked things off near the event entrance before a series of large equipment and bucket trucks funneled attendees toward an EV demonstration at the garage’s northeast doors. Northern Colorado Clean Cities provided several EVs available for short test drives with attendees. Outside, attendees were offered a brief informational presentation about the cooperative’s battery storage facility followed by a tour. Originally energized in 2019, the battery storage facility remains the largest in Colorado.
Inside the Carbon Valley Service Center, the community room was transformed into a series of educational booths where attendees could enter to win prizes, learn more about member-exclusive programs and engage with United Power experts on things like energy efficiency. Attendees could also present questions and win prizes from the cooperative’s board of directors.
“We are so excited and thankful to be able to celebrate 100,000 meters with our members in person,” said Ursula Morgan, United Power’s Board Chairman. “After more than a year away, we could not have been happier to see and interact with them again, especially for such a big occasion. Without our members, there is no cooperative. There is no United Power.”
United Power members who attended the event were eligible to win one of ten $100 bill credit prizes, announced following the event’s conclusion. Members also donated canned and packaged food for to the Carbon Valley Help Center, which provides food and clothing to those in need in and around the Carbon Valley area.
Earlier this summer, United Power honored its 100,000 meter family, John and Hailey Takacs and their son Drake, at their new home in Commerce City’s fast-growing Reunion community. Cooperative board members and cooperative leadership, along with Commerce City Mayor Ben Huseman and Tri Pointe homes representative Mariel Schlander, presented the Takacs’ with a prize package containing home essentials, such as a variety of tools and home equipment, including an electric lawn mower.
“We are adding meters at an unprecedented rate,” Gabriel said. “But more importantly, we are adding members. Each new meter represents a new family on our lines or a new business helping shape the economy of the communities we serve. Our members make us stronger, and they make our communities stronger. As your cooperative, it is our privilege to be able to serve each one of our members.”
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the nation, and in June joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900 square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson and Keenesburg. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.
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United Power Issues Social Responsibility Report
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Thursday | September 28, 2023
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Informational report highlights cooperative transparency.
United Power announces the publication of its first Social Responsibility report. The report recaps the cooperative’s accomplishments, performance, and progress in four defined areas – social, governance, safety and risk, and environmental. The inaugural report was approved by the United Power Board of Directors during the September board meeting, marking a significant milestone in the member-owned cooperative’s ongoing commitment to transparency, sustainability, and responsible management.
Each area of concentration is important to the overall operational and financial health of the cooperative, and utilities that measure performance in these areas consistently rank among the best in the country. The comprehensive report showcases United Power’s values of responsibility, integrity, and reliability, while outlining specific actions taken to support these tenets.
“We are excited to feature the many initiatives and accomplishments of the cooperative in this report,” stated Mark A. Gabriel, United Power President and CEO. “While annual reports highlight the prior year’s performance and the cooperative’s financial position, the Social Responsibility report provides our members a deeper understanding of the actions we are taking to further our mission to provide the best possible service.”
Key highlights from United Power’s inaugural Social Responsibility report include:
Social Impact. The report highlights the cooperative’s efforts to create a positive impact within the communities it serves. This includes both cooperative- and employee-supported initiatives; the promotion of tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion in the workforce; and the careful attention to the integrity of data and information.
Governance Excellence. The co-op’s governance structure and practices are outlined, highlighting the cooperative regulatory model, member engagement in director elections, and the cooperative’s corporate behavior and codes of conduct around financial transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct.
Safety and Risk Management. The report outlines the many ways the cooperative is building and maintaining a resilient and safe infrastructure to protect the communities it serves. Through a comprehensive wildfire mitigation and vegetation management strategy, a strong safety culture, and broad-based approach to addressing risk, the cooperative is actively working to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of electricity.
Environmental Responsibility. The cooperative’s innovative energy programs are highlighted, showing the depth of the co-op’s commitment to providing sustainable, flexible, and affordable power for members. Through efficiency measures and programs to make emerging technologies more readily accessible, United Power is paving the way for the evolving energy landscape.
Electric cooperatives have a long history of measuring success in these operational areas and are guided by a set of principles that emphasize social responsibility and transparency. United Power’s Our Cooperative Roadmap is the long-range action plan addressing how the co-op will tackle the challenges of the evolving utility landscape. The Social Responsibility report, which will be updated annually, will allow members to gain a greater understanding of the cooperative’s goals and accomplishments.
