Title
NEWS: Tri-State Announces Plans to Close Coal-Fired Plants
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Thursday | January 9, 2020
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
NextGen Cooperative Alliance to Add United Power CEO to Board
Monday | September 13, 2021
NextGen is a coalition of leaders from distribution cooperatives leading the charge to restore local control over power supply decisions. Gabriel will become one of the organization’s founding board members.
Read more >
No Rate Changes for Members in 2022
Monday | December 13, 2021
United Power has announced that there will not be a rate increase for members in 2022, marking the second consecutive year rates have not been increased.
Read more >
Title
No Rate Increase for Members in 2021
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Tuesday | December 8, 2020
Card Teaser
The decision from the cooperative’s Board of Directors was made in November upon approval of the 2021 budget and rate structure.
Cooperative Board of Directors Approves 2021 Budget at November Meeting
United Power is pleased to announce there will be no rate increase in 2021. The decision from the cooperative’s Board of Directors was made in November upon approval of the 2021 budget and rate structure. For many members, who have had to endure a tumultuous past few months or have been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the news could not have come at a better time.
Rates were able to remain steady thanks to the forethought of cooperative leadership, who recognized the potential financial impact the pandemic could have and took immediate action to reduce spending in various departments. Just as businesses and homeowners adjusted spending, each team at United Power was tasked with evaluating initiatives that could either save money or be delayed without impacting service.
“United Power has been fortunate during this time,” said Laurie Burkhart, the cooperative’s chief financial officer. “We haven’t seen the same level of impact as many other cooperatives, and that’s due in large part to the actions our teams have taken, as well as continued growth we’ve seen. It’s allowed us to keep our rates from increasing and provide some small relief to our members.”
A variety of factors allowed the cooperative to keep rates steady, but perhaps chief among them has been the amount of growth seen throughout the service area, despite the pandemic. The slowdown United Power anticipated on its system never materialized. Instead, another strong year in residential and business growth, as well as load growth, helped fuel its ability to weather the storm. Other shifts in the ways our members interacted with us this year made small, but noticeable, changes to costs. Member enrollment in services like online account management and paperless billing was also a factor, which helped the cooperative improve efficiencies and provided real savings.
While keeping the current rate structures may ease the burden for many residential members, it could be especially impactful for local organizations like school districts and businesses that may be facing tough budget years ahead as a result of slower sales or state budget cuts. Steady electric rates are one less thing for larger members to plan for when making end of year budget adjustments.
Many members may realize some small benefit from stable rates in the coming year, but United Power has also prioritized the pursuit of more affordable and competitive rates for several years. The cooperative has had ongoing discussions with its wholesale power provider, Tri-State Generation & Transmission, that would allow it to eventually lower rates as much as 15% to 25% in the next few years.
“United Power has worked closely with Tri-State for several years to provide reliable and affordable rates to our members,” said acting CEO Bryant Robbins. “Efforts continue to be made in looking at all of our options with Tri-State to reach our rate reduction goals. We are also looking at other power supply options should we not be able to come to an acceptable agreement. My hope is to provide our Board with a couple of great options so that they can make the decision that they feel is in the best interest of our membership.”
In a cooperative, we all share in the expense and prosperity, and members who were able to continue paying bills helped United Power maintain its positive financial condition. For those who were impacted by job loss or illness and unable to pay their bills, the cooperative established the Co-op Cares Fund to provide financial assistance and ease the burden on both members and the co-op. This year $300,000 was allocated to the fund from unclaimed capital credits. In October, the Board approved an additional allocation of $250,000 for members in 2021.
United Power understands our members have different needs and use electricity in vastly different ways. United Power’s residential rates are designed so members have the option to choose one that most closely fits how they use energy. When the cooperative’s demand rate debuted in January 2019, it separated the energy and demand components and allowed the cooperative to more fairly charge members for both their energy use and impact on the grid. Along with it, the cooperative also rolled out the Smart Choice Rate, which provided two different peak demand charges and a much lower energy charge. Earlier this year, United Power added a Peak Time of Day rate, which encourages members to switch their usage to off-peak hours. The new rate charges a higher demand for on-peak usage, but does not charge for demand during off-peak hours. The cooperative’s standard and time of day rates also remain options for members.
