Xcel Energy is preparing for a potential extreme fire risk weather event in northern Colorado, which could lead to a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) starting around 8 a.m. on Friday, January 16. The company is urging its customers to prepare for possible power outages due to strong winds, low humidity, and very dry ground conditions. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Thursday and a Fire Weather Watch for Friday.
Approximately 9,000 customers in parts of Larimer and Weld counties, including areas of Fort Collins and nearby communities, may be affected by the planned shutoff. Xcel Energy expects weather conditions to improve by about 4 p.m. on Friday. If the PSPS is implemented or other weather-related outages occur, power restoration will begin once high winds and fire risks have decreased. Restoration may take from several hours up to several days because crews must inspect the entire power line before re-energizing it.
The company plans to decide whether the PSPS will be necessary by Thursday evening and will provide updates as the situation develops. Xcel Energy will continue to communicate with potentially affected customers and provide outage and restoration information throughout the event. Customers can check if their address might be impacted by visiting the company’s website.
To prepare for outages, Xcel Energy recommends that customers keep devices charged and assemble an emergency kit with essential items such as battery-powered radios, flashlights, backup chargers, bottled water, non-perishable food, manual can openers, first aid kits, extension cords, and manufacturer’s instructions for manually opening power-operated doors. The company also reminds customers who use medical equipment dependent on electricity to make necessary preparations for extended outages.
Customers can report outages through multiple channels: via the Xcel Energy 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.
Xcel Energy stated: “We are continually investing in and building out our systems to reduce the risk of wildfire and limit the size, scale, and duration of potential power disruptions.”
The utility serves millions of customers across eight states—Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Texas—and continues its efforts toward providing reliable energy while leading a clean energy transition.
For further updates on this event or tips on how to prepare for outages during severe weather events in Colorado or other service areas served by Xcel Energy’s utilities operations in eight states across the Midwest and West regions of the United States (https://www.xcelenergy.com/), customers are encouraged to visit the company’s Event Update webpage.
