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01/22/2019 - 11:27 AM
Title Safe Tree Trimming /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/May2018_NL_TreesLines.png?itok=P7zSFkhh Tuesday | May 1, 2018 Card Teaser As trees begin to grow and bud, they may come in contact with power lines, creating confusion about responsibility and concern about member safety. May is National Electrical Safety Month Were you aware tree limbs may become a safety hazard when in contact with power lines? Did you know attempting to trim a tree in contact with a power line puts you in danger of electrocution? Have you ever been uncertain about when and where to trim your trees located near power lines? The warm weather of spring often arrives with May, which is also recognized as National Electrical Safety Month. As trees begin to grow and bud, they may come in contact with power lines, creating confusion about responsibility and concern about member safety. United Power wants to make sure you know the answers to your questions so you can safely tackle your spring yard work. (For quick reference about who’s responsible for maintaining trees near power lines, please read “Who’s Responsible” below.) When you encounter a tree in the vicinity of a primary power line, immediately contact United Power. Avoid trimming when you encounter the following: tree limbs in direct contact with a power line, dead tree limbs hanging near power lines, tree limbs growing toward power lines. Observe the Ten-Foot Rule to safely trim trees on your property located near power lines. This means anything inside that radius may put you at risk. For your safety, United Power will disconnect secondary lines when notified in advance of any tree trimming activity at no cost to the member. Remember to trim only from a steady, level surface, removing small, easy to manage sections. Large tree/branch sections may fall unexpectedly and risk taking down power lines and causing potential injury. If this is not possible, contact a professional tree trimmer. When in doubt about safety or responsibility, please contact United Power at 303-637-1300. We’ll be happy to send out a troubleshooter or one of our tree contractors to assess the situation and keep you safe. Who's Responsible United Power has an aggressive tree trimming program to reduce the number of tree related outages. However, in some cases, the homeowner may be responsible for keeping a line to their home clear of trees. Here is how it works:- United Power is responsible for trimming around primary lines. These are lines running from pole to pole. United Power maintains these lines because they are higher voltage and require special handling from a qualified tree trimming crew.
- Members are responsible for obstructions in secondary lines. These are typically single lines stretching from our pole to a member’s home - often seen in backyards, crossing from the main electric line to the home.
01/22/2019 - 02:18 PM
Safe Zones Around Pad-Mounted Transformers Friday | June 1, 2018 Though pad-mounted transformers may appear safe to use as workbenches and climbing obstacles, electrical equipment can still pose a risk to anyone who may come in contact with it. Members should always use caution and keep a safe distance. Read more >07/13/2026 - 12:44 PM
Title Save Energy During Summer Heat Waves /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/Sept2018_NL_BeatHeat.png?h=45932144&itok=T214ateq Monday | July 13, 2026 Card Teaser Staying cool and saving energy is possible. Try a few of these simple tips in your home. Summer is now here, and members may start to notice their electric usage increase over the next few days and weeks. Heat waves have brought record temperatures across parts of the West, and Colorado has already experienced many days above 90 degrees this July – with several approaching 100. Staying cool and saving energy is possible. Try a few of these simple tips in your home.- Adjust your thermostat by a few degrees. Many people will not notice the slight change, but your energy usage will. You can save up to 3% for every degree you adjust the thermostat, according to the National Renewable Energy Lab.
- Use programmable or smart thermostats. You can pre-cool your home so it is comfortable when you return from work or adjust the temperature remotely to save energy when you are away.
- Use ceiling fans. Ceiling fans circulate air to create a “wind chill” effect, cooling you down without actually cooling the room. It pulls heat away from your body making you feel cooler. Paired with adjusting the thermostat, you can stay cooler without making your air conditioning work as hard. Since fans do not cool the room, remember to turn them off in empty rooms.
- Block out the sun. Remember to close blinds or curtains. Open windows allow sunlight to warm the air in your home, which forces your air conditioner to work harder.
- Cross ventilate your home. When the sun sets in the evening and the temperatures drop, open your windows to let Colorado’s mild climate do the work for your air conditioning.
