Xcel Energy is preparing for a possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) on December 17 to reduce wildfire risk amid forecasts of strong winds and drought conditions in Colorado’s Front Range. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning due to these weather events.
The company anticipates that the PSPS could begin around 10:00 a.m., affecting approximately 50,000 customers across Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties. Recent infrastructure improvements and updated risk assessments have allowed Xcel Energy to limit the scope of affected areas. The planned outage was moved up from noon to 10:00 a.m. due to changing weather conditions.
Weather conditions prompting the shutoff are expected to improve by Wednesday evening, but strong winds may persist through Friday. Xcel Energy warns that outages could also occur outside the designated PSPS zones, which may affect restoration times.
Following any preventive outage or other weather-related power loss, restoration work will begin once high winds subside and fire risks decrease. The process may take several hours or days because crews must inspect all power lines before re-energizing them.
“Xcel Energy’s goal is to minimize the impact of a scheduled power interruption event (PSPS) as much as possible while effectively managing the high risk of wildfires,” according to the company statement. “Xcel Energy will share more information about the PSPS event tomorrow morning and throughout its duration.”
Customers can check if their address is included in potential outages online and receive updates through Xcel Energy’s website and social media channels. The company encourages residents to prepare by keeping devices charged and assembling an emergency kit with essentials such as battery-powered radios, flashlights, bottled water, non-perishable food, manual can openers, first aid kits, extension cords for partial outages, instructions for manually opening electric doors like garage doors, and important phone numbers.
Those who rely on medical equipment powered by electricity are urged to make necessary preparations for extended outages. “As an important reminder for customers who use medical equipment dependent on electricity supply,” said Xcel Energy in its statement, “please take necessary steps to prepare for possible prolonged outages.” Additional outreach will be conducted for medically vulnerable customers.
Customers can report outages via Xcel Energy’s mobile app available on 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 using an automated system designed for quick reporting.
Xcel Energy continues investing in its systems to reduce wildfire risks and limit both the size and duration of potential outages. The utility serves millions of customers across eight states from its headquarters in Minneapolis. More information is available at xcelenergy.com or through their social media platforms.
