Power has been restored to all Xcel Energy customers in northern Colorado who were affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) on Friday. The company reported that crews completed restoration efforts around 9:30 p.m. Friday, following a severe weather system that brought wind gusts exceeding 65 miles per hour and created extreme wildfire risk.
The PSPS was implemented in Larimer and Weld counties as a precaution to reduce wildfire risk. In addition to the planned shutoff, strong winds caused unplanned outages for thousands of customers outside the designated area. Restoration work continued into Saturday morning for those outages caused by the storm, with completion expected later in the day.
Hundreds of crew members and contractors from across Colorado were deployed once conditions allowed, inspecting power lines and making necessary repairs. Robert Kenney, president of Xcel Energy – Colorado, stated, “We are grateful for the swift work of our crew members, contractors and community partners. We also appreciate our customers’ patience and support as we work to protect the safety of communities and decrease the risk of wildfire.”
Xcel Energy noted its ongoing investments aimed at reducing future wildfire risks and minimizing potential power disruptions. Since starting its Wildfire Mitigation program in 2020, improvements made in 2024 include replacing over 8,300 distribution poles, inspecting nearly 19,000 poles and more than 2,800 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 power lines or broken poles directly to Xcel Energy while avoiding these hazards. Outages can be reported through several channels including the Xcel Energy mobile app available via Apple App Store or Google Play; online at xcelenergy.com/out; by texting OUT or STAT to 98936; or by calling 1-800-895-1999.
For ongoing updates about this event or other outage information—including an outage map—customers can visit Xcel Energy’s website or follow their accounts on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). The company also recommends keeping account information up-to-date through My Account for timely notifications.
According to Xcel Energy, PSPS events are used when conditions such as high winds, low humidity, and dry ground increase wildfire danger. Even areas with underground power lines may be impacted due to how neighborhoods connect with the broader grid.
Xcel Energy is headquartered in Minneapolis and serves customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas.
“We make energy work better for customers,” according to a statement from Xcel Energy. “That means always raising the bar — delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient and sustainable energy.”
For further details about current outages or company initiatives visit xcelenergy.com.
