Xcel Energy has initiated a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) for customers in Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties due to severe weather conditions. The National Weather Service has issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) alert as extreme fire weather is expected to persist until at least Friday evening.
The company said that high winds are likely to cause additional outages beyond 10 p.m., and power restoration will not begin until the weather improves. Restoration involves crews visually inspecting lines, assessing damage, repairing equipment, and safely reinitiating power—a process that may take hours or days depending on the extent of the damage.
“Since Wednesday, Xcel Energy crews have restored power to over 200,000 customers. As the winds subside late Friday night, hundreds of crew members will be ready to begin restoration through the weekend. Customers may not have power restored for several days. The safety of our crew members is paramount as they work in your neighborhood to restore power. We ask our customers to help keep our crew members safe as they work diligently to restore power as quickly as possible,” Xcel Energy stated.
The PSPS aims to reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety by using weather forecasts and data sources in decision-making. Key factors include high winds, low humidity, and dry ground conditions.
The National Weather Service’s PDS alert is linked with a Red Flag Warning in Colorado—its highest risk categorization—especially affecting elevations between 5,500 and 9,000 feet in Jefferson and Boulder Counties.
“Turning off the power is not a decision made lightly, and restoration will begin as soon as it is safe for crews to begin working. This effort could take several days to complete. Crews must inspect power lines and repair damage before they can be safely re-energized. As crews restore power, the public is reminded to give them the space they need to do their job safely and efficiently,” according to Xcel Energy.
Customers are reminded that unplanned outages outside of PSPS events may also occur due to high wind conditions. All downed lines or visible damage should be reported immediately.
Those living in areas with underground lines or without visible local damage can still experience outages due to how neighborhoods connect within the broader grid system.
To support affected residents during this event, Xcel Energy has partnered with organizations such as the American Red Cross and local emergency management offices by opening resource centers offering phone charging stations and emergency supplies at various locations:
– Evergreen Fire Station – 1802 Bergen Pkwy
– Gilpin County School – 10595 Highway 119
– Wellspring Catholic Academy – 1100 Upham St.
– Health and Wellness Center – 1969 Miner St., Idaho Springs
Xcel Energy’s Red Trucks will also provide support at these sites. For food assistance resources across Colorado communities during this outage period, individuals can use available online tools such as food partner maps.
Outages can be reported via multiple channels: through Xcel Energy’s mobile app (available on Apple App Store or Google Play), online at xcelenergy.com/out , by texting OUT or STAT to 98936 for status updates, or by calling 1-800-895-1999.
Customers are encouraged to stay informed through Xcel Energy’s website outage map for real-time updates on service interruptions and estimated restoration times; account information should be kept current via My Account services. Updates are also available on social media platforms Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
For preparedness during extended outages—including those who rely on medical equipment powered by electricity—customers are advised to assemble an emergency kit with essentials like battery-powered radios, flashlights, backup chargers, bottled water, non-perishable food items and first aid supplies. Further guidance for medically vulnerable customers is provided at https://co.my.xcelenergy.com/s/billing-payment/energy-assistance/medical-exemption-program .
Since starting its Wildfire Mitigation program in 2020 aimed at reducing wildfire risks from electrical infrastructure failures—which can spark large wildfires—the company has invested significantly in system upgrades throughout its service territory including replacing thousands of distribution poles; inspecting miles of transmission lines; making priority repairs; installing new substation protection relays; among other improvements completed in recent years.
