DENVER (Jan. 1, 2022) – As crews make progress on restoring service to customers affected by this week’s fires and windstorm, Saturday’s key updates from Xcel Energy include:

  • We expect that all electric customers who can accept service will have their power restored today.
  • Crews have restored natural gas service to a few hundred of the 13,000 customers in Superior and Louisville who are without service, as repairs to the system continue. While some additional customers may be restored today, the process will take several days and the company will share more information on the restoration timeline later today.
  • Natural gas customers do not need to call for a relight of their pilot lights. Crews will go door to door to relight pilot lights when service to an area is restored.
  • The company is also providing electric heaters to customers who are without natural gas service. To pick up an electric heater, please stop by the Red Cross shelter at YMCA in Lafayette at 2800 Dagny Way or at the Boulder YWCA at 2222 14th St. between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday or Sunday.

Electric restoration expected to be complete today

As of this morning, about 7,500 customers in the Boulder area are still without electric service, and that number will decrease throughout the day. All customers who can accept service are expected to be restored today. Crews have made significant progress with the help of mutual aid partners from across the region despite the challenges of continuing snowfall and the extensive damage caused by the fires and hurricane-force winds.

Natural gas service restoration in Superior and Louisville

Over the next several days, crews will continue restoring natural gas service to about 13,000 customers in Superior and Louisville. Public safety officials requested that natural gas service be turned off Thursday to minimize safety concerns related to the wildfires, as part of evacuation orders. More than 460 employees, contractors and partners expected to be on site today to continue the work of assessing damage and making repairs to get the system ready to serve customers.

Crews have restored natural gas service to a few hundred of the 13,000 customers, and while some additional customers may be restored today, the process will take several days, and the company will share more information on the restoration timeline later today. Customers can get the latest restoration information on xcelenergy.com and can learn more about the work that goes in to natural gas restoration in this information sheet.

Customers returning to their homes in Superior or Louisville do not need to call Xcel Energy to schedule relights of pilot lights. As part of our restoration process, crews go from home to home, or business to business, after a natural gas outage to restore service safely and efficiently. As part of this process, Xcel Energy personnel will confirm that meters are working property, then relight pilot lights for gas appliances. If customers are not at home, we will leave a door tag asking customers to call for a relight. 

The company is also providing electric heaters to customers who are without natural gas service. To pick up an electric heater, please stop by the Red Cross shelter at YMCA in Lafayette at 2800 Dagny Way or at the Boulder YWCA at 2222 14th St. between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday or Sunday.

Once evacuation orders have been lifted, we recommend customers without natural gas service follow the steps below to protect their home’s plumbing and keep their homes warm.

Protecting your water pipes:

  • If the indoor temperature dips into the low 40s, it’s a good idea to drain water pipes. Shut off the water supply; open all faucets including the water heater. If you have an electric water heater, drain the hot water heating system by turning it off and leaving the valves open.
  • If the indoor temperature in your home is above 40 degrees, but you are worried about your pipes, leave a slow trickle of water running from the faucets. Flowing water will not freeze as quickly as standing water.
  • You can also contact a plumber to winterize and protect your plumbing while your heat is out.
  • Before draining pipes, you may want to collect water in clean containers for drinking purposes.
  • Only a qualified professional should attempt to electrically thaw frozen pipes. A broken or corroded pipe, a plastic coupling on a pipe or any wiring defect might result in a misdirected current and potential damage.

Keep your house from cooling down:

  • With the winter weather moving in today, the company will provide electric heaters to affected customers in Superior and Louisville. To pick up an electric heater, please stop by the Red Cross shelter at YMCA in Lafayette at 2800 Dagny Way or at the Boulder YWCA at 2222 14th St. between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. each day through the weekend.
  • Keep blinds and drapes open when it’s sunny to maximize heat in your home. Close them at other times to keep the heat inside.
  • Avoid opening doors.

Use alternate heating sources safely:

  • Use a fireplace or wood stove if available. Make sure that your chimneys and flues are clean and unobstructed, and you have proper ventilation. When using a wood-burning fireplace, be sure the damper is open, and the chimney is free from obstructions and efficiently draws smoke outside.
  • Never use outdoor barbecues, kerosene heaters or camping heaters, because they emit carbon monoxide.
  • As an important safety reminder, if you ever detect a sulfur or “rotten egg” smell inside or near your home, it could be the odorant we put in natural gas to help detect leaks. If you notice that smell, leave your home immediately. Do not turn any electrical devices on or off and never use any phone until you are outside and safely away from the area. Then, call us at 1-800-895-2999. In a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1.

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About Xcel Energy

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.