Power was restored late Friday night to all Xcel Energy customers in northern Colorado who were affected by a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). The shutoff was implemented earlier that day in Larimer and Weld counties as a precaution against extreme wildfire risk caused by severe weather, including wind gusts over 65 miles per hour.
While the PSPS aimed to reduce wildfire danger, strong winds also led to thousands of unplanned outages outside the designated area. Xcel Energy dispatched hundreds of crew members and contractors from across Colorado to inspect lines, make repairs, and restore power as conditions allowed.
“We are grateful for the swift work of our crew members, contractors and community partners,” said Robert Kenney, president, Xcel Energy – Colorado. “We also appreciate our customers’ patience and support as we work to protect the safety of communities and decrease the risk of wildfire.”
Work continued into Saturday morning to resolve outages caused by the previous day’s storms. According to Xcel Energy, restoration efforts for these remaining outages were expected to finish later that day.
The company noted that it is investing in system improvements designed to reduce future wildfire risks and limit both the size and duration of power disruptions. Since beginning its Wildfire Mitigation program in 2020, Xcel Energy reported making several upgrades in 2024 such as replacing more than 8,000 distribution poles, inspecting nearly 19,000 distribution poles and almost 3,000 miles of transmission lines, completing hundreds of priority repairs on transmission equipment, and installing additional substation protection relays.
Customers are encouraged to report any damage such as downed lines or broken poles directly to Xcel Energy. Reports can be made via mobile app (Apple App Store or Google Play), online at xcelenergy.com/out, by texting OUT or STAT to 98936 for outage reporting or status updates respectively, or by calling 1-800-895-1999 using an automated system.
Updates about ongoing events and tips for staying safe during severe weather can be found on Xcel Energy’s Event Update webpage. Customers are advised to keep their account information up-to-date through My Account and follow company channels on Facebook and X for further notifications.
Xcel Energy stated that PSPS events are determined using weather forecasts along with factors such as high winds, low humidity, and dry ground conditions. Even neighborhoods with underground power lines or without visible damage may experience outages due to how they connect with the broader grid.
The company serves millions of customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Texas.