However you use your energy, the flexibility of the cooperative’s residential rates should meet most members’ needs. You can compare the demand and energy charges of each rate and choose the one that most closely fits how you and your family use energy on the Residential Rates page.
Title
Notice of 2022 Board Nominations
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Friday | February 11, 2022
Card Teaser
The following persons have been nominated by petition to run for Director of United Power, Inc.
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 13, 2022. Districts East, South and West are up for three-year terms. 2022 Director Candidates are as follows:
District E (East)
Steven "Steve" Douglas
Naptali A. Lucks
Elizabeth "Beth" A. Martin
District S (South)
Keith Alquist
District W (West)
Ursula J. Morgan
This notice is posted pursuant to Section 4.06 of the Bylaws of United Power, Inc.
Posted: 2-11-2022
Cooperative Website
Brighton Headquarters
Carbon Valley Service Center
Coal Creek Office
Learn more about the 2022 Annual Meeting & Director Election here:
Annual Meeting
Title
Notice of Board Nominations
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Friday | February 14, 2020
Card Teaser
The following persons have been nominated by petition to run for Director of United Power, Inc.
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
Title
Notice of Change in Rules and Regulations Tariffs
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Tuesday | July 12, 2022
Card Teaser
You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United Power) proposes to make several modifications to update and reflect current business practices in the Rules and Regulations.
NOTICE OF CHANGE IN THE RULES AND REGULATIONS TARIFFS OF UNITED POWER, INC.
Date of Notice: July 12, 2022
You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United Power) proposes to make several modifications to update and reflect current business practices in the Rules and Regulations. These updates are to become effective on or after August 12, 2022. Staff has reviewed the current Rules and Regulations tariffs. Business units across the organization were involved in the review. The following main areas have been identified as needing revisions or updating: (1) Updating “Customer” to “Member” to recognize our end-users properly; (2) Updating “United” to “United Power” for consistency throughout the entire document; (3) Formatting and grammatical updates for ease of use, consistency, and clarity; and (4) Updates for Current Business Practices to reflect technological changes, system changes, and efficiencies.
The present and proposed Rules and Regulations tariffs are available for examination at the Coal Creek Branch Office, located at 5 Gross Dam Road, Golden, Colorado; the Brighton headquarters office located at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton Colorado; and the Carbon Valley Service Center located at 9586 E. I-25 Frontage Road, Longmont, Colorado.
Anyone who desires to comment about the proposed changes shall file either an informal complaint or a formal complaint with United Power at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton, Colorado 80603 at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
An informal complaint shall be in writing and shall contain such facts and other information to adequately state the reason(s) for the complaint. An informal complaint shall be considered by United Power, in regard to the proposed changes to the Rules and Regulations tariffs but will not require that a hearing be held.
Anyone who desires a hearing must file a specific and formal complaint to the proposed changes and a request for hearing at least 10 days before the proposed effective date. A formal complaint shall be in writing in the form prescribed by United Power’s Regulations Governing Consumer Complaints and Related Matters. Upon request, a copy of said regulations is available from United Power.
United Power may hold a hearing to determine what changes will be authorized, regardless of complaints. If proper formal complaints and request for hearings are timely filed, the Board shall schedule a hearing. The changes ultimately authorized may or may not be the same as those proposed and may include changes different than those Rules and Regulations tariffs proposed or currently in effect. Anyone who desires to receive notice of hearings, if any, shall make a written request therefor to United Power, at the above address at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
UNITED POWER, INC.
By: Mark A. Gabriel, President and Chief Executive Officer
Title
Notice of Change in the Tariffs of United Power, Inc.