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United Power Joins National Organization GridWise Alliance
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Thursday | July 22, 2021
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United Power is now a member of the GridWise Alliance, a national organization which helps foster relationships among a diverse group of industry stakeholders and advocates for public policy changes that benefit grid modernization.
Brighton, CO – United Power is now a member of the GridWise Alliance, a national organization which helps foster relationships among a diverse group of industry stakeholders and advocates for public policy changes that benefit grid modernization. The group’s executive committee unanimously approved the cooperative’s membership with the organization in July.
Grid modernization is a moving target that evolves over time as new technology is developed and changes the way energy is produced and managed and how consumers use energy. It typically refers to the system of interconnected devices on a grid that improve reliability and efficiency while ensuring safety. The GridWise Alliance is a collaborate effort among members to develop industry best practices used to direct public policy supporting grid modernization by leveraging their different experiences and perspectives.
“We are a comparatively small player next to some of the larger utilities involved with the GridWise Alliance,” said Dean Hubbuck, United Power’s Chief Energy Resource Officer. “But we’re also extremely progressive. These types of organizations help us accomplish our goals and what we’re trying to achieve for our members.”
As a member, United Power will be able to contribute its unique perspective on the industry as a fast-growing cooperative serving members in suburban and rural communities northeast of Denver. In June, the Brighton-based co-op became just the 31st electric cooperative nationwide to surpass 100,000 meters and is on past to add several thousand more before the end of the year. The unprecedented growth and progressive reputation of the cooperative have earned it a seat at the table helping direct local and national policy conversations.
“United Power stands out from its cooperative peers for its commitment to grid modernization and deployment of emerging technologies,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A. Gabriel. “As a member of the GridWise Alliance, we have a platform to advocate for policies beneficial to both the cooperative and its members.”
United Power joins Rappahannock as the only other electric cooperative member of the GridWise Alliance. Other prominent members include Con Edison, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy. Non-utility members also include IBM, Intel and General Electric. For more information about the GridWise Alliance, go to www.gridwise.org.
About GridWise Alliance:The GridWise Alliance (GWA) represents the broad and diverse stakeholders that design, build, and operate the electric grid. Since 2003, the GridWise Alliance has been at the forefront of educating key industry stakeholders on the critical need to modernize our nation’s electricity system. For more information about the GridWise Alliance, visit: www.gridwise.org.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 cooperatives in the nation, and in June joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900 square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson and Keenesburg. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.###
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United Power Joins Rebuild Effort
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Thursday | November 12, 2020
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East Troublesome Fire and strong winds badly damage Granby cooperative’s infrastructure.
United Power dispatched a crew to Granby to assist Mountain Parks Electric in its rebuild effort after receiving significant damage from the East Troublesome Fire in late October. United Power joins four other cooperatives as part of the rebuild in coordination with the Colorado Rural Electric Association.
The East Troublesome Fire erupted north of Granby and west of Grand Lake on October 14. Fueled by strong winds and beetle kill, the fire quickly turned into a blaze that consumed more than 100,000 acres overnight. As a result of the fire and winds, Mountain Parks Electric, the cooperative serving residents in the area, reported nearly 500 damaged or destroyed poles, not including damage to other critical infrastructure, miles of line and meters.
Mechanics crews at United Power helped put together a fleet including many essential pieces of equipment to make the rebuild as quick and safe as possible. Crews are expected to spend the next two weeks helping rebuild the most critical elements of Mountain Parks’ infrastructure.
Other cooperatives assisting in the rebuild are Gunnison County Electric, Highline Electric, Southeast Colorado Power and White River Electric. Cooperatives work together to strengthen one another and more effectively serve our members.
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United Power Joins Southwest Power Pool
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Thursday | June 23, 2022
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United Power is the first distribution utility in the Western Interconnection to join the SPP.
Brighton, CO - United Power, an electric cooperative based in Brighton, Colorado, is the first distribution utility in the Western Interconnection to join the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). SPP is a regional transmission organization (RTO), a nonprofit corporation mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure, and competitive wholesale electricity prices on behalf of its members.
“Since United Power is leaving our current wholesale power supplier in 2024, it is important that we seek out memberships and partnerships that will help us assure a reliable power source at the lowest cost possible,” stated Mark A. Gabriel, United Power President and CEO. “Our membership with SPP is one of the critical pieces we wanted in place as we move toward a new energy future for our members.”
