As a cooperative, United Power wants its members to know how they can use their energy more efficiently and save on their bills. There’s a stigma surrounding energy efficiency, though, that it’s either too hard or too expensive to implement in a home. Other members may be unintentionally using more energy from implementing some not-so-energy-efficient “savings” myths. In this article, we dive into a few of these energy efficiency myths to separate fact from fiction and help you make more energy efficient choices.

Electric Space Heaters Save Money

Some people have heard using an electric space heater to heat individual rooms in a house is more cost effective than running a heating system. In fact, electric space heaters are among the most energy inefficient appliances you can use in your home. A central heating system is more effective at heating your home. It’s best to use space heaters as supplemental heat for short periods of time only.

Myth or Truth: Myth

Closing Vents Reduces Consumption

It may seem logical that closing vents in a room would mean saving energy. You’re not heating an extra room in the house, after all. However, closing vents actually puts an added weight on your central heating system. Closed vents only redirect air and throw the system off balance, forcing it to work harder. An energy efficient alternative is investing in a smart thermostat that gives you more control of your system, especially when you’re away.

Myth or Truth: Myth

Try Blasting Your Thermostat

This idea stems from a misconception about how central heating and cooling systems work. Your thermostat is designed to keep a room at a steady temperature. When you crank it up or down, it does not heat or cool more quickly, but it will work continuously until it has reached the temperature setting. From then on, it will turn on or off as required to maintain the temperature setting. Because your home will continue to gain or lose heat through various escape points, this will cause your system to run more frequently and use more energy.

Myth or Truth: Myth

You Can Save with a Microwave

Cooking is not a large part of the average household’s electric bill. However, heavy use of an oven or stove can contribute to an increase in your bill, especially if you cook much during the summer. The heat produced by a stove or oven can cause your A/C to work harder to maintain the temperature in the room. By contrast, a microwave is quicker and uses less energy.

Myth or Truth: Truth

Using a Dishwasher is Better than Hand Washing

Most homes aren’t equipped with an electric water heater, so you might not think of how this could ultimately save you on energy efficiency. However, washing your dishes by hand requires a lot of hot water. Dishwashers actually use your hot water more efficiently, and many of them have energy efficient settings to help conserve gas, electricity and water.

Myth or Truth: Truth

Close Doors to Unused Rooms When Heating

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably heard energy efficiency points from both sides, but here’s the truth. Your heating system operates through a convection current. As air cycles into a room, hot air rises and sinks as it cools. The cool air is then reheated, beginning the cycle again. Keeping doors to unused rooms closed keeps this cycle of heated air within a contained space, which is more efficient than dispersing it throughout the house.

Myth or Truth: Truth

Becoming energy efficient doesn’t mean spending lots of money on the latest technology or struggling with strict rules. It’s about making small lifestyle changes or remembering to make a few changes around the house. It’s also about sifting the fact from the fiction. As your trusted energy provider, we’re here to provide you with the best resources to take control of your usage, become more energy efficient and save.

If you’re curious about more ways you can save, check out our Energy Tips or contact an Energy Management Specialist at 303-637-1300.

Due to the potential spread of COVID-19, United Power's 2020 Annual Meeting has been moved to a virtual "town hall" meeting. Find more information about changes to this year's annual meeting format at www.unitedpower.com/annual-meeting. 

As United Power gears up for its 2020 Annual Meeting & Director Election on April 15, 2020, the cooperative is encouraging its members to participate and reminding them they are more than a customer. When you vote in the director election, you have a say in the future of the cooperative. As a member, your vote carries equal weight as any other member’s vote, regardless of what kind of account they have or how large it is. Your pulse on the community and understanding of what’s important to it is critical in helping the cooperative better serve its members. 

All members are invited to connect with United Power leadership at the Annual Meeting, enjoy the company of fellow cooperative members and have a chance to win one of several door prizes. The meeting will be held at Riverdale Regional Park, formerly Adams County Fairgrounds, located at 9755 Henderson Road, Brighton, CO 80601.