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Tuesday | November 27, 2018
Card Teaser
The present and proposed tariff provisions are available for examination at United Power's physical location in Brighton, Ft. Lupton and Coal Creek Canyon.
As Published in the Denver Post and Longmont Times Call: November 9th, 2018
You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United) proposes to make changes to several of its rate tariff schedules to become effective for energy usage on or after January 1, 2019 (billings issued after February 1, 2019). A cost of service study was updated and indicated an increase was necessary for several rate classes. There will be a rate increase to the Residential (R1) rate class of 1.5% and a 2% increase to the Residential Time of Use (RTD1) and Irrigation (IRR2) rate classes. The Industrial Service – Substation or Transmission (ITD1, ITD2, ITD3 and ITD4) rate classes will have an increase of .7 mills per kWh. The Residential (R1), Residential Time of Use (RTD1), Small Commercial (C1), Small Commercial Time of Use (CTD1), Irrigation (IRR2) and Small Industrial Primary (SIP1) will have a demand charge of $1.00 per kW added with a reduction in the energy charge per kWh. The Residential Demand Pilot Rate (RD1) will be eliminated and a new Smart Choice rate will be established for residential service. There will be minor rate language updates for consistency to Residential (R1), Residential Time of Use (RTD1), Small Commercial (C1), Small Commercial Time of Use (CTD1), Irrigation (IRR2), Small Industrial Primary (SIP1), Large Commercial Secondary Demand (ISD1) and Large Industrial Primary Demand (IPD1) rate classes. The Rules and Regulations, Service Rules and Regulations, and the Service Connection and Line Extension Policies will be reformatted.
The present and proposed tariff provisions are available for examination at the Coal Creek Branch Office, located at 5 Gross Dam Road, Golden, Colorado; the Ft. Lupton Branch office located at 1200 Dexter Street, Ft. Lupton, Colorado; and the headquarters office located at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton Colorado.
Anyone who desires to comment about the proposed changes shall file either an informal complaint or a formal complaint with United at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton, Colorado 80603 at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
An informal complaint shall be in writing and shall contain such facts and other information to adequately state the reason(s) for the complaint. An informal complaint shall be considered by United, in regard to the proposed tariff changes, but will not require that a hearing be held.
Anyone who desires a hearing must file a specific and formal complaint to the proposed changes and a request for hearing at least 10 days before the proposed effective date. A formal complaint shall be in writing in the form prescribed by United’s Regulations Governing Consumer Complaints and Related Matters. Upon request, a copy of said regulations is available from United.
United may hold a hearing to determine what changes will be authorized, regardless of complaints. If proper formal complaints and request for hearings are timely filed, the Board shall schedule a hearing. The changes ultimately authorized may or may not be the same as those proposed and may include changes different than those tariffs proposed or currently in effect. Anyone who desires to receive notice of hearings, if any, shall make a written request therefor to United, at the above address at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
UNITED POWER, INC
By: John D. Parker, Chief Executive Officer
Title
Notice of Change in the Tariffs of United Power, Inc.
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Monday | October 8, 2018
Card Teaser
You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United) proposes to update Interconnection Standards and make changes to several tariff sheets to become effective on November 1, 2018.
Date of Notice: October 10, 2018
You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United) proposes to update Interconnection Standards and make changes to several tariff sheets to become effective on November 1, 2018. The Reserve Capacity rate for Net Metering will be eliminated and the wording in the Net Metering rate tariff is updated to reflect current language for Interconnection Standards.
The present and proposed tariff provisions are available for examination at the Coal Creek Branch Office, located at 5 Gross Dam Road, Golden, Colorado; the Ft. Lupton Branch office located at 1200 Dexter Street, Ft. Lupton, Colorado; and the headquarters office located at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton Colorado.
Anyone who desires to comment about the proposed changes shall file either an informal complaint or a formal complaint with United at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton, Colorado 80603 at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
An informal complaint shall be in writing and shall contain such facts and other information to adequately state the reason(s) for the complaint. An informal complaint shall be considered by United, in regard to the proposed tariff changes, but will not require that a hearing be held.