09/13/2019 - 03:20 PM
Title September is National Preparedness Month /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/SeptOct_NL_SafetyMonth.jpg?itok=SBKCbInX Wednesday | September 4, 2019 Card Teaser Each September, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recognizes National Preparedness Month. Are You Ready? Severe weather is a fact of life, and it’s important to make sure you and your family are prepared for when it occurs. Each September, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recognizes National Preparedness Month to educate and empower Americans to take simple steps to prepare for and respond to potential emergencies that could affect us where we live, work and visit. This year’s theme (Prepared, Not Scared. Be Ready for Disasters.) touches on four distinct aspects of emergency preparation: Save Early for Disaster Costs Emergencies hit us when we least expect and could be costly if we aren’t prepared beforehand. Do you have an emergency fund? Does your insurance adequately cover the costs of a natural disaster? Does your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance cover flood damages? It’s important to have funds available when emergencies disrupt daily life or if an ATM isn’t immediately available. Make a Plan Preparing your family for an emergency is as simple as a conversation over dinner, and it’s important to include kids in the disaster planning process. Practice your plan, including evacuations, fire escapes and turning off utilities like natural gas. Youth Preparedness Teach children what to do in an emergency if they are at home or away. They should know how to communicate during an emergency, with you, friends or emergency responders. Review family emergency plans regularly, or even have them practice building their own emergency kits. Get Involved in Community Preparedness Take some time to learn about the hazards most likely to affect your community and their responses. Look for opportunities to get involved by volunteering with organizations before, during and after potential disasters. Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) train volunteers to prepare for the types of disasters their community may face. For more information on National Preparedness Month, including sample emergency communications plans, organizations you can volunteer with during disasters and more, visit www.ready.gov.09/01/2026 - 10:04 AM
September Message from Mark A. Gabriel Tuesday | September 1, 2026 A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer. Read more >09/02/2025 - 10:37 AM
Title September Message from Mark A. Gabriel /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/CEO_Message_85.jpg?h=45932144&itok=fpbFupeq Tuesday | September 2, 2025 Card Teaser A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer. There has been a lot of talk recently about “saving” certain forms of electric generation, stopping other types, and investing significant resources in technologies that are not ready for prime time. There have also been announcements about building thousands of miles of new transmission line. When it comes to choices in generation, “all of the above” really needs to be “ALL of the above” if we are going to support electrification across the West and certainly for United Power. We recognize that diversity of resources is key to effectively running the cooperative, and we are taking action to ensure a safe, reliable, and affordable electric supply. United Power partnered with Kindle Energy to open Mountain Peak Power in July. It is the newest and most efficient natural gas plant in Colorado. The 162 MW facility in Weld County provides critical electric capacity and is conveniently located near one of our substations that also has an 11 MW battery energy storage system. This project is a great example of our hyper-localization strategy and highlights the vision we laid out in Our Cooperative Roadmap. The plant was permitted in 10 months and constructed in 10 months. The same project today would take at least four years to obtain the needed equipment at 50% greater cost. We are also in the final stages of negotiations for an additional 200 MW of solar, bolstered by 150 MW of battery storage, to replace other expiring thermal generation contracts. These will come online in 2027. The solar facility will be among the largest in Colorado, increasing the carbon-free generation resources in our portfolio to nearly 64% and representing a continued reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since leaving our former wholesale power supplier in May 2024. The cooperative pioneered the use of distributed batteries with 115 MW spread across our system at nine substations, ranging in size up to 33 MW. Our engineering team has developed a unique way to automatically manage how we charge and deploy stored energy. These batteries are not only utilized to store energy but also provide critical contingency reserves that save United Power approximately $300,000 per month. Recently, United Power joined forces with three other public power utilities — CORE Electric Cooperative, Platte River Power Authority, and Colorado Springs Utilities — to explore creating a regional transmission project, nicknamed Lariat Loop, that will better serve their member-customers. This collaboration aims to reduce electric transmission congestion, enhance system reliability, and expand access to renewable energy sources, all while supporting the State of Colorado’s ambitions carbon reduction goals. Our members are directly involved in the “all of the above” electricity strategy. There are nearly 13,000 solar rooftops in our service territory. We will have a new distributed