Eight candidates will be running for election to the United Power board of directors. This year, one seat in each of United Power’s director districts is up for election. The director candidates are James Vigesaa in the East District; Tamra K. Waltemath in the Mountain District; Greg Campbell, Stan Martin, Phil Noble and David E. Rose in the South District; and Virginia “Ginny” A. Buczek and James P. Menghi in the West District. (Candidate statements are published here and included in the March-April United Newsline.)

The cooperative mails out director ballots – including candidate statements – in late March and encourages all members to vote and return their mail ballot prior to the deadline. Ballots may also be dropped off at a United Power office before April 15 or filled out in-person at the Annual Meeting. Although directors live in specific geographic districts, they represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members should cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own. 

Member registration opens at 4:30 p.m. Members who did not mail in their ballot or chose not to vote prior to the meeting will be issued a ballot and be able to cast their votes until the beginning of the official business meeting at 6:30 p.m. After members have cast their ballot, they can enjoy a barbecue dinner with us, visit educational exhibit booths and be entertained by musician Dave Connelly. 

The official business meeting includes a report on the status of the cooperative, as well as a report from the board treasurer. Election results will be announced prior to adjournment and door prize drawings will conclude the meeting. To learn more about the Annual Meeting or the candidates running for a seat on the board, visit the Annual Meeting & Director Election page. 
 

United Power Board Chair, James Vigesaa, announced at an all-employee meeting yesterday, that CEO John Parker is on a medical leave transitioning into retirement.  Chief Operating Officer, Bryant Robbins, has been named as Acting CEO, effective immediately. Robbins joined United Power in January 2003 as the Mountain District Manager, before his promotion in January 2017 to Chief Operating Officer.

“With Bryant, we are confident that we have selected a leader who can continue to meet the many challenges of our fast-growing cooperative,” stated Vigesaa. “Not only does Bryant have many years of experience at United Power, a record of success in building teams and leading successful change initiatives, he also served United Power as Acting CEO in 2019 during a previous medical leave.”

Parker joined United Power in 2006 as the CFO and was promoted to CEO in June of 2017.

“As CEO, John successfully led the cooperative on several key initiatives these past two and a half years, and has positioned United Power well to move on to future,” stated Vigesaa. “On behalf of the entire United Power Board, we wish John enjoyment in his retirement and thank him for his contributions.”

United Power strives to provide reliable power to its members. At times, however, circumstances may arise that lead to an interruption in power, such as standard maintenance improvements to our system, or an outage, caused by a number of events such as severe weather. When an outage does occur, the cooperative is quick to dispatch linemen to safely restore power to its members as quickly as possible. 

Some outages, however, can create situations that require an extended time to resolve. These kinds of outages can be especially worrisome for members with special medical needs. If you use life-sustaining medical equipment that depends on electricity for operation, such as oxygen generators, kidney dialysis machines or respirators, it’s important to put together a plan for a power outage before it happens. 

Have a Backup Plan for Prolonged Outages

United Power can’t guarantee your service won’t be interrupted by scheduled maintenance or an outage. In the event of an outage, we recommend you plan for how to respond. 

Register with United Power. United Power can place a flag on the accounts of members who utilize special medical equipment, allowing us to contact you in an unplanned outage and before a planned outage.

Have a Power Backup. Outages can happen at a moment’s notice and without warning. Though the cooperative makes every effort to quickly restore power, we cannot provide a specific time frame for when your power will be restored. If you use medical equipment, consider obtaining a power back-up, such as a battery or generator, in the case of an extended outage. 

Plan for Evacuation. In the worst case event, such as a significant weather crisis like a blizzard or flood, prepare to evacuate to an alternate location. These events can result in outages lasting several days. 

How You Can Help

If you do experience an outage or other electrical emergency, always report it. Do not assume United Power knows about your outage. You can report your outage by logging into our online portal available at www.unitedpower.com/smarthub or by calling our outage reporting line at 303-637-1350. 

