May is here and that means high school and college graduation ceremonies are around the corner. Helium-filled and mylar balloons are a common theme at celebrations but they can become dangerous when they get loose and contact energized power lines. Thousands of these events occur every year, which can result in expensive equipment repairs and prolonged outages. 

Balloon-Related Safety Measures

Loose balloons can find their way into power lines even if they are not immediately located nearby. Practice the following safety measures at your events and celebrations: 

• Never let helium-filled balloons drift away outdoors. Keep balloons indoors whenever possible to ensure they cannot be released and drift into power lines. If you are using balloons outside, anchor them with weights and double check to make sure they are secure. 
• Avoid bundling balloons together. Anchor each balloon individually with a short string to control its direction. 
• Never tie metallic string or streamers to balloons. Metallic materials conduct electricity and can become a pathway to the ground if a balloon contacts a power line. 
• Deflate balloons after use. Properly dispose of balloons after your event and clean up any remnants so that wildlife, such as birds or squirrels, cannot carry pieces into energized equipment. 
• Never try to retrieve or release balloons caught in power lines. Power lines carry a high voltage and are extremely dangerous. If you notice balloons or other obstructions in power lines, contact United Power at 303-637-1300. 

Member Responsibility

United Power members who release balloons could be liable for damages to the cooperative’s electrical equipment as well as any related damages. Members are encouraged to practice balloon safety and properly dispose of them after use. 
 

Three Incumbents Re-elected in 2025 Director Election

Brighton, CO – United Power members gathered for the cooperative’s 2025 Annual Meeting on April 16 at Riverdale Regional Park in Brighton. More than 500 members and guests attended this year’s meeting, which included a video presentation highlighting the co-op’s 2024 accomplishments, an annual financial report, and a special presentation from President and CEO Mark A. Gabriel. Results of the Director Election were announced at the conclusion of the meeting. 

Voting in the Director Election was conducted via mail-in and electronic balloting. More than 4,700 member ballots were cast in the election. Running unopposed, North District incumbent Ursula J. Morgan and Central District incumbent Keith Alquist retained their seats with 4,242 votes and 4,227 votes, respectively. Incumbent Beth Martin received 2,757 votes in the South District to retain her seat; Ryan Keefer received 1,915 votes.

Board Chair Ursula J. Morgan and Gabriel shared a video presentation highlighting the cooperative’s successful transition to energy independence after the cooperative exited its wholesale power contract in May 2024. The withdrawal launched a new era in United Power’s history where it has the autonomy to manage and balance its own portfolio of energy resources and power supply agreements. The decision to leave was carefully considered over many years as the cooperative’s Board studied the industry and how it was developing. 

“Many of these changes were driven by you, our member-owners,” said Morgan. “Not only did our membership increase, power demands also increased, and you tasked this cooperative with finding new ways to produce and provide power.”

It was the shift in how members use and generate power that required United Power to rethink its distribution model, said Gabriel. Adoption of residential solar among the cooperative’s members has outpaced most of the country. Those who produce more than they consume sell their excess back to the cooperative so that the distribution of energy generation is no longer a one-way street. Additional flexibility was also necessary to help commercial and industrial members, such as those in the oil and gas industry, achieve their own goals; these members are working to electrify their processes and meet sustainability requirements.

Wholesale power costs were another factor in the decision to exit the contract. These costs already constituted more than two-thirds of the cooperative’s expenses, and United Power had little ability to control the uncertainty surrounding future increases.

“I am proud to say that from day one, we were delivering power generated by cleaner sources at more predictable prices,” said Gabriel of the successful exit. “And our record of reliability and safety remain at the high standards we expect.” 

United Power’s energy independence allows the cooperative to pursue a strategy of hyper-localization. Prioritizing power generation opportunities located within its footprint benefits both the cooperative and local communities, and limits reliance on generation facilities hundreds of miles away. Last year, the co-op added new power supply agreements for solar resources in Adams and Weld Counties, a natural gas peaking plant near Keenesburg, and battery storage facilities co-located at substations throughout the service territory.

“We are continuing to add more power agreements and are looking for new opportunities to include local resources,” said Gabriel. “This ongoing transition is the future of electric generation and delivery, and United Power is proud to be at the forefront of this change.”

Alquist, United Power’s Board Treasurer, presented the cooperative’s financials and reported another strong year. The financial performance throughout the year was ahead of not only the prior year, but also ahead of budget. Lower wholesale power costs helped offset costs associated with the co-op’s buyout last May.

Gabriel concluded the business meeting with a presentation about United Power’s opportunities as it transitions to a distribution system operator. This model of energy delivery will help the cooperative continue to meet the growing energy needs of its members while also thriving as an innovative distribution co-op. Gabriel’s presentation highlighted the coming of energy markets to Colorado, how those markets benefit United Power, and what it means for members who are energy producers as well as consumers. 

“This was a big year for United Power,” Gabriel said. “We continue to be committed to creating an energy future that is sustainable, stabilizes costs for our members, and evolves to meet the growing needs of the communities you call home.”

Videos and information presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting, including the cooperative’s 2024 Annual Report, are available here. 