SPP works as an aggregator of generation resources, dispatching the power where it is needed. The value of belonging to an RTO is multi-pronged for cooperatives like United Power. The power pool is charged with building reliability and predictability into their power marketplace and helping to reduce the risks that come with varying weather conditions. It is also committed to providing the lowest cost power available to serve its members, minute by minute.
The SPP is responsible for identifying power needs for the region it serves. Members of SPP will have an active role in determining where new transmission is built and will be able to have their interests represented directly.
“Membership matters. Our membership in SPP means we will have a meaningful say in the strategic direction of the organization,” stated Gabriel. “Members have an active role in determining how this new energy market develops and how the organization grows. We will be able to directly represent the interests of all United Power members.”
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the nation, and in June 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, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.###
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United Power Kids Demonstrate Safety around Electricity
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Friday | April 13, 2018
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United Power recently asked elementary students in its service territory to help demonstrate electrical safety in its annual Electrical Safety Poster Contest.
United Power recently asked elementary students in its service territory to help demonstrate electrical safety in its annual Electrical Safety Poster Contest. Kids in grades kindergarten through fifth submitted creative and educational posters designed to teach family and friends how to stay safe around electricity. United Power will place winning poster designs on bus benches during the month of May, which is recognized as National Electrical Safety Month.
Employees at the member-owned cooperative voted to select the following winners from each grade for the 2018 Electrical Safety Poster Contest: Zariah McPherson from Reunion Elementary, Joey Seymour from Platteville Elementary, Maddilyn Griffis from Bromley East Charter School, Sofie Archer from Landmark Academy, Troy Wymer from Hoff Elementary, and Kaydence States from Bromley East Charter School.
Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to all the students who entered their creative safety messages. Look for winning safety posters to appear through the cooperative service territory for the month of May.
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving more than 83,000 homes and busineses along Colorado’s northern front range. To learn more about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative at Facebook.com/UnitedPower.
United Power Holds Second Consecutive Virtual Annual Meeting
Wednesday | April 14, 2021
Record participation at the 2021 Annual Meeting demonstrated how effective the virtual format could be in allowing the cooperative to share and celebrate United Power’s accomplishments over the past year with its members.
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United Power Honored as 2022 Solar and Storage Champion
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Tuesday | September 6, 2022
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COSSA honored United Power for its contribution to the growth of the solar and storage industry
BRIGHTON, Colorado – The Colorado Solar and Storage Association (COSSA) honored United Power as one of their Solar and Storage Champions for 2022 for the cooperative’s contribution to the growth of the solar and storage industry. This awards program started in 2021 at COSSA’s inaugural Topgolf Networking Event and developed out of COSSA’s annual tradition of recognizing individuals and organizations that have made invaluable contributions to the solar and storage energy industry.
United Power has taken several impactful steps to support solar and energy storage, with efforts touching multiple solar sectors. In addition to having some of the highest distributed generation penetration of Colorado utilities, United Power has advocated for community solar at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and recently issued a request for proposal for wholesale electric power supply to serve up to a peak load of 600 MW. United Power CEO and President Mark A. Gabriel accepted the award and made a short presentation at the awards ceremony.
“United Power is proud to be a leader and innovator in this arena,” stated Gabriel. “Supporting solar and storage options is an essential part of our plan for the future of this cooperative. As we move toward a more multifaceted power delivery system, distributed generation is a big consideration. Embracing these technologies is important for our cooperative as we continue to build an electric delivery system that meets the changing needs of our members.”
This year’s Solar and Storage Champions were celebrated during COSSA’s Topgolf Networking Event on Aug. 25, 2022, at Topgolf in Thornton, Colorado.
###About COSSACOSSA is the state trade association representing over 250 solar and storage businesses in Colorado. COSSA’s members provide solar and energy storage products and services to residential consumers, commercial businesses, utilities, and governmental entities throughout the state.
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United Power Hosted Annual Meeting on April 12
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Thursday | April 13, 2023
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Douglas Wins East District Seat; Three Incumbents Re-elected
Douglas Wins East District Seat; Three Incumbents Re-elected
Brighton, CO – United Power hosted its 2023 Annual Meeting on April 12. Members were invited to attend the meeting in person at Riverdale Regional Park in Brighton or watch live on the cooperative’s website. Approximately 500 members and guests participated in this year’s meeting, which included a video recap highlighting accomplishments over the last year, an annual financial report, a presentation on the future of the cooperative, and the certification of the 2023 Director Election.
