DENVER (March 13, 2026) — As Xcel Energy continues to prepare for a strong wind event and likely Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) tomorrow, March 14, the company is encouraging customers to be ready for power outages. Weather forecasts include very high winds and dry conditions along the Front Range. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for this weather event and has indicated this will be the warmest and driest day of this stretch of high fire danger.

To reduce the risk of wildfire and support public safety, Xcel Energy is planning for a likely PSPS beginning around 2 p.m., potentially impacting about 18,000 customers in Boulder and Jefferson counties where the most severe weather conditions are forecast. Xcel Energy was able to reduce the number of customers that were expected to be affected. Weather conditions are expected to start improving between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. though high winds that may create wildfire risk and cause outages are expected to continue through the weekend.

Due to the high winds, outages could take place outside of the PSPS impacted areas. This may affect restoration times. Power restoration efforts will begin after high winds and elevated fire risks have ended and it is safe for crews to patrol lines and make repairs. It may take several hours to several days for customers’ power to be restored because a crew must patrol the entire power line to ensure it’s safe to turn service back on before a power line can be re-energized.  Given the forecast for Saturday includes high winds that could impact power lines, it is likely outages will continue into Sunday.

Xcel Energy will continue to reach out to potentially affected customers and share further updates on the PSPS event throughout the day today, and during the event. Customers can find event updates and tips to prepare, stay safe, report outages and stay informed when severe weather strikes on the Xcel Energy Event Update webpage , and can  look up their address online to find out whether they may be affected by a PSPS event.

How customers can prepare, stay safe

Stay Informed

Xcel Energy will provide updates for this specific weather event on its website. Customers can check the outage map for up-to-date information on outages and estimated restorations times, when available. They should make sure their account information and communications preferences are up to date in  My Account.

Customers can also stay informed by following Xcel Energy on Facebook and X.

Build a Home Emergency Kit

Customers are encouraged to be prepared for an electric outage by keeping phones and other devices charged and building an outage kit with items that do not require electricity, including:

  • Battery-powered radio     
  • Flashlights    
  • Batteries    
  • Backup phone chargers    
  • A phone that does not require electricity    
  • Non-electric alarm clock    
  • Bottled water and non-perishable food    
  • Manual can opener    
  • First aid kit    
  • Extension cords (for partial outages)    
  • Manufacturer’s instructions on how to manually open power-operated doors (e.g. garage doors)    
  • Xcel Energy phone numbers – (800) 895-1999 for residential or (800) 481-4700 for business

As an important reminder to customers who have medical equipment that relies on electric service, please take steps to prepare for potential extended outages in case outages do occur. Xcel Energy will be conducting additional outreach for qualifying medical customers.

We are continually investing in and building out our systems to reduce the risk of wildfire and limit the size, scale, and duration of potential power disruptions. More tips for how to prepare for an outage are available here. 

Report an Outage

Customers can help Xcel Energy get a jump on power restoration by reporting outages. Customers have several ways to report outages:

  • Through the Xcel Energy mobile app, available in the Apple App Store and through Google Play.    
  • Online at xcelenergy.com/out   
  • Via text by texting OUT to 98936 to report an outage, or text STAT to the same number to check the status of a power outage   
  • By calling 1-800-895-1999 and following the prompts—the automated phone reporting system lets customers report outages in less than 60 seconds. 

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About Xcel Energy  

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider, dedicated to serving millions of customers with excellence. We make energy work better for customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar — delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient and sustainable energy.

We are committed to leading the clean energy transition, meeting our customers’ need for more cleaner power, while keeping bills as low as possible. Because the people we serve depend on us to power their lives.

Headquartered in Minneapolis, we work every day to generate and distribute electricity and gas to customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on X and Facebook.