Wiggins 2023 4th of July Parade Pictures

United Power Announces Wholesale Power Agreement with Guzman Energy

Denver-based firm to provide key power block for co-op’s future needs

Make Time for Safety This Harvest Season

By Morgan County Rural Electric Association

Harvest season often means putting in long hours, which can make it difficult to stay alert and on the lookout for potential hazards. SafeElectricity.org provides safety tips to help farmers make this harvest season a safe one.

Safety starts with preparation. Be prepared for potential emergencies before the rush of harvest season begins. Have a safety plan, and make sure that farm workers and family members are aware of the procedures in it.

Be sure that you can see well in the areas where you are working. Consider adding extra lighting around grain bins and augers.

Take the time to look up and look out for electrical lines. Always be aware of where they are in relation to your equipment. Keep a minimum of 10 feet away from all electrical equipment, and lower extensions before moving equipment. Grain augers should always be positioned horizontally before being moved.

If you see a power line that is sagging or low, contact your utility. Never attempt to move a power line out of the way or raise it for clearance. Also keep an eye out for guy wires. Although these wires are not energized, they can bring down live lines.

In equipment with auto-guidance systems, less focus is needed on steering, which may lead some drivers to think that they do not need to be as aware of navigation issues. However, even while using a GPS with auto-steering, farm workers need to keep safety in mind and stay focused on their surroundings.

Slow down, always stay alert, and take all recommended precautions. To help you do so, recognize when you need to take breaks so that you can be active and engaged in the farm work.

Additional safety tips include using a spotter when operating large machinery near lines, and inspecting the height of farm equipment to determine clearance. Look up and use care when moving any equipment such as extending augers or raising the bed of grain trucks around power lines.

Colorado’s northern Front Range, and Guzman Energy a wholesale power provider dedicated to developing portfolios that meet their clients’ needs for economical, reliable power, announce the signing of a 15- year contract to deliver wholesale power to the cooperative.

The power supply agreement features fixed wholesale power pricing that provides the cooperative predictable and stable power supply costs. Under the agreement, Guzman will deliver approximately one-third of the cooperative’s power needs, beginning in May 2024.

“As we move forward with our plan to diversify our power portfolio, this contract is an important part of our strategy,” stated Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO of United Power. “Guzman has an excellent track record of providing economical resources for cooperatives, and their commitment to integrating renewables will help us control costs while still keeping our eye on environmental impacts.”

United Power’s planned exit from its current power contract will take place May 1, 2024. The move was motivated by a desire to stabilize power costs and provide greater flexibility to the cooperative and its members.

“Wholesale power continues to be United Power’s largest expense, accounting for over 70% of our costs,” stated Gabriel. “Having more predictable power purchase costs will offer many benefits to United Power members today and into the future.”

“We are proud to contribute to United Power’s efforts to reduce power supply costs, gain greater control over generation mix, and contribute to more local, sustainable energy,” said Robin Lunt, Chief Commercial Officer at Guzman Energy. “We look forward to continued opportunities to support United Power and other cooperatives’ success.””

“United Power serves nearly 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.

To learn more about United Power’s power supply transition, visit www. unitedpower.com/powersupply.

If the machinery you are operating does make contact with a power line, stay on the equipment. Immediately call 911, warn others to stay away, and wait for the utility crew to cut the power.

Only on the rare occasion that the machinery catches fire should you leave the vehicle after contact is made. If this is the case, jump off the equipment with your feet together and without touching the ground and machinery at the same time. Then, still keeping your feet together, hop to safety as you leave the area. Never touch anything that is in contact with a power line.

Remember, while harvest is a busy season on the farm, it is still important to take the time to keep safety first. Look out for and stay safely away from potential hazards like overhead power lines.

For more information on electrical safety, visit SafeElectricity.org.

Thomas J Croghan DDS

Larry French Accounting

Larry French, Public Accountant

111 E. Railroad Avenue, Fort Morgan CO 80701

Phone: 970-867-9040

Fax: 970-867-9008 larry@larryfrenchaccounting.com

Aims Community College Offers the First UAS

Associate Degree in Colorado for Drone Pilots

GREELEY, CO – July 11, 2023 – Beginning this fall, Aims Community College offers an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Associate of Applied Science Degree. It is the first UAS associate degree offered in Colorado. Aims is the fifteenth two-year college nationwide to offer a degree in this field.

Since 2021, Aims has offered a UAS certificate to prepare students to take the Federal Aviation Administration small Unmanned Aerial Systems certification exam and obtain the basic credentials to fly drones professionally. This new associate degree program takes things to the next level as this industry expands. “It provides students with the basics of flying with professional-level drones and the ability to build and program their own drones.” Said UAS Chief Instructor Pilot Jake Marshall.

In the last few years, demand for UAS expertise has increased substantially. “We just grew,” Marshall said. “Students, high schools and the community wanted more.”

The Aims Unmanned Aircraft Systems Sciences program also cultivates opportunities for students to gain experience, such as working on mapping construction sites for Weld County and filming regional television commercials. “Students are involved with some extracurricular projects beyond just the class we offer. We’re building up this case for the need and now we’re adding the classes to support all this,” Marshall said.

The home to this new degree will be at the expanded Windsor Campus, in the Gateway Building currently under construction; the new facility is opening in January 2024. This new academic building features a drone fabrication and design lab. The campus is also adding a drone takeoff and landing pad area. “The classroom is set up to help with data production and understanding the post-production process of collecting all this data,” Marshall said. “This facility allows our students to design and build drones and test them.”

Marshall believes that people who love technology, have an entrepreneurial spirit and are adaptable to change will thrive in a UAS career. “You’re going to be a part of the pioneer stage of the industry,” he said. “I want our students to be leaders and part of the next evolution of drones to accomplish our societal needs.”

UAS systems and applications are rapidly expanding, and skilled, certified pilots are already in demand. The FAA predicts an average annual job growth rate of 24.7 percent. Market research shows an estimated increase of 100,000 drone-related jobs by 2025. The average annual salary for a UAS operator is $80,000 per year.

“There are some established companies and new ones are starting up every single day,” Marshall said. “They all need pilots to take their companies to the next level.”

Visit aims.co/UAS to learn more about the UAS learning opportunities at Aims.