The United Power board of directors proposed a modest increase in residential rates at their November 8th regulatory meeting. The rate increase will vary from 1.5–2% for residential members. Members on the standard residential rate will see a 1.5% rate increase beginning with their January 1st usage, which amounts to an average increase of $1.58 per month. Members on the residential time-of-day rate and irrigation rate will see a 2% increase – an average monthly increase of $3.23 per month. 

An additional time-of-day rate was added in response to concerns raised by members utilizing the time-of-day rate. The additional time-of-day rate gives members who utilize specialized equipment and shift their consumption to off-peak periods another rate option. (See Rates Chart attachment below)

“As we move forward with the rate changes, it’s important that we listen to our members, and our newest rate is a response to their concerns,” stated Dean Hubbock, Director of Power Supply and Rates. “The new rates should have a minimal impact on members, and we now have several rates that members can consider when determining the best rate for their lifestyle.”

Last year, United Power instituted a new rate structure that allowed the cooperative to more fairly bill members for not only the power they use, but also for their impact on the electrical system delivering power. The new rate structure charges for energy and demand, breaking apart two costs that had been previously blended together. The new structure even allows members to have more control over the components of their bill that raise their costs. For example, in the residential rate, the demand charge increased by 50¢ per kW, while the energy charge drops from 10.15¢ per kWh to 9.95¢ per kWh.

“We understand that everyone has a different way they use power in their home, and by expanding our rate offerings, members can select a rate that best fits their usage patterns,” stated Hubbock.

In addition to the changes to the residential rates, the board proposed a couple additional changes. Irrigation rates will see a 2% monthly increase for 2020 – an increase of about $1.79 per month. Small and large commercial customers and large industrial primary customers will see an overall 2% monthly decrease in 2020. 

“The small reduction for commercial customers was warranted according to our most recent cost-of-service study,” stated Hubbock. “We will be conducting another full study in 2020, and that will help us continue to refine the rates we charge members in different rate classes.”

The new rates will go into effect for usage beginning January 1, 2020, so members will not see the increase on their bills until their February billing. Members can learn more about how to control their demand and lower their overall electric costs by visiting the Understanding Demand page. There are many helpful resources and videos to help you understand how the two components of your power are billed and how to control these costs.

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it the time to put up festive lights, both indoors and outdoors, to enjoy along with the holiday season.

According to Electrical Safety Foundation International, nearly 90 percent of Americans decorate their homes as part of winter holidays. While holiday lighting does contribute to the joy, appeal and splendor of the season, using them without following important safety precautions can increase the risk of fires and electrical injuries.

ESFI recommends holiday safety steps to ensure you and your family are able to enjoy the season comfortably and worry-free:

1. The best decorations are safe decorations, so when you’re decorating, make sure not to run cords under rugs or furniture.

2. Always turn off your decorations when you leave your home and when you’re sleeping.

3. Don’t overload outlets or extensions cords. If you’re using extension cords or adapters that add receptacles, consider having a qualified electrician add more outlets to your home.

4. Only use electronics in dry areas. As tempting as it is, you just can’t decorate your aquarium with icicle lights.

5. Every home needs a working smoke alarm in each bedroom, outside sleeping areas and on every level, including the basement.

6. Inspect your decorations and discard any that are damaged or worn out. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, loose connections or frayed or bare wires. Plug light strings together as you inspect them but before hanging.

7. ESFI recommends buying your family Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter breakers or outlets. Many electrical fires that occur every year could be prevented by AFCIs.

United Power, a member-owned electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern front range, has been investigating its power supply options with Tri-State Generation & Transmission over the last several years, as is the fiduciary responsibility to its member-owners. As part of its investigation, United Power filed a request for the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to exercise its authority to establish a just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory exit charge from Tri-State Generation & Transmission. Tri-State is a cooperative generation and transmission association headquartered in Westminster, Colorado which provides wholesale power to 40 utilities across four states, including United Power.

“United Power members deserve clean, affordable energy and we have an obligation as a cooperative to look out for the financial interests of our member-owners. We have been working for the last few years on solutions with Tri-State that would allow the co-op the flexibility to add local resources, or purchase lower cost power from other sources,” said John Parker, Chief Executive Officer for United Power. “Conversations regarding our power agreement with Tri-State have stalled and the cooperative is seeking out all possible alternatives to build in rate reductions and offer more renewable options to our energy mix.”

