Our Vision in a Rapidly Evolving Energy Industry
The electric utility industry is undergoing a significant refocus on everything from technology to power supply. The delivery model of today will look vastly different in the next decade. Grid technology is improving, energy markets are evolving, and member demands and expectations are changing. United Power must be prepared to adapt quickly and respond proactively to shifts in an ever-changing environment. We recognize the wealth of opportunities - and challenges - that come with these changes.
Our mission as your local electric cooperative is to safely and responsibly deliver reliable electricity and excellent service to our members. To continue delivering on that promise, we must identify the range of potential futures that we need to prepare for, harness our strengths, recognize where growth and investments are required, and develop innovative approaches to proactively address challenges.
It is, therefore, critical United Power ensures all the pieces work together to optimize financial investments, operating efficiencies, and resources. The intent of our cooperative roadmap is to document organizational objectives to create an alignment from the Board of Directors to every employee and, in turn, our members.
Empower and Engage with Members and Communities
Electric cooperatives are owned by the members they serve, which means the members are not just consumers but stakeholders in the cooperative’s success.
Provide Flexible, Affordable, Responsible Power and Services
As the needs of the distribution system have increased, so has the need for United Power to evolve and optimize the supply of power and services to its members.
Continuously Optimize the Electric Distribution System
The optimization of the electric distribution system is paramount as the cooperative confronts increasing demands and complexities driven by rapid electrification, the integration of DERs, and the evolving expectations of members.
Achieve and Maintain Business Agility and Resilience
Business agility and resilience are key investments of United Power’s strategic and operational plan.
Guiding Principles
The following guiding principles were used to develop this roadmap. They are the lenses through which United Power evaluates options, particularly when there are trade-offs.
Recent Roadmap Posts
Funds will facilitate significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
United Power is pleased to announce that it is a finalist for the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) Program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service. The New ERA investment will be used to offset the cost of United Power’s transition to a strategic portfolio of clean energy that includes power purchase agreements that will provide more than 760 megawatts of renewable resources to its members by 2030.
Last fall, cooperatives across the nation submitted hundreds of proposals for a portion of the $9.7 billion in New ERA Program funds earmarked for projects that reduce overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the cooperatives’ voluntary transformation of rural electric systems in a way that promotes resiliency and reliability of rural electric systems and affordability for their members.
“We are honored to be named a finalist for such a historic grant from the USDA,” said Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “The New ERA Program represents the first significant funding opportunity of this generation. It will help finance the energy sector’s move to a future with cleaner power generation resources. The timing of this grant award offers an ideal opportunity for United Power and our members, as we continue our transition to an independent electric distribution cooperative, which began May 1 when we exited our former wholesale power provider.”
United Power left its long-standing wholesale power contract in May in order to create a cleaner, more flexible power portfolio for cooperative members. Utilizing multiple power purchase agreements, the cooperative curated a portfolio of solar, hydropower, and wind generation projects estimated to reduce GHG emissions by 2.1 million tons annually. Seven of the cooperative’s projects were submitted for consideration by the USDA with a request for grant funding that will offset 25% of the cost of these power purchase agreements for zero-emissions and renewable energy resources.
“These funds are the perfect complement to the strategies United Power adopted to advance our clean energy journey,” said Gabriel. “Earlier this year, we deployed multiple battery energy storage systems on the United Power distribution grid, allowing us to provide redundancy on our system while stabilizing power costs. Adding more renewable energy resources to our mix will continue to build on this pioneering vision.”
United Power, which serves more than 112,000 meters on Colorado’s northern front range, sought more flexibility in its power supply mix and an ability to work more closely with local members interested in generating their own power. The cooperative is already an industry leader for its significant penetration of rooftop solar – approximately 12,000 United Power members have adopted this technology. The cooperative is also an active advocate for hyper-localized generation resources necessary for its transition to the distribution system operator model.
Colorado’s climate action plan is also driving change statewide, challenging numerous sectors to aggressively tackle GHG emissions. The state is calling for utilities, like United Power, to submit clean energy plans that demonstrate a reduction in GHG emissions by 80% from 2005 levels and end the reliance on coal-fired power generation by 2030.
“United Power is not the typical electric distribution cooperative,” said Ursula J. Morgan, United Power Board Chair. “Our service territory is experiencing incredible growth, new businesses are looking for ways to partner with us to provide cleaner power, and our local governance structure allows us to be nimble and responsive to meet our members’ needs. Cooperatives transformed the way of life in rural America when they stretched power lines across the country nearly 100 years ago, and today we are transforming our power supply by implementing the decarbonization efforts as laid out in Our Cooperative Roadmap. The New ERA investment will have an immediate positive impact on these efforts while helping to stabilize rates in future years for all United Power members.”
Agreement adds 150 MW of Solar to the Cooperative’s Power Mix
Brighton, CO—United Power, Inc. (United Power), an electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern Front Range, and a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage, announce the signing of a power purchase agreement on April 9. Under the 25-year agreement, United Power will receive output from NextEra Energy Resources’ South Platte Solar project, which is scheduled to begin operations in December 2027.
“United Power continues to build on our growing portfolio of local, renewable resources under this agreement,” stated Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “Our strategy is to continue to add resources to our power mix that complement our growth. This new resource is scheduled to come online at the end of 2027 to offset the ongoing territory growth that we expect to see.”