energy resource management system available in January that will allow additional interaction with our members’ resources such as thermostats and electric vehicles. We are rapidly moving to expand our distribution system operations plan, allowing resources from our larger members, such as oil and gas, to be bid into the Southwest Power Pool market coming in April 2026. The bottom line is quite simple. While we support expanding transmission and investing in future technologies, and applaud efforts to bring a wide range of generation to the West, we must be realistic about what can be done today to support our growing member base. United Power lives the “all of the above” mantra every day. We buy wind. We buy solar. We buy natural gas. We buy hydropower. And yes, at times we even buy coal. Our focus remains on providing the most reliable and responsible resources we can in our commitment to you, our members. As always, please feel free to reach out with your questions, comments, or concerns. I enjoy hearing from you and appreciate your continued support.09/05/2023 - 09:20 AM
Title September Message from Mark. A. Gabriel /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/CEO_Message.jpg?h=45932144&itok=pNegmSzP Tuesday | September 5, 2023 Card Teaser A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer. It is hard to believe we are already entering the fall season. Summer flew by while your cooperative employees were hard at work on a number of fronts — improving service, working toward an energy future outlined in Our Cooperative Roadmap, and managing the tremendous growth in our communities. We spent much of the summer finalizing our power supply portfolio — one that will provide members with a mix of traditional and low-carbon power and storage solutions. The break from our current power supplier will allow significant freedom and flexibility, representing the rapidly changing energy industry, in a reasonable time frame, as opposed to waiting until the end of the decade. We are blessed to have a strong mix of residential, commercial, and industrial members in our small 900-square mile service territory, as well as consistent and significant growth. Our system’s diversity means we are a highly desirable partner for companies wishing to locate here and work with United Power to deploy new and innovative technologies. The future is not just about adding more generation — although necessary to meet growing demand — but also operating our system differently (and more efficiently) than the past. For example, five years after launching what was Colorado’s largest battery storage facility at the time, we have entered an agreement to deploy nearly 80 additional megawatts of battery storage across our footprint, one of the nation’s first dispersed storage projects. This will allow us to charge the batteries when energy costs are low and reduce the demand on our system during peak hours. The rise in electric vehicle sales has led to a curious conversation that today’s grid cannot handle the load without massive investments in infrastructure or significant control options. We have among the highest penetrations of EVs and plug-in hybrids in the nation. Here at United Power, we constantly monitor our transformers and energy consumption, proactively managing and improving our system in advance of challenges. Each year, we strategically plan our maintenance to target the worst performing feeders — those lines supporting our members in their neighborhoods — and carefully focus our investments. Your Board of Directors not only supports these activities but works closely with management to ensure we are making the right investments to keep this most critical infrastructure strong. This is not to say there will never be outages. Sadly, critters, crashes, storms, and lightning wreak havoc on electric grids, no matter how well built. United Power crews work diligently through some of the most terrible conditions to restore power quickly — and safely. The addition of our Carbon Valley Service Center in 2019 has also allowed us to cut down outage response times in our western territory. We continue to lead the nation in residential solar installations and support members who want to add solar, as well as storage. Last year, the Colorado Solar and Storage Association recognized United Power as a Solar & Storage Champion for its member interconnection process and rooftop solar saturation. We do caution members to be selective in choosing their solar contractor. Several door-to-door salespeople have been reported using unscrupulous tactics, including lies and fabrications, to sell their services. Be leery of any representative mentioning United Power. Our team is available to provide unbiased information and all the tools you need to make the right decision when it comes to solar. Simply call us at 303-637-1300 or visit Going Solar. As a United Power member-owner, you have a special relationship with the cooperative. Please feel free to reach out to me personally with any questions or comments. I appreciate the honor to serve you. Enjoy our beautiful fall weather.09/20/2021 - 11:25 AM