Power purchase agreements with Tri-State limit the purchase of additional power by United Power to just five percent of total power requirements. United Power, along with several other cooperatives, championed a bylaw change that would allow Tri-State member cooperatives to enter into partial requirement contracts.  These new partial requirement contracts are an essential component of any successful plan to de-carbonize Colorado electricity generation consistent with Colorado state policy objectives by reducing United Power’s reliance on Tri-State’s high-priced, carbon-intensive power mix. Not only that, they would allow the cooperative to better meet demands for local renewable energy projects, and ultimately reduce costs for United Power members. Since the resolution was passed earlier this year, the two parties have been unable to come to agreements on proposed solutions, and recently Tri-State placed a moratorium on all partial power and buy-out conversations until mid-2020.

“By not allowing United Power to move forward in a timely manner to seek additional energy sources, Tri-State is effectively holding this cooperative and our members hostage,” said Parker. “We are seeking partial requirements and/or buy-out solutions that are in the financial interests of the Tri-State cooperative family, and mutually beneficial to the ratepayers we serve. A full disclosure of a fair and just exit package is the information United Power needs to evaluate and ultimately make effective choices for our members.”

Colorado’s Public Utilities Law gives the Commission broad jurisdiction over public utilities like Tri-State, thus United Power has asked for their intervention to obtain a fair exit price and pricing methodology from Tri-State.

Careers in Energy Week is Oct.14-20, 2019 and celebrates the workforce that provides a vital service to our communities and to raise awareness of the rewarding careers available in the energy industry. From line workers to construction project managers to electrical engineers and beyond, these men and women work tirelessly to ensure that businesses and homes across the country always have the energy they need.

To celebrate the people behind your power, we’ve featured a small sampling of the many employees who have found careers in energy at your local electric cooperative.

Jared
Senior Planning Engineer

United Power’s engineering team is hard at work behind the scenes designing a system able to efficiently deliver reliable power to our members. That includes monitoring system performance and forecasting for growth and future load – the amount of energy the cooperative must distribute to provide enough power for all our members.

“There’s never a dull moment working in the field of power engineering. We get to work with large scale projects that set the direction for the future of the cooperative. Advances in system software allow us to better map our system, identify and resolve weaknesses and put in redundancies to ensure our system is better equipped to deliver reliable power to members. Technological innovations allow us to more quickly identify and isolate faults (outages), reducing the impact of events. It’s kind of like solving a complex puzzle, but that’s what makes it exciting. There’s a lot of opportunity in the power industry for young, talented engineers to come in and have an immediate impact.”

Kirsten
Senior Right-of-Way Agent

When United Power builds new infrastructure – the lines, poles, and equipment that deliver power to our members – we work within existing agreements with cities or counties or obtain new agreements with property owners to build on that property. Our right-of-way agents are responsible for obtaining those permissions so we can build our infrastructure safely, affordably and efficiently.

“Working in right of way, you’re going to meet a lot of people and work on a lot of different kinds of projects. No two projects are the same, and that means being willing to learn about new industries. It requires a level of conscientiousness, accuracy and an ability to negotiate effectively. I’m thankful for the mentors I’ve had and the professional organizations I’ve been a part of along the way, but also those I’ve been able to mentor.”

Eliana
Energy Management Specialist

United Power’s energy management specialists are available to help empower members to take control of their energy usage. Through carefully researched energy audits, our team educates members about what behaviors are having the biggest impact on their usage, how small changes can save them time, energy and money, and what programs the cooperative offers to help them make those changes.

“You can never assume you know what the member needs. Listening is crucial because every member is trying to find solutions for their own unique challenges, and sometimes they don’t realize the solution can be simple and easy. Asking the right questions helps us narrow down their true needs. Our goal is to craft a positive member experience that leaves them armed with the information necessary to make meaningful changes to their energy usage.”

Bryce
Project Coordinator II

When new development moves into United Power’s service territory, our project managers and coordinators work with those developers to facilitate the electrical system design and construction process from start to completion, while also coordinating conversation across teams inside and outside the cooperative.

