Xcel Energy has initiated a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) affecting customers in Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties. The decision comes as the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) alert for severe weather conditions expected to last at least from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday night.
The company stated that extreme fire risk conditions are likely to persist into Friday evening due to strong winds, which may cause additional outages extending beyond 10 p.m. Xcel Energy warned that even after winds subside, power restoration will not be immediate. The event is anticipated to be particularly severe, with unplanned outages expected to affect more customers than those impacted by the PSPS alone.
Restoration efforts cannot begin until weather conditions improve. Once it is safe, crews will conduct visual inspections of lines, assess and repair damage, fix equipment, and safely restore power—a process that could take hours or days depending on the extent of the damage. Since Wednesday, Xcel Energy technicians have restored electricity to over 200,000 customers. Hundreds of staff members are prepared to begin further restoration work over the weekend as winds decrease late Friday night. Some customers may remain without power for several days.
“Worker safety is paramount while they operate in your neighborhood to restore electricity,” Xcel Energy said in a statement. “We ask our customers to help keep our workers safe as they strive to restore power as quickly as possible.”
PSPS events are designed to reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety. Xcel Energy uses weather forecasts and other data sources when deciding whether such measures are necessary. Key factors include high winds, low relative humidity, and dry ground conditions—all present during this event.
The NWS PDS alert is linked with today’s Red Flag Warning in Colorado and applies especially to elevations between 5,500 and 9,000 feet in Jefferson and Boulder counties—the highest risk category used by the NWS for rare weather events.
“Turning off power is not a decision taken lightly,” Xcel Energy said. “Restoration will begin as soon as it is safe for crews to start working.” The company reminded the public to give crews space so they can perform their work safely and efficiently.
Customers should also be aware of potential unplanned outages outside of the PSPS event due to high winds. Residents are advised to stay away from downed power lines and report them along with any visible damage directly to Xcel Energy.
Even customers living in areas with underground lines or no apparent local damage could still experience outages because of how neighborhoods connect within the larger grid system.
To support affected residents, Xcel Energy is collaborating with the American Red Cross and local emergency management offices to open resource centers where customers can access phone charging stations and other emergency supplies:
– Evergreen Fire Station – 1802 Bergen Pkwy, Evergreen
– Gilpin County School – 10595 Highway 119, Black Hawk
– Wellspring Catholic Academy – 1100 Upham St., Lakewood
– Health and Wellness Center – 1969 Miner St., Idaho Springs
Xcel Energy trucks will also be present at these centers offering information and assistance. Those needing food aid can use the Food Finder Map tool for resources across Colorado.
Customers can report outages through several methods: 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; or by calling 1-800-895-1999 for automated reporting.
Event updates and safety tips are available on Xcel Energy’s Event Updates page.
To prepare for possible extended outages, customers are encouraged to keep devices charged and assemble an emergency kit containing items such as battery-powered radios and flashlights, backup chargers for phones, bottled water, non-perishable food items, manual can openers, first-aid kits, extension cords (for partial outages), instructions for manually opening powered doors like garage doors, and important contact numbers including Xcel Energy’s customer service lines.
Customers who rely on medical equipment requiring electricity should take steps now in anticipation of prolonged outages.
Since launching its Wildfire Mitigation program in 2020, Xcel Energy has invested in system upgrades aimed at reducing wildfire risks while limiting outage size and duration. In 2024 alone these improvements included replacing over 8,300 distribution poles; inspecting nearly 18,740 poles; reviewing more than 2,800 miles of transmission lines; making hundreds of priority repairs; and installing new protective relays at substations.
“As a leading energy provider dedicated to serving millions of customers with excellence,” Xcel Energy stated about its mission: “We are committed to leading the clean energy transition while keeping bills as low as possible because people depend on us.”
Xcel Energy serves eight states from its headquarters in Minneapolis: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas.
