AMARILLO, Texas (Mar. 30, 2025) – Xcel Energy is watching and preparing for severe weather forecasted across our service area in Texas and New Mexico, including high wind speeds and low relative humidity. Due to dry conditions and large amounts of fuel, wildfire risk will increase across the region, and is expected to peak on Tuesday, April 1. 

High winds and associated wildfire risks could cause some customers to lose power. If an outage occurs, Xcel Energy crews are on standby to restore power safely. 

We encourage customers to plan for potential power outages early this week due to weather, especially those who may have medical equipment that relies on electricity. Please know the forecast may change and we will provide updates as needed. 

Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings to be activated; Public Safety Power Shutoff possible on Tuesday, April 1 

Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) and Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are tools we implement to reduce wildfire risk and keep our customers safe. 

EPSS allows power lines to remain in service during periods of elevated wildfire risk, with additional protection settings enabled. In a PSPS event, power is proactively shut off for safety as a last resort. This is not a step we take lightly. More background information is available on our website and this EPSS video. 

Because of the elevated risk of wildfire, we expect to activate Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) across our Texas and New Mexico service territory for most of this week. 

  • When EPSS is activated, power lines can stop the flow of energy if an issue is detected, like a tree branch or other object touching the line.      

  • EPSS does not mean the company has proactively turned off a customer’s power. If there is an outage while these settings are activated, it is the result of an issue on the power line.      

  • Power will remain off until our crews can visually inspect power lines to make sure it is safe to turn them back on. This may mean that if an outage occurs, it could last longer.    

A Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is a risk mitigation option where power is shut off to a targeted area for a limited time when wildfire risks are extremely high and other methods like EPSS are not enough for public safety. Xcel Energy will notify customers who may be affected if a PSPS becomes necessary. 

Currently, we are evaluating the potential need for a PSPS on Tuesday, April 1. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we take steps to reduce wildfire risk and keep our communities safe.  

How Customers Can Prepare, Stay Safe 

Stay Informed 

  • If outages occur, it’s important for customers to have access to the most recent updates about their power restoration. Customers should make sure their account information and communications preferences are up to date through the Xcel Energy website.    

  • The website hosts an outage map that displays information on the number of customers out and anticipated time for restoration when available. 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 a backup power supply in case outages do occur. If a PSPS becomes necessary, we will attempt to contact known medical customers in the area directly to inform them about forecasted severe weather and potential impacts.  

  • 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:    

  • 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) 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 X and Facebook.