United PowerTalk

Community Solar subscriptions are available once again for United’s members! On this episode of United's PowerTalk, Chief Membership Services Officer Blake Beavers joins John Davis to explain how a new solar power purchase agreement has made thousands of new subscriptions available for members. They discuss:

• How United's Community Solar program works and who qualifies to join.
• What members can expect to save.
• How to sign up for a free subscription with no long-term commitment.

You don’t want to miss this episode!

Did you know that many homes in the States don’t have electricity? On this episode of United’s PowerTalk, linemen Blake Bourg, Mark Samuel and Tyler Anderson join John Davis to share their recent experiences with Light Up Navajo, which brings electricity to homes on the Navajo Nation. Over the course of a week, they built miles of power lines, shared a homeowner’s joy as she turned on the lights for the very first time, and returned to Texas with even more gratitude for their own blessings.

United Cooperative Services is helping members save their money by offering free energy audits. In this episode of United PowerTalk, Energy Solutions Manager Seth Rosser and Energy Solutions Specialist Eric Compton discuss what their team looks for during the audit and how simple changes can lead to big savings. The conversation also takes listeners inside an energy audit at Bluff Dale school, to teach homeowners and business owners alike how they can apply the same energy efficiency measures to their spaces.

In this episode of United’s PowerTalk, CEO Cameron Smallwood breaks down what’s really driving electricity costs and how United works to keep rates as stable and affordable as possible for its members. Cameron explains the factors shaping today’s energy landscape, including:

• Power supply and transmission expenses.
• Winter Storm Uri recovery costs.
• The growing impact of data centers in Texas.

He also shares how the cooperative is planning for future growth while working to ensure members aren’t burdened with costs they shouldn’t have to bear.

On this inaugural episode of United’s PowerTalk, John Davis is joined by CEO Cameron Smallwood to discuss the energy and internet opportunities at United Cooperative Services (USC) during 2026. They discuss the energy outlook at the cooperative, especially under the new procurement contracts, which will likely reduce electric bills for members. Free energy audits through the cooperative are also available for those looking to drive energy bills down further. 

Smallwood also provides an update on United’s internet project. Over the past few years, United has been able to connect 87 percent of their customers to high-speed internet. Unfortunately, United did not receive BEAD funding to be able to connect the last 13 percent of customers. This doesn’t mean those members won’t be connected to high-speed internet; rather, lower cost providers did win the grant funding to serve those customers, which now they are obligated to do.