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04/12/2021 - 12:15 PM
We are Dedicated to Keeping the Lights On Monday | April 4, 2022 On April 18th, we will celebrate National Lineman Appreciation Day, to recognize and honor our lineworkers for their hard work and dedication. Read more >11/08/2023 - 09:05 AM
We May Have Money For You Wednesday | November 8, 2023 United Power is attempting to return unclaimed capital credit retirements to members. Read more >08/15/2025 - 09:17 AM
We Trim Trees to Keep Your Lights On Friday | August 15, 2025 Excessive overgrowth near utility equipment threatens reliability and increases fire risk. Read more >01/25/2019 - 01:31 PM
Title What are Vampire Loads? /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Feb2019_NL_Vampire.png?itok=lR6w03eY Friday | January 25, 2019 Card Teaser All of these items are responsible for contributing to your “vampire load,” also known as the “phantom load.” Vampire loads come from devices that use electricity even when they appear to be off. The desktop computer in your office. The living room TV and gaming console in standby or rest mode. Even the cell phone charger you keep plugged in throughout the day. All of these items are responsible for contributing to your “vampire load,” also known as the “phantom load.” Vampire loads come from devices that use electricity even when they appear to be off. These loads are approaching 10 percent of the average household electric use, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Electronics and appliances in standby or rest modes require a little electricity to maintain minimal function of the device so it’s ready to go when you return to using it. The primary culprits are televisions, desktop computers and, particularly, gaming consoles which can use as much electricity as a refrigerator even when not in use thanks to frequent system updates. Chargers are another contributor to the phantom load. A single charger might not be a drain on your bill, but in an increasingly plugged in world, the impact can begin to add up. So how can you limit your vampire loads? The obvious solution is to simply unplug devices when not in use and disabling auto-update features that draw power when in rest mode. If you want a limited impact on your daily routine, consider investing in smart power strips. These devices can usually connect to your phone through WiFi or Bluetooth so you can turn them off and on automatically. Many of them even come with surge protection to keep your devices safe during storms or other events that may cause a surge. In the digital, connected age, these vampire, or phantom, loads can become a real problem. A little investment and some small changes can end up saving you on your bill. For more energy efficiency information, check out My Energy.12/19/2022 - 10:07 AM
What is Demand? Monday | December 19, 2022 The demand rate addresses how members use the system in different ways. Read more >01/06/2026 - 02:56 PM
White House Chronicle: Managing the Power Crisis at the Local Level Tuesday | January 6, 2026 United Power President and CEO Mark Gabriel speaks about the need for all fuels and his approach to keeping the lights on. Read more >12/18/2020 - 04:50 PM
Title Why Members Round Up /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Dec2020_NL_RoundUp.jpg?itok=YdOl3AGv Thursday | December 10, 2020 Card Teaser In November, we asked our members to tell us why they round up, and we received some tremendous responses. When United Power founded Operation Round-Up in 1995 as a way for members to voluntarily help each other through a small monthly contribution built right into their billing statement, we envisioned being able to help vulnerable and struggling members in the communities we serve make ends meet. We couldn’t have imagined then that a nationwide pandemic would stretch the foundation to its limits as we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year. It hasn’t been an easy year for anyone, and some have felt the impacts more than others. Although many more members are in need of assistance, the Round-Up board has remained committed to finding the most effective ways to help meet needs throughout this time. For those not familiar with Operation Round-Up, it is a foundation funded entirely by members who “round up” their monthly billing statements to the next whole dollar. Participation is voluntary, and average yearly contributions are only $6, or approximately $.50 per month. Those funds are then redistributed to nonprofits in various parts of the service territory to ensure as many members receive help as possible. The Round-Up Board selected these nonprofits because they have more resources and are better equipped to provide for members in need. The Board is made up of fellow United Power members who also live within the various parts of the service territory and are familiar with the specific needs of their respective areas. This unusual year hasn’t prevented the board from going above and beyond to meet increased needs, which created an added burden on the foundation. Without the generous contributions of more than 20,000 members who have elected to round up their bill, this wouldn’t have been possible. In November, we asked our members to tell us why they round up, and we received some tremendous responses: “Yes, been rounding up for at least a decade. One of a list of gratifying things to give. Maximum of $12 a year. A feel good thing!” Larry W., Commerce City “I haven’t participated in Round-Up before, but I am signing up today. Sounds like a great program and I can see that even a little bit helps.” Sam G., Firestone “Yes we do. We have dealt with hardships and want to contribute to help others in need.” Brad L., Frederick “We participate in Round-Up to ensure that our little contribution helps members who are less fortunate, especially in these times of COVID-19.” James D., Black Hawk “Yes! We do participate in the Round-Up program. We are grateful for the opportunity to assist members of our and the greater United Power community when the need arises.” Michelle B., Golden “I haven’t yet, I did not know what it was! But will be signing up now.” Terry H., Brighton03/09/2020 - 10:58 AM