Anyone who desires a hearing must file a specific and formal complaint to the proposed changes and a request for hearing at least 10 days before the proposed effective date. A formal complaint shall be in writing in the form prescribed by United’s Regulations Governing Consumer Complaints and Related Matters. Upon request, a copy of said regulations is available from United.
United may hold a hearing to determine what changes will be authorized, regardless of complaints. If proper formal complaints and request for hearings are timely filed, the Board shall schedule a hearing. The changes ultimately authorized may or may not be the same as those proposed and may include changes different than those tariffs proposed or currently in effect. Anyone who desires to receive notice of hearings, if any, shall make a written request therefor to United, at the above address at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
UNITED POWER, INC
By: John D. Parker, Chief Executive Officer
Notice of Change in the Tariffs of United Power, Inc.
Monday | November 20, 2017
You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United) proposes to make changes to several of its rate tariff schedules to become effective for energy usage on or after January 1, 2018 (billings issued after February 1, 2018).
Read more >
Title
November Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Monday | November 3, 2025
Card Teaser
A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
These days it is easy for national headlines and political turmoil to distract us from the prime directive of electric cooperatives like United Power, which is to safely keep the lights on in the most cost effective and sustainable way possible.
Every day and night the women and men of United Power are clearly focused on our mission. There is an old saying, loosely adopted by the U.S. Postal Service, from the translation of Herodotus’ Histories that says, “It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along the road, each horse and man at the interval of a day’s journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed.” This is more appropriately the mantra of the people at United Power who work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year in some of the most challenging weather conditions to ensure the lights stay on.
We have a tremendous team — from the dispatchers working around the clock to the crews who build the system to the engineers planning the system to the member services representatives answering your questions. Every one of our 200+ employees does their part. They are dedicated to your cooperative with the support of our visionary Board of Directors who spend countless hours guiding the execution of Our Cooperative Roadmap.
Federal funding cancellations affecting projects are indeed disappointing — and confusing as the entire industry faces challenges brought on by significant increases in electric demand. Our actions are focused on physics, not politics, and we will continue to make sure we have a diverse portfolio of hyper-localized resources, coupled with power from a variety of transmission-delivered electricity.
We recently contracted for the Fortress Project, a 200 megawatt (MW) solar project supported by 150 MW of battery storage. Combined with our existing 119 MW of batteries, United Power leads the way in the West.
Data centers receive a lot of blame for increasing energy costs, but that is only a fraction of the pressure on rates. While there is a narrative that data centers support the artificial intelligence invading our lives, many of us believe requiring these companies to invest in upgrades and support of renewable energy mandates will actually help lower rates. United Power’s LIT (location, investment, and timing) process requires developers of large projects to pay for the costs of infrastructure. This process, once further utilized and refined, is expected to be a model for other utilities.
There are other realities we are facing. The inflationary pressures on equipment are dramatic. We see this in our everyday lives at the grocery store but certainly in the materials we need to purchase to keep the lights on. Over the past several years the cost of things as simple as a basic work truck have gone up more than 30%, steel and aluminum have increased significantly due to tariffs, and health care costs continue to climb beyond the rate of inflation.
At United Power we have moved ahead on a new asset management system that will allow us to focus on replacing equipment at the right time, manage inventory more efficiently, and understand problems before they spread widely. Additionally, the partnership with all of you, our members, as we move toward becoming a distribution system operator (DSO) means we will be able to aggregate local generation in support of the market when it comes in April 2026.
We do have some additional challenges that must be addressed. The lack of transmission — which is exacerbated by local utilities trying to control the lines for their own benefit — is one of the critical issues we are attacking. Meeting the state’s 2030 emissions requirements is harder because of this situation, but I am confident in the great team at United Power and their ability to find a solution.
As always, please feel free to reach out with any comments or questions. It is my honor to serve as your President and CEO and to lead this team of amazing people.
