United Power, Inc. Rate Selection Guide
United Power is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving roughly 114,000 accounts (~117,000 meters) across Colorado's northern Front Range. It offers 15-minute AMI interval data through its Power Portal and SmartHub billing portal, with third-party data access primarily through Nectar's API (docs.nectarclimate.com) and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager benchmarking.
United Power, Inc. Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Commercial (C1) | commercial | $0.1316/kWh + $4.60/kW + $23 fixed | Small businesses with modest demand |
| Small Commercial TOU (CTD1) | commercial | On-peak $0.2249 / off-peak $0.0663 per kWh + $5.25/kW | Small businesses able to shift load off 5–9 p.m. peak |
| Large Commercial Secondary (ISD1) | commercial | $0.0739/kWh + $22.40/kW + $200 fixed | Large commercial buildings at secondary voltage |
| Large Industrial Primary (IPD1) | industrial | $0.0700/kWh + $22.04/kW + $450 fixed | Large primary-voltage industrial loads |
| Coincidental Peak (CPS1/CPP1) | industrial | ~$0.07–0.086/kWh + G&T demand ~$25–27/kW + grid-access demand | Large loads able to manage the system coincident peak |
Market Overview
Colorado is a regulated electricity market with no retail choice. United Power is a member-owned distribution cooperative whose rates are set by its elected board rather than the Colorado PUC. Members buy bundled service directly from the cooperative; there is no competitive supplier shopping. United Power recently exited its Tri-State G&T wholesale supply contract to pursue independent power procurement.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the United Power, Inc. Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
United Power's 2026 rate schedules took effect January 1, 2026, set by the cooperative's board of directors. The 2026 adjustment raised demand and fixed charges across all classes, citing higher wholesale power and transmission costs (following United Power's exit from Tri-State G&T), tariffs and inflation. C&I members are served on small commercial (C1/CTD1), small industrial (SIP1), large commercial/industrial demand (ISD1/IPD1), coincidental-peak (CPS1/CPP1) and large transport-style (ITD1–ITD4) schedules. The on-peak time-of-use window changed to 5 p.m.–9 p.m., Mon–Sat.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Commercial (C1) | commercial | Small commercial accounts. | Energy $0.1316/kWh; demand $4.60/kW (highest anytime demand); fixed $23.00/month. Effective Jan. 1, 2026. | — |
| Small Commercial Time-of-Use (CTD1) | commercial | Small commercial accounts electing time-of-use. | On-peak energy $0.2249/kWh (5–9 p.m. Mon–Sat); off-peak $0.0663/kWh; demand $5.25/kW; fixed $30.00/month. Effective Jan. 1, 2026. | — |
| Small Industrial Primary Service <100kW (SIP1) | industrial | Small industrial accounts under 100 kW taking primary service. | Energy $0.0980/kWh; demand $5.00/kW (highest anytime); fixed $46.00/month. Effective Jan. 1, 2026. | — |
| Large Commercial Secondary Demand Service (ISD1) | commercial | Large commercial accounts taking secondary-voltage demand service. | Energy $0.0739/kWh; demand $22.40/kW (highest anytime); fixed $200.00/month. Effective Jan. 1, 2026. | — |
| Large Industrial Primary Demand Service (IPD1) | industrial | Large industrial accounts taking primary-voltage demand service. | Energy $0.0700/kWh; demand $22.04/kW (highest anytime); fixed $450.00/month. Effective Jan. 1, 2026. | — |
| Coincidental Peak Service (CPS1 / CPP1) | industrial | Large C&I accounts on coincidental-peak demand service (secondary CPS1, primary CPP1). | CPS1: energy $0.0856/kWh, G&T demand $25.67/kW, grid-access demand $8.14/kW, fixed $200.00. CPP1: energy $0.0720/kWh, G&T demand $26.92/kW, grid-access demand $6.46/kW, fixed $450.00. Effective Jan. 1, 2026. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Large commercial building (office/retail) on ISD1
Large commercial accounts at secondary voltage on ISD1 pay $0.0739/kWh plus a steep $22.40/kW demand charge and $200 fixed.
With demand at $22.40/kW, demand management is the single biggest lever — energy is comparatively cheap.
- Pull 15-minute Power Portal data to find peak intervals
- Sequence HVAC and large equipment to flatten demand
- Ask a Key Accounts Advisor whether CPS1 coincidental-peak service would lower G&T demand cost
Large industrial / manufacturing on IPD1 or CPP1
Primary-service industrial loads on IPD1 pay $0.0700/kWh, $22.04/kW and $450 fixed; CPP1 splits demand into a ~$26.92/kW G&T component and a $6.46/kW grid-access component.
Coincidental-peak service rewards shifting load off the system peak, which can beat flat-demand IPD1 for plants able to manage operations.
- Model IPD1 vs CPP1 using your load profile
- Target the cooperative's coincident-peak windows for curtailment
- Consider on-site generation or storage to clip coincident peaks
Very large / data-center scale load (ITD1–ITD4)
The ITD transport-style schedules carry G&T demand near $25/kW, tiered grid-access demand and fixed charges of $3,300–$4,000 with monthly minimums up to $22,000.