“Our ultimate responsibility is to ensure we design an electrical route that meets both our system’s needs and our member’s needs. We begin that process by meeting with members and obtaining detailed project plans to pass along to designers. To succeed in this field, you need to be able to adapt quickly to different situations, wear multiple hats and stay organized. Our digital-first approach to new construction projects has made managing jobs quicker, easier and more efficient, but we still prioritize meeting with members. Each day I’m able to see or do something different to help a member resolve their needs. It’s also been exciting to see some of the new development moving into our territory.”

Brittany
Apprentice Lineman - Step 5

United Power lineworkers are responsible for maintaining the lines, poles, and equipment that deliver power to our members. In the event of an outage, they are our “boots on the ground” working diligently to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. They work in high voltage and often dangerous situations, regardless of the weather. For them, linework is something of a passion project.

“If you decide to go into linework, you have to know it’s something you want to do. Not many people are getting into it because it’s challenging, but if you love what you’re doing and are willing to stick it out no matter what, you can do it. It just takes time. If you’re a woman interested in going into linework, don’t be intimidated. You’re going to have to work harder and find different techniques that work for you, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. If it’s something you really want to do, you can do it.”

Energy jobs offer promising opportunities to both experienced workers and those just starting their careers. These jobs are active, hands-on, rewarding, and available in every state, in an industry that is stable and growing. Learn more at www.getintoenergy.com.

United Power offers competitive salaries and first-class benefits for nearly 200 energy-related positions. If you’d like a rewarding career at a member-owned electric cooperative where we power what matters to over 93,000 members who live, work and play in our rapidly growing service territory, visit www.unitedpower.com/careers to view current openings.

United Power is More Than Your Electric Provider. We’re Part of Your Community.

What sets cooperatives apart from our for-profit counterparts is our emphasis on the communities and members we serve. When United Power celebrated its 80th anniversary earlier this year, the story was not about us, but each of you and the strength of the communities that make up who we are. Without you, there would be no United Power. We’re invested in making each and every one of our communities the best version of itself and empowering our members to be a part of that vision. 

This October, United Power invites our members to join with us in honoring National Co-op Month, a celebration of the commitment cooperatives play in their communities. There are more than 64,000 co-ops in the United States stretching across almost every industry that touches our daily lives. 

Nearly 1,000 cooperatives are electric utilities established to deliver power to parts of the country larger investor-owned companies had no interest in serving. Electric cooperatives were birthed out of the hard work of our members who recognized a need and set out to find a way to meet it. We were formed by our community, for our community. 

As our communities have grown, so have we. So too has our commitment to you. United Power is an active presence in the cities and towns we serve. Our employees live, work, play and serve here. Their faces are recognizable on local chambers of commerce boards, at nonprofits fundraisers, youth sporting events and fairs and festivals across the nearly 900 square miles we serve. 

Your cooperative puts money back into the community in the form of sponsorships, scholarships and youth leadership development. In August, United Power partnered with the Touchstone Energy balloon program to highlight two local nonprofits, Foster Source and Food For Hope, and present them with check donations to continue their incredible work in our community. 

Operation Round-Up, a foundation that wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our members, provides thousands of dollars to service organizations each year. Over its 20-year history, the foundation has distributed more than $1.5 million to organizations that provide for the necessities and urgent needs of residents in our territory. Operation Round-Up is truly an example of member-driven commitment to giving back. 

In May, the board of directors approved a $5.5 million capital credit refund. Those refunds don’t just go back to individual families within our territory. They are also distributed to schools districts and local governments. 

This year, United Power has also re-emphasized its commitment to its members with the addition of Meghan Dewey as its Member Engagement Officer. In this newly created position, Dewey is responsible for developing and implementing United Power’s member engagement strategy. Read more about Meghan here. 

Ultimately, though, the larger community benefits from these programs because of our members, who empower us through your membership, participation and support. 

Members can play an even larger role in setting the direction of the cooperative. Our democratically elected board of directors are members, just like you. Each year, members vote for board members in our director election at our Annual Meeting in April, and any member may be eligible to run for a seat. Our board and leadership team also hold occasional listening sessions to hear the concerns of our membership to make sure our policies reflects your needs. 

While United Power exists to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy, we hope you think of us as more than your energy provider, but as a local business that supports the economic development and prosperity of its communities and members – by the community, for the community.