Xcel Energy is preparing for a likely Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) on December 17 to reduce wildfire risk amid forecasts of very high winds and dry conditions along Colorado’s Front Range. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the area.
The utility expects the PSPS to begin around 10 a.m., affecting about 50,000 customers in Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties. Xcel Energy stated that recent improvements to grid infrastructure and advanced modeling have allowed it to limit the size of affected areas. The start time was moved up from noon due to changing weather conditions.
Weather is expected to improve after 6 p.m. Wednesday, but high winds may continue through Friday and could cause outages outside the designated PSPS zones. Restoration efforts will only begin once high winds and fire risks subside, which could result in power being out for several hours or days as crews must inspect lines before re-energizing them.
“Xcel Energy’s goal is to limit the impact of a PSPS event as much as possible while effectively managing high wildfire risk,” according to the company statement. “Xcel Energy will share further updates on the PSPS event tomorrow morning, and through the event.”
Customers are encouraged to stay informed via Xcel Energy’s website and outage map for real-time updates on outages and restoration times. The company also advises customers to ensure their contact information is current in their My Account profile and follow updates on Facebook and X.
To prepare for potential outages, customers should keep devices charged and assemble an emergency kit with essentials such as battery-powered radios, flashlights, backup chargers, bottled water, non-perishable food items, manual can openers, first aid kits, extension cords, instructions for manually opening power-operated doors like garage doors, and important phone numbers including (800) 895-1999 for residential or (800) 481-4700 for business needs. Customers who rely on medical equipment powered by electricity are urged to make additional preparations; Xcel Energy will provide extra outreach for these individuals.
Outages can be reported using several methods: through the Xcel Energy mobile app available in both Apple App Store and Google Play; online at xcelenergy.com/out; by texting OUT or STAT to 98936; or by calling 1-800-895-1999.
The company says it continues investing in its systems with the aim of reducing wildfire risk while minimizing disruption size and duration. More preparation tips are available at xcelenergy.com.
Xcel Energy serves millions of customers across eight states—Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas—and says it remains committed to delivering reliable energy while leading clean energy initiatives.
