Xcel Energy crews are working to restore electricity in northern Colorado after a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) and additional outages caused by severe weather. On Friday morning, the company implemented the PSPS in Larimer and Weld counties to reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety. A strong weather system brought wind gusts over 65 miles per hour, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning and causing thousands of outages outside the PSPS area.
Weather conditions that led to the PSPS began improving around 4 p.m. in some areas, but strong winds could persist into Friday night, potentially causing more outages. Hundreds of Xcel Energy employees and contractors are inspecting power lines, making repairs, and restoring service as soon as conditions allow. Teams will work extended 16-hour shifts overnight from Friday into Saturday to restore electricity quickly and safely, continuing around the clock until power is fully restored where it is safe to do so.
The company expects most customers will have power back on Friday, but some may not see restoration until Saturday due to required visual inspections before repairs can be made.
“The safety of our workers is paramount. Xcel Energy asks its customers to help ensure worker safety by giving them the space they need to do their jobs safely and efficiently,” the company stated.
Xcel Energy acknowledged that strong winds arrived later than forecasted. The conditions that met their criteria for a Public Safety Power Shutoff occurred between noon and 1 p.m. in most affected areas. The company monitors weather conditions continuously and adjusts its actions to minimize outage duration and scope.
Decisions regarding PSPS events are based on current data about weather risks, including high winds, low humidity, and very dry conditions—all factors present during this event.
Customers can report outages through several channels: via Xcel Energy’s mobile app (available on Apple’s App Store or Google Play), online at xcelenergy.com/out, by texting OUT or STAT to 98936 for outage reports or status updates, or by calling 1-800-895-1999 for automated reporting in under one minute.
For ongoing updates about this event—including preparedness tips—customers can visit Xcel Energy’s Event Update webpage or follow Xcel Energy on Facebook or X (formerly Twitter). Customers are also encouraged to keep their account information up-to-date for timely communications.
The company explained that even those living near underground lines or without visible local damage may experience outages due to how neighborhoods connect within the wider grid system.
Since launching its Wildfire Mitigation work in 2020, Xcel Energy has invested in system upgrades aimed at reducing wildfire risk and limiting the impact of future outages. In 2024 alone, these improvements included replacing over 8,300 distribution poles, inspecting nearly 19,000 poles and more than 2,800 miles of transmission lines, performing hundreds of priority equipment repairs, and installing new protective relays at substations.
Xcel Energy is headquartered in Minneapolis and serves customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Texas. More information is available at xcelenergy.com or through their social media accounts.