NextEra Energy Resources, the owner and operator of the South Platte Solar project, is building the 150 MW facility in Morgan County. The solar installation is expected to generate more than 350,000 MWh annually.
“We are thrilled to work with United Power to deliver clean, sustainable energy to its members through our South Platte Solar project,” said Jim Shandalov, VP of Power Origination at NextEra Energy Resources. “Adding 150 MW of solar energy to its supply mix will enable United Power to deliver cost-effective, clean energy in response to its growing power demand.”
United Power serves more than 110,000 meters and maintains and operates over 6,500 miles of distribution line. The 900-square mile service territory wraps around the north and west borders of the Denver International Airport. It includes the north and northeast metropolitan development corridors along Interstate 25, Interstate 76, State Highway 85, and E-470 and the Golden Gate and Coal Creek canyons, two of Colorado’s most iconic and historic mountain canyons. As a result of its geographic location, United Power’s system is experiencing significant demand and energy growth, averaging approximately 6% annually.
United Power is building an energy portfolio ahead of leaving its current wholesale power supplier on May 1. Since July 2023, the cooperative has announced multiple agreements with providers and generation sources for portfolio assets related to this exit. To learn more about these contracts and United Power’s power supply transition, visit www.unitedpower.com/powersupply.
About United Power
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms, and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern Front Range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric co-ops in the nation, and in June 2021 joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900-square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson, and Keenesburg. United Power is also a founding member of the NextGen Cooperative Alliance, which is dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options available to distribution co-ops and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.
About NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (together with its affiliated entities, “NextEra Energy Resources”) is a clean energy leader and is one of the largest wholesale generators of electric power in the U.S., with approximately 30,600 megawatts of total net generating capacity, primarily in 41 states and Canada as of year-end 2023. NextEra Energy Resources is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. The business operates clean, emissions-free nuclear power generation facilities in New Hampshire and Wisconsin as part of the NextEra Energy nuclear fleet. NextEra Energy Resources offers a wide range of clean energy solutions to help businesses and customers across the country meet their emissions reduction goals. NextEra Energy Resources, LLC is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit: www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
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FERC Issues Order on Initial Decision
Storage Agreement Will Help Create Flexibility for the Cooperative
Brighton, CO — United Power, Inc. (United Power), an electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern Front Range, and Whetstone Power, a developer of sustainable energy infrastructure, announce a new partnership for the construction of a battery energy storage system.
The battery energy storage system will be located in United Power’s service territory, giving the cooperative the ability to balance load and further integrate renewable resources into its operations. This 20-year agreement provides for 34 megawatts (MW) of power to be stored and discharged up to six hours for a total discharge capability of approximately 74 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in year one of operation.
“The use of batteries on our distribution network is essential to a resilient and responsive power system and we are excited to be moving ahead aggressively with Whetstone to get this system online,” stated Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “These battery arrays will give us the ability to balance our power needs throughout the day and incorporate local renewables more efficiently. This furthers our efforts in hyper-localizing our power supply.”
Whetstone’s battery system will be located at a United Power substation and grid-charged, enabling the system to store energy during off-peak periods and discharge during periods of higher consumption. Further, the system will be operated as a six-hour solution, allowing it to discharge over a fairly long duration and thereby providing additional grid stability. This should allow United Power to use more renewable energy, further reducing its carbon footprint while ensuring reliable service to its membership. “We are proud to be a partner with United Power on this unique battery storage project,” said Collin Franceschi, Whetstone Power’s founding partner. “It was a real pleasure to work with the experienced team at United Power and find the ideal solution to meet their needs for helping to ensure clean, sustainable, and resilient energy for years to come.”
Whetstone anticipates that the asset will be placed into service in 2024.
United Power serves nearly 110,000 meters and maintains and operates more than 6,500 miles of distribution line. The 900-square mile service territory wraps around the north and west borders of the Denver International Airport. It includes the north and northeast metropolitan development corridors along Interstate 25, Interstate 76, State Highway 85, and E-470 and the Golden Gate and Coal Creek canyons, two of Colorado’s most iconic and historic mountain canyons. As a result of its geographic location, United Power’s system is experiencing significant demand and energy growth, averaging approximately 6% annually.
United Power is building a power portfolio ahead of leaving its current power supplier on May 1, 2024. The cooperative recently announced a prior agreement with Whetstone, in addition to agreements with Guzman Energy, OneEnergy, and Ameresco for portfolio assets related to this exit.
Learn more about United Power’s power supply transition.
About United Power
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms, and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern Front Range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric co-ops in the nation, and in June 2021 joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900-square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson, and Keenesburg. United Power is also a founding member of the NextGen Cooperative Alliance, which is dedicated to expanding the power supply and procurement options available to distribution co-ops and reforming the traditional generation and transmission business model. For more information about United Power, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow the cooperative on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.
About Whetstone Power
Whetstone Power shapes and facilitates the sustainable energy transition one project at a time through project development, ownership, asset management, and advisory services. Whetstone thrives on solving complex problems by leveraging the experience of its leadership to provide comprehensive and unique solutions to solve utility, institutional, commercial, and industrial customer energy supply and infrastructure needs. This includes solar, storage, and conventional generation assets in both greenfield development and project redevelopment opportunities. For more information, visit www.whetstonepower.com.
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