Xcel Energy is preparing for potential extreme weather and a high risk of wildfires in northern Colorado. The company announced it is planning for a possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) on Friday, January 16, starting at 8:00 a.m. This measure could affect about 9,000 customers in Larimer and Weld counties, including parts of Fort Collins and surrounding communities to the north and west.
The combination of persistent dry conditions, low snowfall, and strong winds has increased the risk of large-scale wildfires. Weather conditions are expected to improve around 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
If a PSPS or other weather-related outages occur, restoration work will begin after high winds subside and fire risks decrease. Hundreds of technicians will be ready to inspect lines, make repairs, and restore service as soon as it is safe. Restoration may take several hours or even days because crews must check each power line before reactivating electricity.
Updates about the event and safety tips are available on Xcel Energy’s Event Updates webpage. The company plans to issue its next public update on Thursday morning.
“While wind speeds will remain at the lower end of our thresholds for a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), the unusually mild start to winter has contributed to historically dry conditions that create a high wildfire risk,” said Robert Kenney, president of Xcel Energy—Colorado. “In the event of a Public Safety Power Shutoff, we will work to limit the number affected and are preparing to ensure rapid restoration. We recognize that any electric outage represents a hardship. As always, our teams will work as safely and quickly as possible to restore electricity in case of a PSPS or other weather-related interruptions.”
Xcel Energy is contacting potentially affected customers ahead of the expected weather event with updated information about outages and service restoration throughout the incident. Customers can check online if their address may be impacted by the PSPS.
To prepare for outages, customers are encouraged to keep devices charged and build an emergency kit with non-electric items such as battery-powered radios, flashlights, extra batteries, bottled water, non-perishable food items, manual can openers, first aid kits, extension cords for partial outages, instructions for manually opening electric doors like garage doors, and important phone numbers including those for Xcel Energy customer support.
Customers who rely on medical equipment that needs electricity should arrange backup power supplies; Xcel Energy will directly contact qualifying medical customers.
The company continues investing in its electrical systems to reduce wildfire risks and minimize outage impacts.
Customers can report outages using various methods: through 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 phone reporting.
Xcel Energy serves millions across eight states—Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas—and focuses on reliable energy delivery while working toward cleaner solutions.
