Despite Colorado’s proclivity for spring storms, an unusually calm season may have caught many members off guard. In early June, a stretch of severe storms and strong winds blew through Colorado, leaving thousands without power. When large storm systems come through the state, United Power usually has enough forewarning to prepare its crews. With June’s windstorm, known as a “derecho,” the cooperative had little to no advanced notice. 

Derechos are fast-moving bands of thunderstorms featuring hurricane- or even tornado-like winds. A storm system qualifies as a derecho when it sustains wind gusts of at least 58 miles per hour over a path measuring 250 miles or more. June’s derecho was Colorado’s first and also one of the strongest on record. Before dispersing over South Dakota, the storm had left a 600-mile stretch of damage. Wind gusts, reaching 78 miles per hour at Denver International Airport and 110 in the mountains, were the strongest for a day since 2004.

Derechos cover a lot of ground over a relatively small period of time due to their rapid movement. The result is a storm that hits hard, leaves behind significant damage and is over quickly. 

“It was clear a storm was moving in, and we were prepared for that,” said Ken Christensen, United Power foreman. “Then the storm was on us one minute and gone the next. It was over as quickly as it happened. It was difficult to imagine it doing that much damage.”

The earliest storm-related outages were triggered near Thornton when high winds blew a light pole into a stretch of line powering several homes in the area. As the storm moved through the territory, it found weak tree limbs and other unsecured – or weakly secured – objects to blow into power lines. The most extensive damage occurred east of the Platte River. North of Fort Lupton, a sheet metal shed took out power to a large industrial site and several homes. In Brighton, a trampoline was tossed into lines nearly 50 feet above the ground and strong winds toppled a beloved evergreen near Historic City Hall, traditionally decorated to celebrate Christmas.

“With all the downed tree limbs, it can take us longer to diagnose the cause of an outage because we have to cut our way in to find it,” said Jason Roberts, journeyman lineman. “Then, after that, we have to actually make the repairs to restore power.”

Extensive damage was particularly problematic in Brighton, where several members were without power for an extended period of time. Linemen from the Carbon Valley and Coal Creek offices were dispatched to the eastern territory to assist with restoring power to more than 10,000 members who had lost power during the storm and in its aftermath. 

“Thunderstorms and windstorms aren’t uncommon for this time of year,” said Mike Robinson, a safety specialist at United Power and former lineman. “But as far as windstorms go, this was the worst we’ve seen in several years.”

While storms and strong winds temporarily impeded progress throughout the weekend and into Monday, linemen were able to complete most repairs and restore remaining members early Monday.  

More than 40 linemen from United Power and its contractor, Ward Electric, responded to outages following the storm and throughout the weekend to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. During the restoration process, more storm-related damage was found. Nearly 40 poles were snapped either by wind or objects the wind had picked up and tossed into poles and line. Many linemen worked extended hours throughout the night. 

“I’m sure we got lots of calls from members wanting to know when their power was going to be turned back on,” said Roberts. “But we also encountered several members who wanted to help, either by bringing us food and water or coming out with saws and axes to help us clear debris. We appreciate their patience and assistance.”

Operations at United Power have Continued Despite COVID-19 Pandemic

It’s been more than three months since United Power closed its office locations to walk-in visitors and moved over half of the co-op’s employees to remote work locations in an effort to mitigate the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19 to both members and employees. The preemptive nature of the cooperative’s office closure allowed it to continue operations at a safe distance while many other businesses were temporarily closing or stopping nonessential services. Over the past few weeks, many businesses have been able to gradually reopen in phases as virus numbers started to drop in Colorado, but United Power has continued to work hard on behalf of its members throughout this time. 

As the summer inches to a close and the beginning of a new school year approaches, uncertainty remains, especially as coronavirus cases are again on the rise across the country. United Power continues to closely monitor the situation and plan carefully for the future, remembering to put members’ needs at the forefront of decision-making processes. Here are just a few of the many essential functions the co-op has continued to provide members. 

Get Cooperative Updates on the Website

The United Power website exists as a free resource to learn more about the cooperative, its activities and opportunities available to you and your family as a member. It’s also been a tremendous resource for members to get updates about the cooperative’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Regular updates containing pertinent information detail how United Power is taking actionable approaches to the situation. Members can learn more about the United Power coronavirus response here.

In addition to timely updates about pandemic response, the website connected members to the cooperative’s first-ever virtual annual meeting and to assistance and resources for members who have been economically impacted. For members seeking the most up-to-date and relevant information from United Power, the cooperative’s website has answers to many of your questions and is also updated with new information as it becomes available. 

Shopping For A New Appliance?

Lots of time at home may have given you ample opportunity to consider whether to replace an old appliance, such as a dishwasher or refrigerator. Certain ENERGY STAR appliances qualify for exclusive member rebates through United Power. (Confused about shopping for the most energy efficient appliances? Learn more about navigating the process on Page 7.) Rebate applications must be returned within 120 days of purchase, but United Power has you covered. Our online rebate application is quick, simple and delivered directly to the cooperative’s energy management team. All you need is a little information about your new appliance and a few photos to confirm it meets ENERGY STAR requirements. 

More information about appliance rebates and qualifying products can be found on our appliance rebate page. For a full list of available rebates, go to 
our programs and rebates page. Don’t forget other energy management services are also still available, which can be found on the website. 

Growing Rapidly

United Power has experienced unprecedented growth in the past few years. The cooperative has continued to outpace nationwide growth averages and is one of the fastest growing co-ops in the country, due in large part to its location in relation to Denver. It provides power to some of the nation’s fastest growing suburban communities, as well as several fast-growing industrial corridors. In 2019, the cooperative added 5,999 new meters and is on pace for another strong year in 2020. While many business have been impacted by the current pandemic it has not slowed the growth of construction projects in the cooperative’s service territory.  

The new construction team at United Power continued to process and design applications for new service throughout the pandemic. 

Convenient Ways to Pay

Although United Power office locations remain closed at this time, members who prefer cash payments may still do so using payment kiosks in Brighton, Carbon Valley and Coal Creek. Any member, however, may also take advantage of a half dozen alternative payment methods United Power offers. Payment options include Auto Pay, ensuring your payment is made on-time every month, and Pay Now, a quick way to make a one-time payment using just your account number and a form of payment, among others. A full list of available payment and billing options is available here. 

For Account Assistance, Call Member Services

United Power’s Member Service Representatives have continued to work regularly scheduled hours for member convenience throughout the pandemic. Spending more time at home during quarantine means you’ve likely become even more aware of energy needs in your home. If you have questions about your account, are interested in available member programs and rebates or need to report an outage, representatives are available to take your call during business hours Monday – Friday at 303-637-1300. Outages can be reported via the phone line even after hours.

For further COVID-19 updates, check the United Power website regularly.