You may have at one time or another received a recorded message from United Power informing you of a “preplanned” outage in your area. At the time, you may have been curious what a planned outage is and why the cooperative needs to perform them. In order to maintain the reliability of the system, sometimes repairs need to be made to crucial parts of the electric grid. Some repairs can be made without interrupting power, but at other points it either wouldn’t be possible or would be too dangerous for linemen to work while power is flowing. 

While the interruption of power may sound like an inconvenience, the short outage ensures greater long-term reliability. Regular system upgrades are necessary for optimal performance. The cooperative’s engineering and operations teams are constantly reviewing the system and identifying areas of improvement or where upgrades can minimize outages while increasing both reliability and security. 

Aside from the safety of you and our crews and better performance leading to greater reliability, there are a few more things you should know about preplanned outages. When one of these outages is necessary, the cooperative makes upgrades that affect as few members as possible. Rarely do preplanned outages impact more than a few members. In the rare instance a larger number of members are impacted, there will be more advanced notice. Generally, the larger the outage, the more advanced notice members will receive. Preplanned outages are also scheduled for small windows – usually no more than five hours – when most members are away from the home. 

United Power also sends members prerecorded phone messages informing them of work happening in their area. It’s important to differentiate these calls from preplanned outage notices. A notice of work in your area does not always mean you will experience an interruption in power. 

In order to receive notices about work in your area or preplanned outages, your contact information on file with the cooperative must be up to date. As new software becomes available, you may also have more options for how to receive important updates from United Power. However, any notice the co-op sends will be tied to the information on your account. If the information on your account, such as phone numbers and email addresses, is not current or is incorrect, you could be missing these important notices. 

You can check your contact information and make updates using the free online payment portal, SmartHub, or by calling the Member Services team at 303-637-1300.
 

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 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, INC.

OFFICIAL POSTING OF NOMINATIONS
FOR DIRECTOR BY PETITION

The following persons have been nominated by petition to run for Director of United Power, Inc., in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of Members scheduled April 15, 2020. Districts E (East), Districts M (Mountain), S (South) and W (West) are up for three-year terms.

District E (East)

James Vigesaa

District M (Mountains)

Tamra K. Waltemath

District S (South)

Greg Campbell
Stan Martin
Phil Noble
David E. Rose

District W (West)

Ginny Buczek
James P. Menghi

This notice is posted pursuant to Section 4.06 of the Bylaws of United Power, Inc.

Posted: 2-14-2020
Cooperative Website
Brighton Headquarters
Carbon Valley Service Center
Coal Creek Office
Ft. Lupton Office

Learn more about the 2020 Annual Meeting & Director Election here:

Annual Meeting