On Friday evening, Xcel Energy completed the restoration of electric service to all customers in northern Colorado who were affected by a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). The company reported that as of 9:30 p.m., power had been restored, and crews continued work Saturday morning to address outages caused by severe weather. These efforts are expected to conclude later on Saturday.
The PSPS was initiated early Friday due to a severe weather system that brought wind gusts exceeding 65 miles per hour, creating an extreme wildfire risk. This prompted Xcel Energy to implement the shutoff in Larimer and Weld counties as a preventive measure. High winds also caused additional unplanned outages outside the designated PSPS area.
After conditions improved, hundreds of employees and contractors from across Colorado were deployed to inspect power lines, make repairs, and restore service as quickly and safely as possible.
“We appreciate the quick work of our employees, contractors and community partners,” said Robert Kenney, president of Xcel Energy – Colorado. “We also thank our customers for their patience and support as we work to protect the safety of communities and reduce wildfire risk.”
Xcel Energy acknowledged the significant impact that power outages can have on customers. The company continues to invest in systems designed to reduce future wildfire risks and limit the scope, scale, and duration of potential service interruptions.
Customers are encouraged to report any damage such as downed power lines or broken poles and are advised to stay clear of affected areas.
To help speed up restoration efforts during outages, customers can report issues through several channels: using Xcel Energy’s mobile app available via Apple’s App Store or Google Play; online at xcelenergy.com/out; by texting OUT or STAT to 98936 for outage reporting or status updates; or by calling 1-800-895-1999 for automated phone reporting.
Updates about events, safety tips, outage information, and preparedness resources are available on Xcel Energy’s Event Update webpage.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are used by utilities like Xcel Energy based on weather forecasts and other data sources when strong winds, low humidity, and extremely dry conditions increase fire danger. Even neighborhoods with underground lines or no visible damage may be impacted due to how they connect within the larger grid system.
Since beginning its Wildfire Mitigation work in 2020, Xcel Energy has invested in various system improvements. In 2024 alone these included replacing over 8,300 distribution poles; inspecting more than 18,700 distribution poles; inspecting nearly 2,900 miles of transmission lines; completing over 340 priority equipment repairs; and installing new protective relays at substations.
Xcel Energy serves millions of customers across eight states from its headquarters in Minneapolis. The company says it is committed to leading a transition toward cleaner energy while maintaining reliable service at affordable rates for its customers. More information is available at xcelenergy.com or through its social media channels.