Title September/October Message from Mark A. Gabriel /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/CEO_Message.jpg?h=45932144&itok=pNegmSzP Monday | September 20, 2021 Card Teaser A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer. Recently, two solar salesmen came to my home in Brighton offering to convince me of the value of adding solar. Their main sales pitch was a false narrative that United Power rates were slated to increase “dramatically” over the next several years due to our ongoing conversations with our power supplier, Tri-State G&T, about a contract modification. Ironically, just that day at our board of directors meeting, we presented a first look at our budget for 2022 which showed no immediate increase and a potential decrease in rates at some point in the foreseeable future. Their sales pitch was an out-and-out lie. There are many factors driving the decision to add solar or storage, including economics, environmental responsibility or the desire for energy independence. We wholeheartedly support your decisions, whatever the rationale, but want to make sure the decision is being made with a full knowledge of the costs. Sadly, there are many unscrupulous salespeople who do not have your best financial interests at heart as we do at United Power. Please contact us for the facts as you make these significant investment decisions. You can also visit our website for more information about installing a solar system on your home, including questions to ask potential solar contractors, at Going Solar. As a member-owner, it is important to realize the professionals at United Power are here to serve your needs with unbiased, fact-based information to make sure every electron is used in the most cost-effective way possible. This covers critical opportunities, such as our Rush Hour Rewards program, energy efficiency measures and rebates on everything from appliances to battery-powered lawn equipment. We are honored to serve as a resource for our members to help calculate the benefit of any decision when it comes to alternative energy options. We support decisions to add rooftop solar or storage to your home or business and are proud that nearly 7,000 of our members have made the decision to add solar to their homes. Another 3,000 of us are now driving electric vehicles, and soon members will be able to lease an electric vehicle charger for your home or business at a low monthly cost. These are exciting times in the electricity business as technology expands its reach into everything from automobiles and vertical/indoor farming to advanced manufacturing and lawn tools. In this era of beneficial electrification, United Power is at the forefront of these amazing opportunities. The growth at United Power – we are now more than 100,000 meters strong – has meant an influx of new members to our communities and a new relationship with your electricity provider. If you are new to the concept of an electric cooperative, as part of the “family” you are a part owner and reap the benefits in several ways:- As a member-owner, you will share in any excess margin in the form of capital credits, determined annually by the board of directors. Capital credits are returned to our members as either a check or a credit on your billing statement.
- Participating in a uniquely cooperative process of democratic engagement in our governance. Members vote for who sits on our board or may even run as a candidate themselves.
- Having a utility partner that directly supports community activities like the Adams County Fair. United Power also sponsors events like Summerfest in Brighton, Trappers Days in Fort Lupton and Miners Day in Frederick.
- Being treated as a member – not just a customer – if you have any questions, comments or concerns.
01/23/2026 - 11:34 AM
Title Shrinking the Window /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/AnalogClock_1320x860.jpg?h=45932144&itok=dgWeVT4W Monday | January 26, 2026 Card Teaser Four more off-peak hours for time of use rates. Four More Off-Peak Hours for Time of Use Rates Members on a time of use rate will get the benefit of four more hours of off-peak power in 2026. Rate changes that went into effect on Jan. 1 shortened the on-peak energy window from 2-10 p.m. to 5-9 p.m., giving members more control over how their energy consumption impacts their billing statements. United Power’s voluntary time of use rates feature two energy usage periods — on-peak and off-peak — with two different energy charges depending on when power is used. Members on a time of use rate are rewarded with a lower energy charge for switching energy use to off-peak hours. Moving your energy usage away from peak hours may be easier than you think. You can use a smart thermostat to pre-cool your home in the summer or set timers on appliances to run overnight. If you do not have smart appliances, you could start them before you go to bed or first thing in the morning, depending on your schedule. You could also consider meal prepping on Sundays, which are considered off-peak. All United Power rates, including the time of use options, include a demand charge. If you can stagger the use of high-energy appliances, such as your washer/dryer, air conditioner, and electric oven, you can control one more component of your bill. Visit Residential Rates to review all the rate options and help decide if switching to a time of use rate is right for you.07/22/2019 - 04:36 PM