Voting in the Director Election was conducted via mail-in and electronic balloting. The cooperative introduced electronic balloting in 2022 to provide members with a fast, secure, and convenient way to submit ballots and avoid delays in mail handling. Nearly 7,000 member ballots were cast in the election. Mountain District incumbent, Tamra “Tami” Waltemath, ran unopposed and will retain her seat with 5,918 votes. James Vigesaa received 1,960 votes winning the seat in the South District. Jamie Klein, Ken Kreutzer, and Katherine “Kathy” Mills received 1,271, 1,876, and 1,455 votes, respectively. In the West District, Virginia “Ginny” A. Buczek retained her seat after receiving 4,003 votes in this year’s election. Thomas “Tom” Hogan received 2,510 votes. Steven “Steve” Douglas received 3,614 votes to win the East District seat. Robert “Rob” Masden received 2,994 votes.Â
Beth Martin, United Power’s Board Chairman, and Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO, summarized the cooperative’s performance in 2022 with a video presentation. Last year, United Power reaffirmed its decision to exit its wholesale power contract in an effort pursue a more flexible, affordable, and reliable power supply. Over the course of the year, the cooperative achieved record-breaking reliability, and introduced its members to Our Cooperative Roadmap, an ever evolving plan outlining the co-op’s vision for maintaining its strength in a rapidly changing electric industry.Â
“No matter what the future holds, providing reliable electric service will always be at the core of our business,” said Martin. “We made great strides in 2022 – strengthening our system, improving reliability, and protecting our communities.”Â
Wildfire danger is an element of risk United Power takes seriously, with a continuously updated fire mitigation plan designed to protect our members and communities. In 2022, the cooperative removed vegetation encroaching on approximately 40 miles of line; applied a fire retardant to more than 400 poles; and added red flag warning procedures, which are activated when suitable wildfire conditions are present.
United Power also continued to evaluate opportunities to expand its electric vehicle (EV) offerings for members in 2022. The cooperative energized its third fast charger, rolled out its United EV pilot program, and launched its EV wiring rebate.Â
Member Choice grants, which allow members to nominate local nonprofits to receive grant dollars from the cooperative, were renewed for a third year in 2022. Six organizations were selected from dozens of nominations to receive a total of $12,000 through the program.Â
“Underlying all of these accomplishments is a dedicated team of United Power employees working to ensure they meet your needs,” said Gabriel. “Over 180 cooperative employees show up every day ready to put you first. They keep our systems secure and strong, take pride in working safely, and make sure that our members’ needs are met.”
Keith Alquist, United Power’s Board Treasurer, presented the cooperative’s financials and reported another strong year. The finance team continues to receive compliments from auditors for their professionalism, completeness, and accuracy in preparing financial statements at year-end and on a monthly basis.
Gabriel concluded the business meeting with a presentation about the future of the electric industry. He highlighted the many ways the cooperative has already begun to proactively address the changing utility environment – from driving economic prosperity for its communities through tax revenue and job creation to how it is meeting the crucial needs of large business members. He also discussed local generation and self-generation as well as the technologies that work in conjunction with a robust electrical system that benefit the cooperative, its communities, and the members.Â
“A distribution utility like United Power stands at the crossroads of a changing energy industry and needs to transition from a simple distribution operator to managing a system that is agnostic to inputs and flexible enough to handle both centralized power and local generation,” he said.
Videos and information presented at the 2023 Annual Meeting, including the cooperative’s 2022 Annual Report, are available here.Â
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms, and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the nation, and in June 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, reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.###
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United Power Hosts Hybrid Annual Meeting on April 13
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Thursday | April 14, 2022
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First In-Person Meeting Since 2019; Incumbents Re-elected
Date: 4/29/2022
United Power filed a non-conditional Notice of Intent to Withdraw from our power supplier in compliance with a recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruling. This changes our previously announced Tri-State exit date of Jan. 1, 2024 to May 1, 2024.
United Power hosted a hybrid Annual Meeting on April 13, allowing members to gather in person for the first time since 2019. The cooperative was pleased to return to an in-person format this year. Nearly 450 members and guests attended the meeting either in person or online. The meeting included a video recap highlighting the cooperative’s accomplishments over the last year, an annual financial report, and the certification of the director election.