About United Power

United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms, and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric co-ops in the nation, serving more than 114,000 meters. Its 900-square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson, and Keenesburg. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

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Legal Notice of Annual Meeting of Members

The Annual Meeting of Members of UNITED POWER, INC. will be held Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the Waymire Dome at the Riverdale Regional Park, located at 9755 Henderson Road in Brighton, Colorado. Members can attend in-person or via livestream. Instructions for participating in the meeting virtually can be found on the cooperative’s website at www.unitedpower.com.

The meeting will be for the purposes of electing directors, considering and approving reports for the prior fiscal year, and transacting such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

This year there are elections in the following districts: North, Central, and South for four-year terms. The candidates nominated by petition are Ursula J. Morgan (incumbent) in the North District; Keith Alquist (incumbent) in the Central District; and Ryan Keefer and Beth Martin (incumbent) in the South District.  All Members are entitled to cast a vote for the director positions of every district, regardless of the district where the Member is domiciled. 

Additional information including the date and time of our Meet the Candidates forum, how to cast a ballot, and deadlines for voting can be found at https://www.unitedpower.com/annual-meeting.

UNITED POWER, INC. By: /s/Steven Whiteside, Secretary

A member recently asked a very good question about the price of utility-scale solar and how that related to the overall plan we have for the future of our power supply, particularly in light of the new 162 MW Mountain Peak Power natural gas plant being constructed in Weld County (where we also have 11 MW of battery storage). 

What drove the question was the announcement of our latest solar plant, the 150 MW Byers Solar Farm being built in Adams County with cooperation from one of our long-time partners, Silicon Ranch. The question also reflected on the decision we executed last year to regain our independence as a cooperative. 

The raw cost of energy is just one piece in the puzzle of activities that guide the operations of an electric distribution cooperative like United Power. Energy needs to cover every minute of every hour of every day, with enough back-up capacity to ensure the lights stay on and our economy keeps flowing. Buying energy and capacity requires a mix of supply options over a variety of contracts, and United Power — with the support of TEA Solutions, a national energy marketing and risk management services provider for community-owned utilities — works to balance the system both in real time and over the course of years. 

Determining power supply is a multi-factored math and physics activity, coordinated at the local and regional levels. It involves not just the power supply but transmission, as well. The reality for much of the West is that congestion on the transmission system is a challenge for planning and operations, much like getting to a Broncos game in highway congestion. 

We are receiving numerous well-priced power supply offers for the coming years. Unfortunately, the pathway to “bring it home” limits our ability to take advantage of some of best deals on the market. There are plans for new transmission across the West — plans that we support — but the harsh reality is that it will take a decade or more to develop, permit, and build. We simply cannot wait and hope for new transmission in time to meet our growing demand. 

Given these challenges, United Power has devised a three-pronged approach to maintain power supply for our growing member base over the coming years, laid out in the recently-revised Our Cooperative Roadmap (Roadmap). 

First, we are focusing on hyper-localization, which keeps generating resources inside our service territory. Local power means less need for transmission and fewer line losses (energy lost as electricity is transported from point-to-point due to resistance). Plus it contributes to local tax revenue. The Byers Solar Farm is a great example.

Second, we are continuously improving our system as we evolve into a distribution system operator, which will allow us to use what we already have more effectively. Adding battery energy storage systems merges these first two concepts. We now have nearly 20% of our load in either four- or six-hour storage systems. 

Finally, we are preparing for the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) West, a power market that will allow us to buy and sell power more efficiently. This is planned for Spring 2026, and United Power will be ready. 

We are living in a more dynamic energy market than any time in history, with more options than ever before. There is no single source of power that will supply all of our needs. That is why United Power truly believes in and acts on an “all of the above” energy strategy. Whether it is supporting nearly 13,000 residential solar systems, signing 30-year solar purchase power agreements, joining a market, or buying output from natural gas plants, the team works every day to anticipate and plan for your power needs. Just as we need a variety of transportation options — bicycles, cars, trucks, trains, and planes — so, too, do we need options in power supply.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me personally with any questions or comments. If you belong to a group that would like a United Power team member discuss the Roadmap at an upcoming meeting, please contact us.

United Power is pleased to announce the hiring of Jonathan Aust as the cooperative’s Vice President of Energy Resource Planning.

“Jonathan brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this key position,” stated Dean Hubbuck, Senior Vice President and Chief Energy Resource Officer. “Since United Power left its single wholesale power provider in 2024, it is vital to have the right talent on our team to oversee this essential function. Jonathan not only has outstanding credentials for this role, but he is also familiar with the local energy delivery market.”

Aust most recently served as Vice President of Power Operations for the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). In this role he led a team of more than 80 employees to support power operations responsible for supporting a seven-state footprint and two balancing authorities, delivering power to energy providers across the footprint. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Information Technology for SCADA/EMS, or supervisory control and data acquisition and energy management system, supporting WAPA’s control centers across a 15-state area.

Aust has served in leadership for a variety of key industry committees, including several representing the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC). He was honored in 2022 with WECC’s Outstanding Contributor Award.

“Energy resource planning is a critical area for this cooperative,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power President and CEO. “As we continue to build our energy portfolio, it is vital that we have the right talent on our leadership team. Jonathan will be able to help us build out and maintain our portfolio, and his deep understanding of the energy markets will help us continue to make the right investments on behalf of the cooperative’s members.”