Title Sol Partners Celebrates 10 Years /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/JulyAug2019_NL_SolPartners.jpg?itok=AoOlXVoM Monday | July 8, 2019 Card Teaser United Power powered the state's first community solar farm in May 2009 at its Brighton headquarters. Over the past several years, solar panels have become a mainstay of the push for more renewable energy. Utilities, large and small, across the country have unveiled plans to add thousands of megawatts of solar-generated energy to portfolios as they aim for a net zero carbon-emission future. In May 2009, United Power jumpstarted its renewable energy program when it powered a new, innovative concept for its members – the state’s first community solar farm, Sol Partners – at its Brighton headquarters facility. The solar farm offered the cooperative’s members leasable solar panels and allowed members to dip their toes in the pool of renewable energy without making a costly commitment on a home installation. Panels were leased to members on a 25-year period for a small initial investment, and those members would receive a credit for power generated on the panels. In addition, the cooperative agreed to maintain the solar farm. The innovative model received immediate adoption and quickly sold out. In August 2010, the cooperative launched its second community solar module. Its instant success incentivized other co-ops to invest in community solar projects of their own. “The community solar model was initially meant as a tool for the local co-op and their members to bring more solar onto the system,” said New Business Director Jerry Marizza. “What was a unique concept 10 years ago has now blossomed throughout Colorado and the nation.06/05/2019 - 11:16 AM
Title Special Member Rebate a NEW Nissan Leaf /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MayJune_NL_NissanLeafRebate-resized.jpg?itok=T0NWc2Nr Saturday | June 1, 2019 Card Teaser Take Advantage of a Member-Exclusive Rebate on the All-New NISSAN LEAF through JULY 1, 2019. Take Advantage of a Member-Exclusive Rebate on the All-New NISSAN LEAF through JULY 1, 2019. Our friends at Touchstone Energy have been working behind the scenes to bring United Power members and employees a special opportunity to get behind the wheel of the world's best-selling 100 percent electric car, the all-new NISSAN LEAF, thanks to a rebate program that's been extended through July 1. Offer is eligible for fleet or individual purchases. A $3,500 special rebate is available on the 40 kWh model NISSAN LEAF and a new $2,500 rebate is available on the 226 mile range, 62 kWh, ePlus model. This offer can be combined with the $7,500 Federal ED Tax Credit to provide you with savings up to $11,000 on your purchase of a new Nissan Leaf. Simply print this flyer (linked) and bring your electric bill and/or proof of cooperative employment to your local NISSAN Dealer and you can become eligible to use the special Fleet Certification Code to obtain your special rebate. Please see eligibility requirements for more details. Offer expires July 1, 2019! More Range, More Power, More Confidence Consumers can now embrace the excitement of more range, more power and more tech. With 2 battery options (40 kWh and 62 kWh), and enhanced available technology, consumers can pick the car that best fits their every day needs and drive with confidence. Join us in Making a Difference As part of our effort to accelerate electric vehicle transportation alternatives across the United State, Nissan North America, Inc. is offering eligible Touchstone Energy cooperatives, members and employees a special incentive toward the purchase of the all-new, 100% electric, Nissan Leaf. With each qualified purchase, eligible buyers can receive a $3,500 Fleetail Rebate of MSRP, plus eligibility for a Federal EV Tax Credit, up to $7,500. State incentives may also be available. How to Get this Great Incentive Simply bring a copy of this flyer, both the front and back pages, along with your monthly electric bill or proof of employment to your participating Nissan dealership. This limited time offer expires July 1, 2019 and cannot be combined with other Nissan or NMAC special incentives. Residency restrictions apply.05/04/2026 - 01:39 PM
Title Special Message from Mark A. Gabriel /sites/default/files/styles/news_card_553x430_/public/news/MountainPeak_1320x860.jpg?h=45932144&itok=o40ZEsUD Monday | May 4, 2026 Card Teaser We have accomplished much in the two years since our exit from a single wholesale power contract. We have accomplished so much the past two years since our exit from a single wholesale power contract on May 1, 2024. Nothing has slowed down at United Power; the entire team here continues to move forward on our path to a new energy future. We are supporting our members through a diversified portfolio of wind, solar, natural gas, battery storage, and market purchases from more than two dozen providers. We are investing in local power production and incorporating energy management tools to help meet our members’ power needs. In July of 2025 we energized the nation’s newest natural gas peaking plant, Mountain Peak Power. The 162 MW plant was designed, commissioned, and operational on one of the quickest timelines ever attempted for a facility of this type. We recognize there are rising costs to deliver energy, and our team sought a $262 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service, through the New ERA program in 2023. After committing to a substantial investment into our communities over the next decade, and with generation facilities already producing energy, United Power became the first utility to receive initial funding this year. Our latest milestone was reached when we joined the Southwest Power Pool regional transmission organization on April 1. This strategic move aims to ensure a reliable power supply, while managing costs and providing access to diverse energy resources for our current and future members. It is the marketplace that will allow us to capitalize on cooperative-owned resources and deliver power during times of peak energy demand, helping us to balance costs and reliability. On this two-year anniversary of our exit from our former wholesale power contract, I think it is important to acknowledge and celebrate these accomplishments and all the ongoing and vital work United Power employees do every day to support our members. For their contributions – large and small – I am very thankful.