Title
NEWS: Tri-State Announces Plans to Close Coal-Fired Plants
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Thursday | January 9, 2020
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
NextGen Cooperative Alliance to Add United Power CEO to Board
Monday | September 13, 2021
NextGen is a coalition of leaders from distribution cooperatives leading the charge to restore local control over power supply decisions. Gabriel will become one of the organization’s founding board members.
Read more >
No Rate Changes for Members in 2022
Monday | December 13, 2021
United Power has announced that there will not be a rate increase for members in 2022, marking the second consecutive year rates have not been increased.
Read more >
Title
No Rate Increase for Members in 2021
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Tuesday | December 8, 2020
Card Teaser
The decision from the cooperative’s Board of Directors was made in November upon approval of the 2021 budget and rate structure.
Cooperative Board of Directors Approves 2021 Budget at November Meeting
United Power is pleased to announce there will be no rate increase in 2021. The decision from the cooperative’s Board of Directors was made in November upon approval of the 2021 budget and rate structure. For many members, who have had to endure a tumultuous past few months or have been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the news could not have come at a better time.
Rates were able to remain steady thanks to the forethought of cooperative leadership, who recognized the potential financial impact the pandemic could have and took immediate action to reduce spending in various departments. Just as businesses and homeowners adjusted spending, each team at United Power was tasked with evaluating initiatives that could either save money or be delayed without impacting service.
“United Power has been fortunate during this time,” said Laurie Burkhart, the cooperative’s chief financial officer. “We haven’t seen the same level of impact as many other cooperatives, and that’s due in large part to the actions our teams have taken, as well as continued growth we’ve seen. It’s allowed us to keep our rates from increasing and provide some small relief to our members.”
A variety of factors allowed the cooperative to keep rates steady, but perhaps chief among them has been the amount of growth seen throughout the service area, despite the pandemic. The slowdown United Power anticipated on its system never materialized. Instead, another strong year in residential and business growth, as well as load growth, helped fuel its ability to weather the storm. Other shifts in the ways our members interacted with us this year made small, but noticeable, changes to costs. Member enrollment in services like online account management and paperless billing was also a factor, which helped the cooperative improve efficiencies and provided real savings.
While keeping the current rate structures may ease the burden for many residential members, it could be especially impactful for local organizations like school districts and businesses that may be facing tough budget years ahead as a result of slower sales or state budget cuts. Steady electric rates are one less thing for larger members to plan for when making end of year budget adjustments.
Many members may realize some small benefit from stable rates in the coming year, but United Power has also prioritized the pursuit of more affordable and competitive rates for several years. The cooperative has had ongoing discussions with its wholesale power provider, Tri-State Generation & Transmission, that would allow it to eventually lower rates as much as 15% to 25% in the next few years.
“United Power has worked closely with Tri-State for several years to provide reliable and affordable rates to our members,” said acting CEO Bryant Robbins. “Efforts continue to be made in looking at all of our options with Tri-State to reach our rate reduction goals. We are also looking at other power supply options should we not be able to come to an acceptable agreement. My hope is to provide our Board with a couple of great options so that they can make the decision that they feel is in the best interest of our membership.”
In a cooperative, we all share in the expense and prosperity, and members who were able to continue paying bills helped United Power maintain its positive financial condition. For those who were impacted by job loss or illness and unable to pay their bills, the cooperative established the Co-op Cares Fund to provide financial assistance and ease the burden on both members and the co-op. This year $300,000 was allocated to the fund from unclaimed capital credits. In October, the Board approved an additional allocation of $250,000 for members in 2021.
United Power understands our members have different needs and use electricity in vastly different ways. United Power’s residential rates are designed so members have the option to choose one that most closely fits how they use energy. When the cooperative’s demand rate debuted in January 2019, it separated the energy and demand components and allowed the cooperative to more fairly charge members for both their energy use and impact on the grid. Along with it, the cooperative also rolled out the Smart Choice Rate, which provided two different peak demand charges and a much lower energy charge. Earlier this year, United Power added a Peak Time of Day rate, which encourages members to switch their usage to off-peak hours. The new rate charges a higher demand for on-peak usage, but does not charge for demand during off-peak hours. The cooperative’s standard and time of day rates also remain options for members.