More information about medically necessary devices can be found on our Medical Devices page.

United Power works around the clock year after year to ensure its members continue to receive the safe and reliable power they’ve come to expect from the cooperative. There have been some big changes over the past year. Some of these exciting changes have helped the cooperative better serve members living in different parts of the service territory and many have been for member use and convenience. This past year was a banner one for the co-op, which also celebrated its 80th anniversary at the annual meeting this past April.

A Cooperative Milestone

Celebrating 80 years was a special cooperative milestone for United Power. Not only was the cooperative one of the earliest co-ops formed, but it also took overcoming tremendous odds to achieve the milestone. Originally established by a group of rural farmers in 1938, United Power, formerly Union REA, overcame an aggressive takeover attempt from Public Service Company of Colorado (now Xcel Energy) with the help of its members and has become one of the most progressive cooperatives across the country. Today, United Power proudly serves more than 93,000 members.

Officially Welcomed Frederick

This past January, United Power officially acquired Frederick Power & Light and became the sole power provider to the Town of Frederick. Along with the addition, the cooperative also welcomed approximately 2,400 new members, which pushed its total services above 90,000 meters. The acquisition closed a crucial hole in the middle of the service territory, helping United Power better integrate its electric delivery system and reduce operations costs for all.

Carbon Valley Office Staffed

United Power purchased a large facility near Carbon Valley in 2017 to operate as a base of services in the western part of its service territory. After significant renovations and remodeling, crews began operating out of the facility toward the end of 2018. The western office quickly began providing value for members in the area. Crews stationed in Carbon Valley have quicker and more convenient access to the highways and communities in United Power’s western service territory, eliminating a 45-minute commute from the cooperative’s Brighton-based facility. The shorter commute allows crews to respond more rapidly in the event of an outage and restore power more quickly. Although some operations staff were already stationed at the Carbon Valley Service Center, the facility wasn’t officially staffed until 2019. As the cooperative continues to grow, more departments will be staffed within the new office. The office, located along East I-25 Frontage Road just south of Highway 119, offers construction services and, as of December, a payment kiosk in the office lobby. A community room is also available for local community groups to use free of charge.

New Website Launched

United Power overhauled its website in 2019, launching the new version toward the end of June. The new site was designed with a more member-focused approach. Not only was the new site designed with more user-friendly navigation, it was also tailored to be responsive on mobile devices, making it more intuitive for member use. In addition, the visually focused layout was intended to make the site more engaging while providing assurance members can find the appropriate content to meet their needs more quickly. United Power continues to update the site with the latest cooperative news and information, so it’s important to check back regularly.

Landmark Achievements

From energizing the first community solar farm and becoming one of the first utilities in the country to utilize a single-axis tracking system on its large-scale solar farms, United Power has become synonymous with innovation over the past 10 years. The cooperative celebrated achievements for two innovative projects in 2019. In May, the Sol Partners Community Solar Farm turned 10. An immediate hit at inception, the solar farm sold out quickly and has been adopted by cooperatives across the country. In the fall, United Power’s battery storage project was ranked in the top 10 for interconnected storage capacity by the Smart Electric Power Alliance. The cooperative was the only Colorado utility to appear on the list.

Payment Options that Work for Members

To round out a busy and successful year, United Power also adopted two new payment methods for members. Pay Now allows members to make quick, one-time payments online via check or credit card with just an account number or invoice number, a quick way to pay when you don’t have your password on hand. The cooperative also placed two payment kiosks at office locations in Coal Creek Canyon and Carbon Valley. Like the Pay Now feature, members can make payments using the kiosk with just an account number and form of payment. Payments made by cash or credit are applied immediately and restores accounts subject to disconnection immediately upon payment.

Throughout 2019, United Power had many opportunities to celebrate continual growth and innovation with members and leaders in the communities we serve. As we look to the future, we’ll continue to set the bar for others to follow. We look forward to all 2020 has to offer, and continuing to provide our members safe and reliable energy.