Denver (April 6, 2024) – With the high wind conditions forecast today through Sunday, Xcel Energy is operating the electric system across Colorado in a manner intended to enhance public safety and decrease the risk of wildfire. In certain limited areas, Xcel Energy is planning to de-energize power lines beginning Saturday at 3 p.m. MT lasting into Sunday.

An estimated 55,000 Xcel Energy customers may be affected, and the communities that may experience a power shutoff are primarily in Boulder County, small sections of Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, Douglas and Broomfield Counties, and the West Denver Metro area along the foothills. As a reminder, extreme winds can impact the system causing an outage and does not necessarily mean that a customer has been proactively de-energized.

De-energizing is a last resort measure to reduce the risk of a wildfire and ensure public safety. If a line is proactively de-energized, we will not turn the power back on until the high fire risk has passed, conditions are safe and crews have visually inspected the line. Outage restoration times will also depend on damages from the storm.

Xcel Energy will attempt to communicate with customers who will be affected by a power shutoff. 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 proactive shutoffs are necessary.

Another step we are taking is changing settings on many of our powerlines. Typically, when there is an issue that causes a power outage on a line, such as a tree branch contacting a power line, equipment on the system will attempt to restore power automatically, usually within a few seconds. Xcel Energy is changing the settings on those systems in many areas to prevent the automatic restoration of power. Instead, crews will patrol the area to ensure it is safe to restore service. This safety measure means power outages are likely to last longer. Crews are standing by, ready to conduct patrols and restore power when it is safe.

There is an event page on the Xcel Energy website linked here.

How customers can prepare, stay safe

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
  • Nonelectric 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 

More tips for how to prepare for an outage are available here.

Report your outage

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

  • Through the My 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. Once the cause of the problem is identified, the system or an Xcel Energy representative will provide customers with an estimated restoration time when available.

Stay informed

If outages occur, it’s important for customers to have access to the most recent updates about their power restoration. Customers can stay informed by using the My Xcel Energy mobile app or visiting 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, formerly known as Twitter.

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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, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook.