United Power has been using recorded phone messages to let members know when a preplanned outage has been scheduled in their area for maintenance work. As new software becomes available, the cooperative may have more options to send important communications to members electronically.

Electronic communications are tied to individual member accounts and use the phone numbers and/or email addresses the cooperative has on record. If the contact information on record isn’t up-to-date or is entered incorrectly, you may be missing out on important notifications from United Power.

You can check your contact information and make necessary updates using the free online payment portal, SmartHub. To set up an online account, go to www.unitedpower.com and click on Online Account Services under My Account. Contact information can also be updated by calling the Member Services Team at 303-637-1300.

Nothing has the charm of an older home on a family farm or a cute cottage in a historic district. But cosmetic and structural upgrade needs are often packaged with the cozy charm. Upgrades to your home may include a fresh coat of paint or installing new fixtures, but have you considered the unseen needs, such as wiring behind a switch plate or outlet? Do you know the hidden dangers of aged wiring? Here are a few clues to find out if your home’s electric network needs a professional switch. 

Type of Wiring

Modern wire used in homes is either copper (for conductivity) or aluminum (for cost effectiveness) and covered in a plastic or rubber insulation. Older homes, usually built before the 1940s, may use an outdated wiring method known as “knob-and-tube,” a two-wire system with no ground. Over time, corrosion can cause insulation to wear away, exposing wires to combustible materials and leading to loose connections, increasing fire risk in a home. This can be a concern in older homes regardless of wiring method. If your home has aluminum wiring, use only aluminum approved switches, outlets and other accessories. 

Plugs Falling Out of Outlets Easily

Over time, the contacts in a plug can begin to fail. When contacts loosen, they aren’t able to securely grip your plug. That missed connection can cause electrical arcing, a major risk for house fires. The good news is it’s an easy fix. Consult an electrician for directions. 

Not Enough Outlets

The increasing use of chargers for electronic devices, including phones, tablets and gaming devices, means outlets are in high demand. A lack of outlets can result in the overuse of power strips, which could overload an outlet. Overloading can cause heat, leading to fire risk. 

Danger in Wet Areas

GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets are now required in areas around water, like near a kitchen or bathroom sink or outdoors. However, older homes may not have been upgraded to these types of outlets. It is fairly simple to replace old receptacles with GFCIs. 
If your home needs upgrades and repairs to its wiring, consider hiring a licensed electrician. An electric professional can safely make wiring updates needed in your home or tell you what inspections and permits are needed to make necessary repairs. 

Under fire for use of coal, Tri-State to accelerate closure of plants, mine in Colorado and New Mexico

Tri-State says closures of 2 plants, 1 mine are part of its new energy plan; critics want to see more

The Denver Post | January 9, 2020

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, increasingly under pressure from its members and renewable energy advocates for its reliance on coal, plans to close two of its coal-fired power plants and a coal mine in Colorado and New Mexico.

Tri-State said in a statement Thursday that it will close the Escalante Station in northwest New Mexico by the end of this year. It intends to close its operations at the Craig Station plant in Craig and at the Colowyo Mine in northwest Colorado by 2030.

The earlier-than-planned closures are part of the utility’s larger Responsible Energy Plan, Tri-State CEO Duane Highley said in a call with reporters. He said Tri-State will release details Jan. 15 about adding more renewable energy to its system and meeting state goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. ... read full article

Tri-State Generation to close all of its Colorado, New Mexico coal-fired power plants and coal mines — 3 locations — by 2030

Tri-State has been pressured by its rural electric co-op members -- including Brighton-based United Power and Durango-based La Plata Electric Association -- to use more renewable energy in recent years.

The Colorado Sun | January 9, 2020

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association will close all of its coal-fired power plants and mines in New Mexico and Colorado by 2030, the power provider that serves nearly 20 rural electric cooperatives announced on Thursday.

Tri-State says it will close its Escalante Power Plant in Prewitt, New Mexico, by the end of 2020. It plans to close Craig Station and the ColoWyo Mine in northwest Colorado by 2030.

Tri-State has been pressured by its rural electric co-op members — including Brighton-based United Power and Durango-based La Plata Electric Association — to make a faster transition to renewable energy in recent years. The pair have sought to break up with Tri-State as a result of the power wholesaler’s reluctance to use more renewables and in seeking more say over their power sources. ...read full article

Tri-State Generation to close all 3 of its Colorado, New Mexico coal-fired power plants and coal mines by 2030

Craig Daily Press | January 9, 2020

Tri-State Generation continues to make changes that are hitting the Yampa Valley hard.

On Thursday, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association announced it will close all of its coal-fired power plants and mines in New Mexico and Colorado by 2030. The power provider serves nearly 20 rural electric cooperatives.

Tri-State announced the closure of its Escalante Power Plant in Prewitt, New Mexico, by the end of 2020. It plans to close Craig Station Units 2 and 3, and the Colowyo Mine in Northwest Colorado by 2030.

The announcement from the Westminster-based power provider comes on the heels of pressure by two of its rural electric co-op members, including Brighton-based United Power and Durango-based La Plata Electric Association, in hopes of making a faster transition to renewable energy in recent years. The pair have sought to break up with Tri-State as a result of the power wholesaler’s reluctance to use more renewables and in seeking more say over their power sources, according to previous Craig Press reporting. ... read full article

Colorado electric cooperatives United Power and La Plata Electric Association are weighing all options to change their existing energy procurement contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (“Tri-State”). In dual November filings with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”), both cooperatives asked the state’s regulating body to exercise its authority to provide a just exit charge from its existing contract with Tri-State. Currently, both entities are required to purchase a minimum of 95% of their power from Tri-State under existing contracts that run through 2050. In addition, a recent S&P report downgraded Tri-State’s credit rating, with one of the reasons being that its Members’ retail energy rates were at least 20% higher than the statewide average.

“As the largest member in the Tri-State cooperative, we have a responsibility to our 92,000 residential and commercial customers to provide them with the cleanest and most affordable energy possible,” said John Parker, Chief Executive Officer of United Power. “Our current contract with Tri-State forces us to purchase some of the dirtiest energy in Colorado, while our customers pay 20% more than what is the state average. We’ve spent 18 months trying to change this contract, and all that we have gotten from Tri-State is delays, evasions and excuses. On behalf of our customers, we will no longer accept this.”

Tri-State relies heavily upon fossil fuels to provide power to its 43 cooperative members across four states, with 56% of its energy generation coming from coal, which is a significantly higher reliance on coal than other energy providers in Colorado. With the passage of HB19-1261, energy companies in Colorado must start work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and Tri-State is not well-positioned to meet these new standards.  As renewable energy production continues to drive down the price of energy, Tri-State’s continued reliance on fossil fuels is also hitting its members in the pocketbooks as well as putting the cooperatives at risk of not meeting the new clean energy standards.

 “Our community should have a choice,” said Jessica Matlock, Chief Executive Officer of La Plata Electric Association. “We want to be a part of the clean energy future and can achieve this through working in our backyard, with our community. We can bring jobs and economic growth to Colorado, while also supplying carbon-free energy to the region. We are disappointed that Tri-State is not partnering with us to achieve this clean energy future together. We want input into the process and choice when it comes to a cost-effective and clean energy future, not a one size fits all approach developed without input of the affected member cooperatives.” 

In response to United Power’s and La Plata Energy’s filings with the CPUC, Tri-State recently filed a motion to dismiss their complaints because they do not believe that the CPUC has jurisdiction over these matters. Instead, Tri-State claims that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has jurisdiction over their rates, even though their initial application was rejected in October for being deficient and incomplete.

“Tri-State is going up against a much larger tide that they spent years refusing to confront,” said Parker. “Tri-State’s lack of urgency in addressing these matters is aimed solely at self-preservation rather than what is best for our customers.”

The CPUC has set a date of January 10th to receive testimony on the matter and is expected to make a decision by early April.

About United Power
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative delivering electricity to more than 92,000 meters at homes, businesses and farms in Colorado's north-central front range. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media at facebook.com/unitedpower or twitter.com/unitedpowercoop.

About La Plata Electric Association
La Plata Electric Association, Inc. (LPEA) is a member-owned, not-for-profit, electric distribution cooperative serving La Plata and Archuleta, with segments of Hinsdale, Mineral and San Juan counties. There are 22 cooperatives in Colorado, LPEA is the fifth largest cooperative in the state, providing safe, reliable electricity at the lowest reasonable cost to approximately 34,000 members.

More Residential Rate Options Available to Members

Residential Rates Understanding Demand

A modest increase in residential rates proposed by the United Power board of directors in November became effective in January. Members on the Standard Residential rate will see a 1.5% rate increase, which amounts to an average increase of $1.58 per month. Members on the residential Time of Day and Irrigation rates will see a 2% increase, or an average monthly increase of $3.23. While the increase became effective beginning with usage on January 1, 2020, members won’t see the increase on their bills until February statements are mailed out.

Changes to residential rates include a small increase to the demand component, which was introduced to members beginning in 2019, and a corresponding reduction in the energy charge. For example, in the Standard Residential rate, the demand charge increased by 50¢ per kW while the energy charge dropped from 10.15¢ per kWh to 9.95¢ per kWh. The separation of the demand and energy elements allows the cooperative to more accurately, and fairly, charge members for their usage and impact on the system.