Voting in the director election was conducted via mail-in and electronic balloting. The cooperative introduced electronic balloting this year to provide members with a fast, secure and convenient way to submit ballots and avoid delays in mail handling. More than 6,000 member ballots were cast in the election. East District incumbent, Elizabeth “Beth” Martin, retained her seat, receiving 2,728 votes. Steven “Steve” Douglas received 2,536 votes and Naptali A. Lucks received 700 votes in the race for the East District. Ursula J. Morgan, West District, and Keith Alquist, South District, ran unopposed and will retain their seats with 5,341 and 5,337 votes, respectively.
Ursula J. Morgan, Board Chairman and Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO, summarized the cooperative’s performance in 2021 with a video presentation. The cooperative surpassed 100,000 meter connections, improved operational efficiencies, and implemented several innovative projects all in the last year.
The addition of more than 4,600 new meters pushed United Power beyond 100,000 meters early last summer. It became just the 31st electric cooperative nationwide to surpass this mark and only the second in Colorado. While more meters were being added, the operations team conducted targeted maintenance, which reduced outage times to nearly half the national average.
United Power also expanded its electric vehicle charging network, installed a diesel generator in Gilpin County, and deployed its first hybrid bucket truck. The cooperative’s second charging station at the Market Street Mart in Keenesburg filled a gap in available charging infrastructure along Interstate 76. The generator project provided an outage solution and emergency backup to members located at the ends of the co-op’s lines where it can be difficult to restore power quickly due to isolation and mountain terrain.
Most significantly, United Power announced its intentions to pursue a change in its wholesale power supplier effective January 2024. Wholesale power costs account for approximately 75% of member rates and attempts to negotiate the cooperative’s existing contract have failed. Based on the broader economic landscape, leadership believes it is in the best interest of members to find an alternate supplier moving forward.
“This was not a decision that was reached without exhaustive research and deliberation,” said Morgan. “We considered the impact on rates and reliability, as well as the flexibility of our power supply. The Board believes this is the right direction for our cooperative.”
The cost of power under the current contract is nearly 20-25% higher than market levels. The availability of self-generation and storage options combined with existing contract limitations no longer meet the needs of United Power members.
“Our goal is to provide both lower-cost power and more options for our members,” Gabriel said. “We are confident we can craft a new future for our members, and we are excited to bring the opportunities to you.”
United Power anticipates far-reaching change and innovation to come to the electric utility industry in the years ahead. One of the cooperative’s biggest accomplishments last year was developing Our Cooperative Roadmap, a long-term action plan to maintain United Power’s strength and competitiveness in the evolving industry.
“What does the future look like for United Power?” Gabriel asked. “We need to continue to provide a robust network so that every member behind every meter has every possible option and opportunity to engage in the way they desire. Bottom line: we need to do this while ensuring high quality, high reliability, and reasonably priced power.”
Keith Alquist, United Power’s Board Treasurer, presented the cooperative’s financials and reported the cooperative is in good fiscal shape. The finance team at United Power continues to receive compliments from auditors for their professionalism, completeness and accuracy in preparing financial statements at year-end and on a monthly basis.
Videos and information presented at the 2022 Annual Meeting, including the cooperative’s 2021 Annual Report, are available here.
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United Power Hosts Member Forum to Discuss Power Supply
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Monday | June 13, 2022
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United Power held a member forum on June 7 to discuss the upcoming exit from its current wholesale power contract.
United Power held a member forum on June 7 to discuss the upcoming exit from its current wholesale power contract and highlight opportunities to purchase low cost, high reliability power that is produced in an environmentally responsible manner. In April, the cooperative filed a nonconditional Notice of Intent to Withdraw from Tri-State Generation and Transmission, reaffirming its decision to leave its wholesale power supplier. The withdrawal is effective May 1, 2024.
Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer, and Dean Hubbuck, the cooperative’s Chief Energy Resources Officer, discussed the exit process, goals of the transition, and impact to members with both in person and virtual attendees. Gabriel reassured members the shift in power suppliers would not affect their status as members of the cooperative and the exit was ultimately about controlling costs and potentially lowering rates.
“We’re working diligently so that we can save money,” Gabriel said. “If we can control costs and if we can manage to get better pricing out in the market, we are able then to lower rates. I think that’s something that’s critical as a member-owned cooperative.”
Hubbuck provided a high-level overview of various steps the cooperative has taken to negotiate a fair and equitable contract termination fee through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, including several recent decisions in favor of United Power, and its recent request for proposal (RFP) for new power supply.
