Xcel Energy has started restoring power after a severe wind event and Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) affected the Front Range on Wednesday. Winds exceeding 90 miles per hour and low humidity created high wildfire risks, leading to about 120,000 outages—50,000 linked to the PSPS and another 68,500 due to weather conditions. Crews are working along the Front Range to restore electricity where it is safe.
Restoration efforts may take from several hours to days, as crews must wait for wildfire threats to subside before inspecting and repairing damaged lines. Another PSPS is anticipated for Friday, December 19, with similar weather conditions expected. This could affect mountain communities as well as the Front Range starting at 5 a.m., possibly resulting in some areas being without power for more than three days.
“We understand being without power for any length of time is difficult, much less for multiple times in several days,” said Robert Kenney, president of Xcel Energy – Colorado. “We do not take these events lightly, as the safety of our customers and communities are our top priority. We want our customers to know that our crews are working as quickly as possible to safely restore power and hope our customers will give our crews grace as they work through these challenging conditions over the next few days.”
The company uses weather forecasts and risk models that factor in wind speed, humidity, and dry ground conditions when making decisions about public safety measures.
To support affected residents in Jefferson County, Xcel Energy is partnering with the American Red Cross and local officials to open two resource centers on Thursday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., including one at Belmar Library in Lakewood. These centers will offer phone charging stations and assistance from Xcel Energy staff.
Customers are encouraged to report outages or damage using various methods: through Xcel Energy’s mobile app available via Apple App Store or Google Play; online at xcelenergy.com/out; by texting OUT or STAT to 98936; or by calling 1-800-895-1999.
The company advises customers who rely on electric-powered medical equipment to prepare for possible extended outages. Updates about outages can be found on Xcel Energy’s website and social media channels such as Facebook and X.
Since launching its Wildfire Mitigation program in 2020, Xcel Energy has made several infrastructure improvements aimed at reducing fire risks and limiting outage impacts. In 2024 alone, these included replacing over 8,300 distribution poles, inspecting nearly 19,000 poles and more than 2,800 miles of transmission lines, completing hundreds of priority repairs on transmission equipment, and installing additional protection relays at substations.
Xcel Energy serves millions across eight states—including Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas—and continues investments aimed at providing reliable energy while transitioning toward cleaner sources.