In addition to the rate change, residential members now have more options with the addition of the new Peak Time of Day Rate. Members who opt into the new rate will pay a slightly higher demand charge than on the standard residential or time of day rates, but are only charged for demand during on-peak hours (2 p.m. – 10 p.m., Monday – Saturday), providing more incentive and savings when members switch usage to off-peak hours.

“United Power is constantly looking into its rates and trying to find the best way to serve its members both individually and collectively,” said Dean Hubbuck, Director of Power Supply and Rates. “The addition of the Smart Choice and Peak Time of Day rates over the past two years has given members more options to find something that’s flexible and works for them.”

The new Peak Time of Day rate offers relief to members who utilize energy-intensive appliances that can cause spikes in demand overnight, such as electric thermal storage. With the new rate, members can charge their storage off-peak without worrying about demand. Electric vehicle owners who charge at night will also benefit from the new rate.

United Power will also be adding a new component to its billing statements that shows members exactly when they hit their peak demand. While this information is available through the Power Portal, it is not currently printed on bills. To find detailed information on United Power’s available residential rates for 2020, go to Residential Rates. There you can compare the demand and energy charges of each rate and choose one that works best for you.

The cooperative has also compiled a helpful list of resources to better understand the demand rate, including videos, printable materials and frequently asked questions. To view these resources and more, go to Understanding Demand.

When it comes to greening up Colorado’s power supply, seismic shifts aren’t just coming out of the state Capitol.

They’re also shaking out of rural Colorado, places like Coal Creek Canyon where utility customer Stephen Whiteside lives. 

Whiteside is a conservative Republican. He’s also pro-renewable energy. It’s not a combination you’d expect, but a recent poll by Pew Research suggests many Republicans favor wind and solar. 

But Whiteside doesn’t support renewables by building a big solar array in his backyard. He does it by cheering on his rural electric cooperative, United Power. In November, United Power said it’s considering parting ways with fossil fuel-heavy power provider Tri-State Generation and Transmission in pursuit of cheaper electricity bills and more renewable energy.

“I think that’s fairly recent that renewables may be more cost-effective than other types of energy,” Whiteside said. “To me that makes a lot of sense to pursue that kind of avenue.”

Grace Hood/CPR News

Right now, Tri-State gets about one-third of its power from renewable energy. Customers like Whiteside want more renewables because they think it will bring cheaper rates. According to a recent estimate by Standard and Poor’s, electricity rates for Whiteside and others under the Tri-State System could be as much as 20 percent above the statewide Colorado average. 

Here’s how the model works now: United Power bands together with 42 other rural electricity providers, called electric cooperatives, to buy power from one entity: Tri-State.

“What that model has not done is kept up with the technological changes in the industry,” United Power CEO John Parker said.

Parker thinks it all adds up to growing pressure on the economic model that rural utilities have followed for decades. In the '80s and '90s, power providers like Tri-State invested heavily in coal-fired plants. Now, they’re trying to green up. 

United Power is not the first or the last utility looking into leave Tri-State. La Plata Electric Association has filed a complaint with Colorado regulators seeking an exit fee from Tri-State.

Grace Hood/CPR News

If those utilities part ways, they’ll follow in the footsteps of two other rural utilities: Colorado-based Delta Montrose Electric Association and New Mexico-based Kit Carson Electric Cooperative. Delta Montrose got the OK to leave its generation and transmission association (known as a G&T) with Tri-State in 2019. Kit Carson left in 2016.

“Just as the industry changes, [generation and transmission cooperatives] have to change,” said Lee Boughey, Tri-State senior manager for communications and public affairs.

Generation and Transmission Cooperatives like Tri-State formed in rural America in the middle of the last century. It was historically expensive for rural electricity providers to provide power because they just served a few customers per mile of the electricity line. That’s unlike urban utilities, which have hundreds of customers per mile. G&Ts helped shoulder the burden by providing power to rural utilities, building expensive coal-fired power plants and setting up contracts that lasted decades to help pay off the plants.

Flashforward to 2019, and power customers like Parker have a keen interest to modernize the grid and experiment with battery storage to keep customers like Whiteside happy. United Power owns the largest battery in the state, but it’s locked into a contract with Tri-State that lasts another 30 years. After power supplier Tri-State quoted United Power a $1.2 billion exit fee to leave its 30-year contract, Parker turned to state regulators for help. 

“That’s the balance we’re trying to find. If it costs us $1.2 billion to get out, we probably can’t save enough money to make that work,” Parker said.