However you use your energy, the flexibility of the cooperative’s residential rates should meet most members’ needs. You can compare the demand and energy charges of each rate and choose the one that most closely fits how you and your family use energy on the Residential Rates page.
Title
Notice of 2022 Board Nominations
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Friday | February 11, 2022
Card Teaser
The following persons have been nominated by petition to run for Director of United Power, Inc.
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 13, 2022. Districts East, South and West are up for three-year terms. 2022 Director Candidates are as follows:
District E (East)
Steven "Steve" Douglas
Naptali A. Lucks
Elizabeth "Beth" A. Martin
District S (South)
Keith Alquist
District W (West)
Ursula J. Morgan
This notice is posted pursuant to Section 4.06 of the Bylaws of United Power, Inc.
Posted: 2-11-2022
Cooperative Website
Brighton Headquarters
Carbon Valley Service Center
Coal Creek Office
Learn more about the 2022 Annual Meeting & Director Election here:
Annual Meeting
Title
Notice of Board Nominations
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Friday | February 14, 2020
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The following persons have been nominated by petition to run for Director of United Power, Inc.
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
Title
Notice of Change in Rules and Regulations Tariffs
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Tuesday | July 12, 2022
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You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United Power) proposes to make several modifications to update and reflect current business practices in the Rules and Regulations.
NOTICE OF CHANGE IN THE RULES AND REGULATIONS TARIFFS OF UNITED POWER, INC.
Date of Notice: July 12, 2022
You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United Power) proposes to make several modifications to update and reflect current business practices in the Rules and Regulations. These updates are to become effective on or after August 12, 2022. Staff has reviewed the current Rules and Regulations tariffs. Business units across the organization were involved in the review. The following main areas have been identified as needing revisions or updating: (1) Updating “Customer” to “Member” to recognize our end-users properly; (2) Updating “United” to “United Power” for consistency throughout the entire document; (3) Formatting and grammatical updates for ease of use, consistency, and clarity; and (4) Updates for Current Business Practices to reflect technological changes, system changes, and efficiencies.
The present and proposed Rules and Regulations tariffs are available for examination at the Coal Creek Branch Office, located at 5 Gross Dam Road, Golden, Colorado; the Brighton headquarters office located at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton Colorado; and the Carbon Valley Service Center located at 9586 E. I-25 Frontage Road, Longmont, Colorado.
Anyone who desires to comment about the proposed changes shall file either an informal complaint or a formal complaint with United Power at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton, Colorado 80603 at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
An informal complaint shall be in writing and shall contain such facts and other information to adequately state the reason(s) for the complaint. An informal complaint shall be considered by United Power, in regard to the proposed changes to the Rules and Regulations tariffs but will not require that a hearing be held.
Anyone who desires a hearing must file a specific and formal complaint to the proposed changes and a request for hearing at least 10 days before the proposed effective date. A formal complaint shall be in writing in the form prescribed by United Power’s Regulations Governing Consumer Complaints and Related Matters. Upon request, a copy of said regulations is available from United Power.
United Power may hold a hearing to determine what changes will be authorized, regardless of complaints. If proper formal complaints and request for hearings are timely filed, the Board shall schedule a hearing. The changes ultimately authorized may or may not be the same as those proposed and may include changes different than those Rules and Regulations tariffs proposed or currently in effect. Anyone who desires to receive notice of hearings, if any, shall make a written request therefor to United Power, at the above address at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
UNITED POWER, INC.
By: Mark A. Gabriel, President and Chief Executive Officer
Title
Notice of Change in the Tariffs of United Power, Inc.
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Tuesday | November 27, 2018
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The present and proposed tariff provisions are available for examination at United Power's physical location in Brighton, Ft. Lupton and Coal Creek Canyon.