Title Why United Power Plans Outages /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MarApr2020_NL_Outages.jpg?itok=olTpHj9l Monday | March 9, 2020 Card Teaser You may have at one time or another received a recorded message from United Power informing you of a “preplanned” outage in your area. You may have at one time or another received a recorded message from United Power informing you of a “preplanned” outage in your area. At the time, you may have been curious what a planned outage is and why the cooperative needs to perform them. In order to maintain the reliability of the system, sometimes repairs need to be made to crucial parts of the electric grid. Some repairs can be made without interrupting power, but at other points it either wouldn’t be possible or would be too dangerous for linemen to work while power is flowing. While the interruption of power may sound like an inconvenience, the short outage ensures greater long-term reliability. Regular system upgrades are necessary for optimal performance. The cooperative’s engineering and operations teams are constantly reviewing the system and identifying areas of improvement or where upgrades can minimize outages while increasing both reliability and security. Aside from the safety of you and our crews and better performance leading to greater reliability, there are a few more things you should know about preplanned outages. When one of these outages is necessary, the cooperative makes upgrades that affect as few members as possible. Rarely do preplanned outages impact more than a few members. In the rare instance a larger number of members are impacted, there will be more advanced notice. Generally, the larger the outage, the more advanced notice members will receive. Preplanned outages are also scheduled for small windows – usually no more than five hours – when most members are away from the home. United Power also sends members prerecorded phone messages informing them of work happening in their area. It’s important to differentiate these calls from preplanned outage notices. A notice of work in your area does not always mean you will experience an interruption in power. In order to receive notices about work in your area or preplanned outages, your contact information on file with the cooperative must be up to date. As new software becomes available, you may also have more options for how to receive important updates from United Power. However, any notice the co-op sends will be tied to the information on your account. If the information on your account, such as phone numbers and email addresses, is not current or is incorrect, you could be missing these important notices. You can check your contact information and make updates using the free online payment portal, SmartHub, or by calling the Member Services team at 303-637-1300.05/30/2018 - 03:22 PM
Why We Plan Outages Friday | February 2, 2018 Have you ever received a notification from United Power informing you of a “planned outage?” Read more >09/15/2020 - 11:54 AM
Title Wildfire Mitigation a Cooperative Priority /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/SeptOct2020_NL_FireMitigation.jpg?h=45932144&itok=vJP6gkTg Tuesday | September 15, 2020 Card Teaser As your cooperative, United Power takes these growing threats seriously. Leadership at the cooperative has continuously embraced a proactive and progressive approach to wildfire prevention. Wildfires have devastated parts of Colorado this year, with several blazing across the state in August. Near Grand Junction, the Pine Gulch Fire is the largest on record for the state and another near Glenwood Springs had threatened to join the list. Near Fort Collins, a third fire has even threatened parts of Poudre Valley REA’s electrical infrastructure. Although not attributed to any utility electrical system, these fires demonstrate the importance of having a developed fire mitigation plan in place for utilities like United Power, who reviews and updates its plan annually. As your cooperative, United Power takes these growing threats seriously. Leadership at the cooperative has continuously embraced a proactive and progressive approach to wildfire prevention. United Power’s goal is the safety of its members and the protection of the communities they live in. United Power made preparations to enhance its existing fire mitigation plan in early 2013 with a change in facility design and placement, making them more accessible and clear of potential hazards. The implementation also included an expansive vegetation management policy to keep infrastructure clear of hazards that could be easily ignited in the event of a system failure (such as a fault or equipment malfunction leading to an outage). “As we reviewed our system design, we began to recognize the opportunity for better design methodology and the use of advanced technology to prepare for the unexpected,” said acting chief executive officer Bryant Robbins. “One of the