“We are expecting a healthy response to our RFP, which is due in the early part of August,” Hubbuck said. “We’ll spend about two months evaluating proposals before selecting a handful of suppliers to work with directly. We hope to select a supplier, or group of suppliers, and begin contract negotiations early next year.”
United Power has attempted to negotiate contract modifications with its wholesale power supplier, including an option for partial requirements, but has been met with resistance. The current contract no longer makes economic sense for the cooperative or its members. It limits local generation and member flexibility while rates are well above market price.
“Historically, our wholesale power contract was entered into because, at that time, our most pressing issue was to secure a reliable source of power when very few viable options were available,” said Beth Martin, United Power’s Board Chairman. “Our situation has substantially changed, with more affordable, reliable, and environmentally sustainable power supply options now available. We believe we should deliver electricity that is more reflective of the current market price, ultimately helping our members save."
More information about United Power’s contract negotiations and transition to new power suppliers is available on the Power Supply page. Members who were unable to attend the Power Supply Forum can watch it here.
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United Power Hosts Members at Carbon Valley Open House Celebration
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Monday | August 30, 2021
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United Power joined a small group of elite cooperatives in June when it surpassed 100,000 meters served off its lines. To celebrate, the co-op hosted an Open House Celebration for members at its Carbon Valley Service Center on August 28.
Open House Celebrated Co-op Surpassing 100,000 Meters in June
Brighton, CO – United Power joined a small group of elite cooperatives in June when it surpassed 100,000 meters served off its lines. It became just the second Colorado co-op, and 31st nationally, to cross the meter milestone. To commemorate the achievement, the co-op hosted an Open House Celebration for members at its Carbon Valley Service Center, located off the I-25 Frontage Road just west of Firestone and Frederick, on August 28.
Several hundred members attended the Open House Celebration, which featured a variety of family-friendly activities, educational opportunities and prize giveaways. It was the first in-person member event the cooperative has hosted since the pandemic began in March 2020. The come-and-go structure of the event enabled members to maintain social distancing by discouraging crowds and allowing attendees to walk through at their own leisure. Breakfast and refreshments were also provided as attendees made their way through the exhibits.
“It is important that we as a cooperative get back to our roots of engaging and interacting with our members,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This was the perfect platform to showcase our newest facility and celebrate our historic meter accomplishment with our members while also accounting for their health and safety.”
United Power packed its garage with interactive exhibits to give members a hands-on experience with everything from electrical safety to electric vehicle ownership. The cooperative’s well-known safety demonstration team kicked things off near the event entrance before a series of large equipment and bucket trucks funneled attendees toward an EV demonstration at the garage’s northeast doors. Northern Colorado Clean Cities provided several EVs available for short test drives with attendees. Outside, attendees were offered a brief informational presentation about the cooperative’s battery storage facility followed by a tour. Originally energized in 2019, the battery storage facility remains the largest in Colorado.
Inside the Carbon Valley Service Center, the community room was transformed into a series of educational booths where attendees could enter to win prizes, learn more about member-exclusive programs and engage with United Power experts on things like energy efficiency. Attendees could also present questions and win prizes from the cooperative’s board of directors.
“We are so excited and thankful to be able to celebrate 100,000 meters with our members in person,” said Ursula Morgan, United Power’s Board Chairman. “After more than a year away, we could not have been happier to see and interact with them again, especially for such a big occasion. Without our members, there is no cooperative. There is no United Power.”
United Power members who attended the event were eligible to win one of ten $100 bill credit prizes, announced following the event’s conclusion. Members also donated canned and packaged food for to the Carbon Valley Help Center, which provides food and clothing to those in need in and around the Carbon Valley area.
Earlier this summer, United Power honored its 100,000 meter family, John and Hailey Takacs and their son Drake, at their new home in Commerce City’s fast-growing Reunion community. Cooperative board members and cooperative leadership, along with Commerce City Mayor Ben Huseman and Tri Pointe homes representative Mariel Schlander, presented the Takacs’ with a prize package containing home essentials, such as a variety of tools and home equipment, including an electric lawn mower.
“We are adding meters at an unprecedented rate,” Gabriel said. “But more importantly, we are adding members. Each new meter represents a new family on our lines or a new business helping shape the economy of the communities we serve. Our members make us stronger, and they make our communities stronger. As your cooperative, it is our privilege to be able to serve each one of our members.”
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the nation, and in June joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900 square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson and Keenesburg. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.