As Published in the Denver Post and Longmont Times Call: November 9th, 2018
You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United) proposes to make changes to several of its rate tariff schedules to become effective for energy usage on or after January 1, 2019 (billings issued after February 1, 2019). A cost of service study was updated and indicated an increase was necessary for several rate classes. There will be a rate increase to the Residential (R1) rate class of 1.5% and a 2% increase to the Residential Time of Use (RTD1) and Irrigation (IRR2) rate classes. The Industrial Service – Substation or Transmission (ITD1, ITD2, ITD3 and ITD4) rate classes will have an increase of .7 mills per kWh. The Residential (R1), Residential Time of Use (RTD1), Small Commercial (C1), Small Commercial Time of Use (CTD1), Irrigation (IRR2) and Small Industrial Primary (SIP1) will have a demand charge of $1.00 per kW added with a reduction in the energy charge per kWh. The Residential Demand Pilot Rate (RD1) will be eliminated and a new Smart Choice rate will be established for residential service. There will be minor rate language updates for consistency to Residential (R1), Residential Time of Use (RTD1), Small Commercial (C1), Small Commercial Time of Use (CTD1), Irrigation (IRR2), Small Industrial Primary (SIP1), Large Commercial Secondary Demand (ISD1) and Large Industrial Primary Demand (IPD1) rate classes. The Rules and Regulations, Service Rules and Regulations, and the Service Connection and Line Extension Policies will be reformatted.
The present and proposed tariff provisions are available for examination at the Coal Creek Branch Office, located at 5 Gross Dam Road, Golden, Colorado; the Ft. Lupton Branch office located at 1200 Dexter Street, Ft. Lupton, Colorado; and the headquarters office located at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton Colorado.
Anyone who desires to comment about the proposed changes shall file either an informal complaint or a formal complaint with United at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton, Colorado 80603 at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
An informal complaint shall be in writing and shall contain such facts and other information to adequately state the reason(s) for the complaint. An informal complaint shall be considered by United, in regard to the proposed tariff changes, but will not require that a hearing be held.
Anyone who desires a hearing must file a specific and formal complaint to the proposed changes and a request for hearing at least 10 days before the proposed effective date. A formal complaint shall be in writing in the form prescribed by United’s Regulations Governing Consumer Complaints and Related Matters. Upon request, a copy of said regulations is available from United.
United may hold a hearing to determine what changes will be authorized, regardless of complaints. If proper formal complaints and request for hearings are timely filed, the Board shall schedule a hearing. The changes ultimately authorized may or may not be the same as those proposed and may include changes different than those tariffs proposed or currently in effect. Anyone who desires to receive notice of hearings, if any, shall make a written request therefor to United, at the above address at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
UNITED POWER, INC
By: John D. Parker, Chief Executive Officer
Title
Notice of Change in the Tariffs of United Power, Inc.
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Monday | October 8, 2018
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You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United) proposes to update Interconnection Standards and make changes to several tariff sheets to become effective on November 1, 2018.
Date of Notice: October 10, 2018
You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United) proposes to update Interconnection Standards and make changes to several tariff sheets to become effective on November 1, 2018. The Reserve Capacity rate for Net Metering will be eliminated and the wording in the Net Metering rate tariff is updated to reflect current language for Interconnection Standards.
The present and proposed tariff provisions are available for examination at the Coal Creek Branch Office, located at 5 Gross Dam Road, Golden, Colorado; the Ft. Lupton Branch office located at 1200 Dexter Street, Ft. Lupton, Colorado; and the headquarters office located at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton Colorado.
Anyone who desires to comment about the proposed changes shall file either an informal complaint or a formal complaint with United at 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton, Colorado 80603 at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
An informal complaint shall be in writing and shall contain such facts and other information to adequately state the reason(s) for the complaint. An informal complaint shall be considered by United, in regard to the proposed tariff changes, but will not require that a hearing be held.