These schedules are designed for very large, high-load-factor customers; choosing the right ITD tier depends on grid-access demand needs and minimum bill thresholds.
- Engage United Power's Data Center Key Accounts Advisor
- Compare ITD tiers against your expected load factor and minimum-bill exposure
- Use interval data to validate the optimal tier
Small business optimizing rate selection
Small commercial accounts can choose flat C1 ($0.1316/kWh, $4.60/kW) or TOU CTD1 (on-peak $0.2249, off-peak $0.0663/kWh).
Businesses that can shift load out of the 5–9 p.m. on-peak window benefit from CTD1's low off-peak energy; those with flat daytime profiles may prefer C1.
- Map your load against the 5–9 p.m. peak window
- Use SmartHub/Power Portal data to compare C1 vs CTD1
- Manage the $4.60–5.25/kW demand component
Historical Rate Trends
United Power's board approved a 2026 rate adjustment effective January 1, 2026, raising demand and fixed charges across all rate classes. The cooperative cited higher wholesale power and transmission costs following its exit from its Tri-State Generation & Transmission contract, plus tariff-driven supply-chain and inflationary pressures. The on-peak TOU window was also shortened to 5–9 p.m.
January 1, 2026
Board-approved 2026 rate adjustment increasing demand and fixed charges across all rate classes; on-peak TOU window narrowed to 5–9 p.m. Mon–Sat. Driven by higher wholesale/transmission costs after exiting Tri-State G&T.
varies by classOverall trend: Upward — increases to demand and fixed charges across classes in 2026.
Next expected change: Future adjustments are at the board's discretion; watch United Power's Legal Notices and rate-change pages for the next annual update.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because United Power's C&I bills are demand-driven, the highest-leverage savings come from managing peak kW and selecting the right schedule. Use Power Portal 15-minute data to find and shave peaks, and engage a Key Accounts Advisor for a rate-fit review.
Peak demand management
For: All demand-billed C&I schedules (ISD1, IPD1, SIP1, CPS1/CPP1)
Use 15-minute Power Portal data to identify demand peaks and stagger equipment startups, sequence HVAC, and avoid simultaneous large loads to lower billed kW.
Coincidental Peak optimization
For: Large C&I on coincidental-peak schedules
On CPS1/CPP1, billed G&T demand is tied to the system coincident peak. Shifting load off the cooperative's peak windows reduces the G&T demand component.
Time-of-use load shifting
For: Small commercial TOU (CTD1)
On CTD1, move discretionary load out of the 5–9 p.m. on-peak window where energy is $0.2249/kWh into the $0.0663/kWh off-peak period.
Primary-voltage service
For: Large industrial customers with appropriate equipment
Where a facility can take primary-voltage service (IPD1/CPP1), energy and demand rates are lower than equivalent secondary schedules.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download United Power, Inc. interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a C&I customer or energy consultant get 15-minute interval data from United Power?▾
Interval data is recorded by Elster REX2 AMI meters at 15-minute granularity and viewed/exported through United Power's Power Portal (CSV/spreadsheet). For automated or third-party access, authorize Nectar, which retrieves interval data on the customer's behalf — see docs.nectarclimate.com. United Power does not publish a native API, ESPI/Green Button, or EDI feed, so the Power Portal export and Nectar are the practical paths.
Does United Power support Green Button or a direct API?▾
No. United Power has not published Green Button Download My Data or Connect My Data, nor a native developer API or ESPI endpoints. The Power Portal provides CSV export for first-party data, and Nectar provides automated third-party API access after customer authorization — see docs.nectarclimate.com.
What rate schedules apply to commercial and industrial accounts?▾
United Power's 2026 C&I schedules include Small Commercial (C1), Small Commercial Time-of-Use (CTD1), Small Industrial Primary (SIP1), Large Commercial Secondary Demand (ISD1), Large Industrial Primary Demand (IPD1), the Coincidental Peak schedules (CPS1/CPP1) and large transport-style ITD1–ITD4 schedules. Demand charges range from about $4.60/kW on small commercial up to $22–27/kW on large demand and coincidental-peak schedules.
How are United Power's rates set, and is there retail choice?▾
United Power is a member-owned cooperative; rates are set by its elected board of directors, not the Colorado PUC, and Colorado has no retail electric choice. Members buy bundled distribution and energy service from the cooperative. The 2026 rates reflect United Power's recent exit from its Tri-State G&T wholesale contract and higher wholesale/transmission costs.
How can a large facility reduce its United Power bill?▾
Because large schedules (ISD1, IPD1, CPS1/CPP1, ITD1–4) are demand-heavy, the biggest lever is managing peak demand. Use Power Portal 15-minute data to identify and shave peaks, evaluate the Coincidental Peak schedules (which reward shifting load off the system coincident peak), take primary-voltage service where eligible, and engage a Key Accounts Advisor for a rate-fit analysis.
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