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United Power Issues Social Responsibility Report
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Thursday | September 28, 2023
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Informational report highlights cooperative transparency.
United Power announces the publication of its first Social Responsibility report. The report recaps the cooperative’s accomplishments, performance, and progress in four defined areas – social, governance, safety and risk, and environmental. The inaugural report was approved by the United Power Board of Directors during the September board meeting, marking a significant milestone in the member-owned cooperative’s ongoing commitment to transparency, sustainability, and responsible management.
Each area of concentration is important to the overall operational and financial health of the cooperative, and utilities that measure performance in these areas consistently rank among the best in the country. The comprehensive report showcases United Power’s values of responsibility, integrity, and reliability, while outlining specific actions taken to support these tenets.
“We are excited to feature the many initiatives and accomplishments of the cooperative in this report,” stated Mark A. Gabriel, United Power President and CEO. “While annual reports highlight the prior year’s performance and the cooperative’s financial position, the Social Responsibility report provides our members a deeper understanding of the actions we are taking to further our mission to provide the best possible service.”
Key highlights from United Power’s inaugural Social Responsibility report include:
Social Impact. The report highlights the cooperative’s efforts to create a positive impact within the communities it serves. This includes both cooperative- and employee-supported initiatives; the promotion of tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion in the workforce; and the careful attention to the integrity of data and information.
Governance Excellence. The co-op’s governance structure and practices are outlined, highlighting the cooperative regulatory model, member engagement in director elections, and the cooperative’s corporate behavior and codes of conduct around financial transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct.
Safety and Risk Management. The report outlines the many ways the cooperative is building and maintaining a resilient and safe infrastructure to protect the communities it serves. Through a comprehensive wildfire mitigation and vegetation management strategy, a strong safety culture, and broad-based approach to addressing risk, the cooperative is actively working to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of electricity.
Environmental Responsibility. The cooperative’s innovative energy programs are highlighted, showing the depth of the co-op’s commitment to providing sustainable, flexible, and affordable power for members. Through efficiency measures and programs to make emerging technologies more readily accessible, United Power is paving the way for the evolving energy landscape.
Electric cooperatives have a long history of measuring success in these operational areas and are guided by a set of principles that emphasize social responsibility and transparency. United Power’s Our Cooperative Roadmap is the long-range action plan addressing how the co-op will tackle the challenges of the evolving utility landscape. The Social Responsibility report, which will be updated annually, will allow members to gain a greater understanding of the cooperative’s goals and accomplishments.
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United Power Joins National Organization GridWise Alliance
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Thursday | July 22, 2021
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United Power is now a member of the GridWise Alliance, a national organization which helps foster relationships among a diverse group of industry stakeholders and advocates for public policy changes that benefit grid modernization.
Brighton, CO – United Power is now a member of the GridWise Alliance, a national organization which helps foster relationships among a diverse group of industry stakeholders and advocates for public policy changes that benefit grid modernization. The group’s executive committee unanimously approved the cooperative’s membership with the organization in July.
Grid modernization is a moving target that evolves over time as new technology is developed and changes the way energy is produced and managed and how consumers use energy. It typically refers to the system of interconnected devices on a grid that improve reliability and efficiency while ensuring safety. The GridWise Alliance is a collaborate effort among members to develop industry best practices used to direct public policy supporting grid modernization by leveraging their different experiences and perspectives.
“We are a comparatively small player next to some of the larger utilities involved with the GridWise Alliance,” said Dean Hubbuck, United Power’s Chief Energy Resource Officer. “But we’re also extremely progressive. These types of organizations help us accomplish our goals and what we’re trying to achieve for our members.”
As a member, United Power will be able to contribute its unique perspective on the industry as a fast-growing cooperative serving members in suburban and rural communities northeast of Denver. In June, the Brighton-based co-op became just the 31st electric cooperative nationwide to surpass 100,000 meters and is on past to add several thousand more before the end of the year. The unprecedented growth and progressive reputation of the cooperative have earned it a seat at the table helping direct local and national policy conversations.
“United Power stands out from its cooperative peers for its commitment to grid modernization and deployment of emerging technologies,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A. Gabriel. “As a member of the GridWise Alliance, we have a platform to advocate for policies beneficial to both the cooperative and its members.”
United Power joins Rappahannock as the only other electric cooperative member of the GridWise Alliance. Other prominent members include Con Edison, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy. Non-utility members also include IBM, Intel and General Electric. For more information about the GridWise Alliance, go to www.gridwise.org.