Anyone who desires a hearing must file a specific and formal complaint to the proposed changes and a request for hearing at least 10 days before the proposed effective date. A formal complaint shall be in writing in the form prescribed by United’s Regulations Governing Consumer Complaints and Related Matters. Upon request, a copy of said regulations is available from United.
United may hold a hearing to determine what changes will be authorized, regardless of complaints. If proper formal complaints and request for hearings are timely filed, the Board shall schedule a hearing. The changes ultimately authorized may or may not be the same as those proposed and may include changes different than those tariffs proposed or currently in effect. Anyone who desires to receive notice of hearings, if any, shall make a written request therefor to United, at the above address at least 10 days before the proposed effective date.
UNITED POWER, INC
By: John D. Parker, Chief Executive Officer
Notice of Change in the Tariffs of United Power, Inc.
Monday | November 20, 2017
You are hereby notified that UNITED POWER, INC. (United) proposes to make changes to several of its rate tariff schedules to become effective for energy usage on or after January 1, 2018 (billings issued after February 1, 2018).
Read more >
Title
November Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Monday | November 3, 2025
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
These days it is easy for national headlines and political turmoil to distract us from the prime directive of electric cooperatives like United Power, which is to safely keep the lights on in the most cost effective and sustainable way possible.
Every day and night the women and men of United Power are clearly focused on our mission. There is an old saying, loosely adopted by the U.S. Postal Service, from the translation of Herodotus’ Histories that says, “It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along the road, each horse and man at the interval of a day’s journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed.” This is more appropriately the mantra of the people at United Power who work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year in some of the most challenging weather conditions to ensure the lights stay on.
We have a tremendous team — from the dispatchers working around the clock to the crews who build the system to the engineers planning the system to the member services representatives answering your questions. Every one of our 200+ employees does their part. They are dedicated to your cooperative with the support of our visionary Board of Directors who spend countless hours guiding the execution of Our Cooperative Roadmap.
Federal funding cancellations affecting projects are indeed disappointing — and confusing as the entire industry faces challenges brought on by significant increases in electric demand. Our actions are focused on physics, not politics, and we will continue to make sure we have a diverse portfolio of hyper-localized resources, coupled with power from a variety of transmission-delivered electricity.
We recently contracted for the Fortress Project, a 200 megawatt (MW) solar project supported by 150 MW of battery storage. Combined with our existing 119 MW of batteries, United Power leads the way in the West.
Data centers receive a lot of blame for increasing energy costs, but that is only a fraction of the pressure on rates. While there is a narrative that data centers support the artificial intelligence invading our lives, many of us believe requiring these companies to invest in upgrades and support of renewable energy mandates will actually help lower rates. United Power’s LIT (location, investment, and timing) process requires developers of large projects to pay for the costs of infrastructure. This process, once further utilized and refined, is expected to be a model for other utilities.
There are other realities we are facing. The inflationary pressures on equipment are dramatic. We see this in our everyday lives at the grocery store but certainly in the materials we need to purchase to keep the lights on. Over the past several years the cost of things as simple as a basic work truck have gone up more than 30%, steel and aluminum have increased significantly due to tariffs, and health care costs continue to climb beyond the rate of inflation.
At United Power we have moved ahead on a new asset management system that will allow us to focus on replacing equipment at the right time, manage inventory more efficiently, and understand problems before they spread widely. Additionally, the partnership with all of you, our members, as we move toward becoming a distribution system operator (DSO) means we will be able to aggregate local generation in support of the market when it comes in April 2026.
We do have some additional challenges that must be addressed. The lack of transmission — which is exacerbated by local utilities trying to control the lines for their own benefit — is one of the critical issues we are attacking. Meeting the state’s 2030 emissions requirements is harder because of this situation, but I am confident in the great team at United Power and their ability to find a solution.
As always, please feel free to reach out with any comments or questions. It is my honor to serve as your President and CEO and to lead this team of amazing people.