Boughey said 2019 was a big year for Tri-State. It opened up community solar options to its members and brought 104 megawatts of new wind power online. It announced plans to build a 100 megawatt new solar farm. Its Nucla coal-fired power plant was retired early from service, reducing emissions and making operations more efficient.

Tri-State’s member cooperatives are finalizing new contracts that would allow rural utilities like United Power more flexibility to buy renewables. Currently, they’re capped in their contracts at generating just 5 percent of renewable power locally. 

Nate Minor

One of the challenges for Tri-State will be to get even more fossil fuel sources off its financial books as it faces regulatory pressure to do so in Colorado and New Mexico. Legislatures in both states passed carbon-reduction goals for utilities this year. Tri-State will be required to participate in expensive planning. However, there are no financial penalties if Tri-State doesn’t meet the goals.  

“As we move into 2020 and chart our course for the future I think there should be confidence that we’ll be able to meet the challenges ahead,” Boughey said. 

Similar disputes are playing out between rural utilities and their power suppliers across the United States. In Indiana, Tipmont Rural Electric is seeking to part ways from its power supplier over high rates. In Minneapolis, suburban utility Connexus is in the midst of talks with its power provider to get lower rates and more flexibility.

“Today memberships across the country are expecting more from their G&Ts. They’re expecting competitive prices and a greening of the grid,” Connexus CEO Greg Ridderbusch said. 

Like United Power, Connexus is locked into a decades-long contact with its power provider. Ridderbusch said in the future it will be important for his utility and others to form more robust partnerships with their power suppliers. 

“We need the G&T to lower the constraints on things we’re doing in our own backyard for our members,” Ridderbusch said. 

Whiteside said he’s on United Power’s side.

“To have reliable electric service is absolutely critical,” Whiteside said. “If solar power can supplement the other sources that United Power has, it would make sense to do that if it’s available.” 

As relationships start to shift across the country between power suppliers and rural utilities, all eyes will be on Colorado. The Public Utilities Commission could rule on the La Plata and United Power cases in 2020.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect that Tri-State’s members will ultimately decide how to roll out a partial-requirements contract.

When used safely and properly, portable space heaters provide a nice relief from the frigid chills of winter temperatures, which can often invade poorly insulated or ventilated rooms in older homes. Although space heaters are safe to use indoors because they don’t require combustion, they still pose burn and fire hazards and should be used with caution. 

Before operating, review the manufacturer’s instructions, including warning labels. Space heaters may seem like simple, easy to use electronics, but each brand and version has its own unique quirks and features. It’s better to be safe than sorry. After reviewing the instructions, inspect the space heater for cracks or broken plugs. 

Next, be sure to place the heater in a safe location. They should be located at least three feet away from anything that can burn, such as clothing and other fabrics, papers, rugs, etc. Do not place space heaters on furniture, such as chairs or tables. Place heaters on a firm, flat location on the ground away from heavily trafficked areas. 

Space heaters place a heavy load on an outlet. For this reason, do not plug any other electrical devices into the same outlet. Extension cords or power strips could also overheat and result in a fire, so plug the heater directly into the wall outlet. 

Most importantly, never leave space heaters unattended. Turn it off before you leave a room or go to sleep, and don’t let animals or children play too close to the heater. When you’re done using the space heater, always unplug it and store it safely. 

Space Heater Sticker Shock

Winter weather has arrived just in time to greet us for the holidays, and that means the cold temperatures that accompany it have also arrived. Heating is our biggest energy consumer in the winter, and when you are able to do it efficiently, you’ll notice savings on your bill. 

Unfortunately, try as we might, some rooms in our homes just don’t seem to stay as warm as others, whether that’s a room away from the furnace in an older home or a large open room that just needs a little extra warmth in the winter. 

A nice, cozy solution for providing some additional warmth in these rooms can be to use a portable space heater. However, the cost of using one of these heaters can add up quickly over the course of a few days if you’re not careful.

Space heaters are big consumers of electricity, most commonly sold as either 750- or 1500-watt models at retailers like Home Depot or Lowe’s. 

Using your space heater for as little as two hours per day over the course of a month can end up costing you nearly $10 extra on your monthly energy bill. The more hours your space heater is operating, the faster those extra charges add up.

Before you consider space heaters to solve your heating issues, try addressing some of these alternatives. 

• Search and seal. Cool air can find small cracks to get through. Sealing and caulking windows, doors and floors helps keep rooms free of cold air.
• Insulate. Upgrade your insulation or add to your existing insulation to trap more warm air in your home. 
• Install storm windows. These provide an added layer of insulation, which helps retain more heat.