things we heavily targeted was the prevention of wildfire risk on our system.” Members in Coal Creek Canyon, and those driving through, may have noticed crews installing new line in parts of the canyon. This new line is an insulated conductor known as Hendrix cable, which provides a high level of protection when contact is made, such as a tree falling into the line. The strength of the line along with the covered protection goes a long way in preventing fires caused by electrical equipment in the mountain service territory. The new line has been one of the more high profile and visible elements of the cooperative’s fire mitigation plan, but the team at United Power went much further in developing system improvements to mitigate the wildfire risk to members. Always looking for an opportunity to develop a better system, United Power became an early adopter of drone maintenance inspections and an industry leader in both system automation and the deployment of smart devices. “These technologies are among the most innovative forms of outage management currently available to utilities,” said Engineering Director Robert Maxwell. “Their design also allows them to stop the flow of electricity to faults that could develop into fires without this technology. We’re far ahead of the curve in utilizing the latest technology when compared not just to other cooperatives but also larger electric utilities.” Drones are able to quickly survey miles of line in a rapid period of time, freeing line crews to focus on preventable outages, which has been especially useful in the mountains where the terrain can often make pole inspections time consuming and difficult. The number of man hours saved and outages prevented from this innovative inspection format is incalculable. Automated field devices further allow the system to identify and isolate problems to restore power quickly while minimizing the number of members affected and smart devices are able to immediately report problems back to the cooperative’s system operations. These improvements, along with the installation of advanced trip savers and fault detectors, help improve outage response and mitigate the potential for fires. Although the current pandemic has interfered with many facets of our daily lives, United Power has continued to make progress implementing new technology onto its system to further mitigate the threat of wildfires. As the past month has shown throughout the state, a strategic fire mitigation plan is essential in Colorado. “Wildfire preparedness is a priority for United Power, and we’ve been able to blend our efforts to mitigate fire dangers with our efforts to prevent outages,” said Robbins. “As our numbers continue to improve, we’ll also continue looking for the best opportunities to better serve our members, both safely and affordably.” For more information about United Power’s fire mitigation improvements, go to Fire Mitigation.02/14/2022 - 02:50 PM
Title Wildfire Safety Seminar /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/SeptOct2020_NL_FireMitigation.jpg?h=45932144&itok=vJP6gkTg Monday | February 14, 2022 Card Teaser In March, the Firestone Free Thinkers 4-H Club, in partnership with United Power, is hosting a free one-hour wildfire preparedness training, presented by the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District and the CVEMA. Marshall Fire Reveals Urban Fire Threat; March 6 Seminar to Cover Fire Safety & Preparedness Historic wildfires have devastated large parts of Colorado and its neighboring states over the past few years. However, the Marshall Fire in late December opened our eyes to the reality that wildfires are not simply a threat for our mountain communities. Given the right conditions, wildfires can spring up anywhere and quickly become uncontrollable. The Marshall Fire erupted in eastern Boulder County before claiming nearly 1,000 homes and businesses in Boulder, Superior and Louisville, just miles from Denver and even closer to United Power members living in Coal Creek Canyon and Carbon Valley. United Power has made significant investments in system improvements and upgrades to mitigate the potential for fires off its power lines, particularly in its own mountain communities. With multiple strong wind storms in December, including the storm that fueled the Marshall Fire, those system improvements have more than shown their value to members in both reliability and safety. The cooperative has also provided additional resources members can use to help mitigate the threat of wildfires on their own property, such as how to create “defensible space,” referring to the strategic removal of vegetation that could create a bridge for fire to pass over. In March, the Firestone Free Thinkers 4-H Club, in partnership with United Power, is hosting a free one-hour fire safety and disaster preparedness training, presented by the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District and the Carbon Valley Emergency Management Agency. The training will discuss how to pack a “go kit” in case of an emergency, how to create defensible space, the difference between evacuations and shelter-in-place and hazards in Carbon Valley. Fire Safety & Disaster Preparedness Training FREE 1-HOUR EVENT. NO RSVP REQUIRED. Where: United Power Carbon Valley Service Center 9586 E I-25 Frontage Rd, Longmont When: March 6, 2022 @ 3:00 p.m. Contact: CV Emergency Management, 720-526-6594 www.fffd.us/227/emergency-management03/14/2026 - 07:24 PM
Windstorm Restoration Continues Saturday | March 14, 2026 Updated Sunday, March 15, at 12:05 p.m. Read more >