Hundreds of Xcel Energy workers are working to restore electricity to over 80,000 customers in Colorado after severe winds caused significant outages across the state. The National Weather Service has lifted its Red Flag Warning and Particularly Dangerous Situation alerts, and Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) conditions ended at 5 a.m. Saturday.
The recent weather increased wildfire risks, prompting Xcel Energy to implement a PSPS in Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties. Additional outages occurred beyond those affected by the shutoff.
Power restoration is underway, with some customers already reconnected. Xcel Energy expects most service to return by 10 p.m., but repairs may extend into Sunday for areas with severe or hard-to-access damage. Crews must visually inspect lines before restoring power.
Throughout the week, Xcel Energy has communicated updates to customers using their preferred contact methods selected in My Account. Customers will continue receiving notifications as restoration progresses.
“The safety of crew members is paramount as they work to restore power. Xcel Energy asks customers to help keep crew members safe as they work diligently to restore power as quickly as possible.”
Customers are encouraged to report any visible damage such as downed lines or broken poles and stay clear of these hazards.
To support those affected by outages, Xcel Energy is partnering with the American Red Cross and local emergency management offices to open resource centers offering phone charging and emergency supplies at several locations:
– Georgetown Community Center – 613 Sixth St., Georgetown (8 a.m.–8 p.m.)
– Carmody Middle School – 2050 S. Kipling St., Lakewood (9 a.m.–5 p.m.)
– Gilpin County Overnight Shelter – 10595 Highway 119, Black Hawk (open 24 hours)
– Evergreen Fire Station – 1802 Bergen Pkwy., Evergreen (Saturday only: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.)
– Clear Creek Health and Wellness Center – 1969 Miner St., Idaho Springs (Saturday only: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.)
– Berthoud Fire Station – 248 Welch Ave., Berthoud (Saturday only: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.)
Xcel Energy RED Trucks will be present at these sites for additional support and information. For food assistance needs, residents can use the Find Food Map for resources throughout Colorado.
Customers can report outages or damages through multiple channels:
– The Xcel Energy mobile app
– Online at xcelenergy.com/out
– By texting OUT or STAT to 98936
– By calling 1-800-895-1999
Event updates and safety tips are available on the Xcel Energy Event Update webpage.
Xcel Energy will continue posting updates on its website and encourages customers to keep their account information current in My Account. Social media channels like Facebook and X also provide ongoing information.
PSPS events are designed to lower wildfire risk during dangerous weather conditions such as high winds and dry ground. Decisions on implementing PSPS rely on weather forecasts and other data sources.
Even neighborhoods with underground power lines or no visible damage may experience outages due to how they connect within the larger grid system.
Since launching its Wildfire Mitigation program in 2020, Xcel Energy has made investments including replacing over eight thousand distribution poles in 2024 alone, inspecting nearly nineteen thousand poles and more than two thousand miles of transmission lines, completing hundreds of priority repairs on transmission equipment, and installing new substation protection relays.
Xcel Energy serves millions of customers across eight states from its headquarters in Minneapolis. The company says it is committed “to leading the clean energy transition” while keeping costs low for consumers.
