Electricity Today T&D Magazine

Based in Brighton, CO, United Power Inc. is the 2nd largest electric cooperative in Colorado. With over 5,000 miles of power lines and nearly 83,000 meters, they serve over 200,000 customers along the north central range of the Colorado Rockies. A section of the United Power service area also heads up into the mountains, providing power to some 5,500 remote homes in and around the 12,000 acres of Golden Gate Canyon State Park.
Rugged terrain and challenging access proves difficult for any cooperative or utility to maintain a reliable network. So when it came time for United Power COO Bryant Robbins and his team to look at upgrading sections of a single phase distribution line – which was over 50 years old – they needed a solution that would minimize maintenance and provide them with long-term reliability. But it also needed to address their fire mitigation, wildlife protection, and storm...