About GridWise Alliance:The GridWise Alliance (GWA) represents the broad and diverse stakeholders that design, build, and operate the electric grid. Since 2003, the GridWise Alliance has been at the forefront of educating key industry stakeholders on the critical need to modernize our nation’s electricity system. For more information about the GridWise Alliance, visit: www.gridwise.org.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 cooperatives in the nation, and in June joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900 square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson and Keenesburg. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.###
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United Power Joins Rebuild Effort
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Thursday | November 12, 2020
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East Troublesome Fire and strong winds badly damage Granby cooperative’s infrastructure.
United Power dispatched a crew to Granby to assist Mountain Parks Electric in its rebuild effort after receiving significant damage from the East Troublesome Fire in late October. United Power joins four other cooperatives as part of the rebuild in coordination with the Colorado Rural Electric Association.
The East Troublesome Fire erupted north of Granby and west of Grand Lake on October 14. Fueled by strong winds and beetle kill, the fire quickly turned into a blaze that consumed more than 100,000 acres overnight. As a result of the fire and winds, Mountain Parks Electric, the cooperative serving residents in the area, reported nearly 500 damaged or destroyed poles, not including damage to other critical infrastructure, miles of line and meters.
Mechanics crews at United Power helped put together a fleet including many essential pieces of equipment to make the rebuild as quick and safe as possible. Crews are expected to spend the next two weeks helping rebuild the most critical elements of Mountain Parks’ infrastructure.
Other cooperatives assisting in the rebuild are Gunnison County Electric, Highline Electric, Southeast Colorado Power and White River Electric. Cooperatives work together to strengthen one another and more effectively serve our members.
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United Power Joins Southwest Power Pool
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Thursday | June 23, 2022
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United Power is the first distribution utility in the Western Interconnection to join the SPP.
Brighton, CO - United Power, an electric cooperative based in Brighton, Colorado, is the first distribution utility in the Western Interconnection to join the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). SPP is a regional transmission organization (RTO), a nonprofit corporation mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure, and competitive wholesale electricity prices on behalf of its members.
“Since United Power is leaving our current wholesale power supplier in 2024, it is important that we seek out memberships and partnerships that will help us assure a reliable power source at the lowest cost possible,” stated Mark A. Gabriel, United Power President and CEO. “Our membership with SPP is one of the critical pieces we wanted in place as we move toward a new energy future for our members.”
SPP works as an aggregator of generation resources, dispatching the power where it is needed. The value of belonging to an RTO is multi-pronged for cooperatives like United Power. The power pool is charged with building reliability and predictability into their power marketplace and helping to reduce the risks that come with varying weather conditions. It is also committed to providing the lowest cost power available to serve its members, minute by minute.
The SPP is responsible for identifying power needs for the region it serves. Members of SPP will have an active role in determining where new transmission is built and will be able to have their interests represented directly.
“Membership matters. Our membership in SPP means we will have a meaningful say in the strategic direction of the organization,” stated Gabriel. “Members have an active role in determining how this new energy market develops and how the organization grows. We will be able to directly represent the interests of all United Power members.”
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the nation, and in June 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, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.###
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United Power Kids Demonstrate Safety around Electricity
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Friday | April 13, 2018
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United Power recently asked elementary students in its service territory to help demonstrate electrical safety in its annual Electrical Safety Poster Contest.
United Power recently asked elementary students in its service territory to help demonstrate electrical safety in its annual Electrical Safety Poster Contest. Kids in grades kindergarten through fifth submitted creative and educational posters designed to teach family and friends how to stay safe around electricity. United Power will place winning poster designs on bus benches during the month of May, which is recognized as National Electrical Safety Month.
Employees at the member-owned cooperative voted to select the following winners from each grade for the 2018 Electrical Safety Poster Contest: Zariah McPherson from Reunion Elementary, Joey Seymour from Platteville Elementary, Maddilyn Griffis from Bromley East Charter School, Sofie Archer from Landmark Academy, Troy Wymer from Hoff Elementary, and Kaydence States from Bromley East Charter School.
Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to all the students who entered their creative safety messages. Look for winning safety posters to appear through the cooperative service territory for the month of May.
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving more than 83,000 homes and busineses along Colorado’s northern front range. To learn more about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative at Facebook.com/UnitedPower.
