Xcel Energy has started restoring power to customers in Colorado after a strong wind event and a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) caused widespread outages on Wednesday. The weather system brought wind gusts exceeding 90 miles per hour and low humidity, increasing wildfire risks, especially along the Front Range.
As of 8 p.m., approximately 120,000 outages were reported—about 50,000 due to the PSPS and another 68,500 from severe weather. Restoration efforts are underway where conditions are safe, but Xcel Energy cautioned that returning service may take several hours or even days. Crews must wait for hazardous weather and wildfire threats to subside before inspecting lines and making repairs.
A second PSPS is expected on Friday, December 19, as similar high wind and dry conditions return. This event could affect mountain communities as well as the Front Range starting as early as 5 a.m., potentially resulting in some areas being without power for more than three days.
“We understand being without power for any length of time is difficult, much less for multiple times in several days,” said Robert Kenney, president of Xcel Energy – Colorado. “We do not take these events lightly, as the safety of our customers and communities are our top priority. We want our customers to know that our crews are working as quickly as possible to safely restore power and hope our customers will give our crews grace as they work through these challenging conditions over the next few days.”
The company uses weather forecasts and other data sources to determine actions needed to protect public safety during such events.
To support affected residents, Xcel Energy is collaborating with the American Red Cross and Jefferson County to open two resource centers for those impacted by outages from Wednesday’s winds. These centers will operate Thursday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., offering phone charging stations at Belmar Library in Lakewood.
Customers are urged to report damage or outages using several available methods: through the Xcel Energy mobile app found in both Apple App Store and Google Play; online at xcelenergy.com/out; by texting OUT or STAT to 98936; or by calling 1-800-895-1999. Updates about outages can be found on Xcel Energy’s Event Update web page.
The company recommends that residents prepare emergency kits with essentials like battery-powered radios, flashlights, backup chargers, bottled water, non-perishable food items, manual can openers, first aid supplies, extension cords for partial outages, instructions for manually opening electric doors, and important phone numbers.
Special outreach will be conducted for customers who rely on medical equipment powered by electricity ahead of Friday’s anticipated outage.
Since launching its Wildfire Mitigation program in 2020, Xcel Energy has made investments aimed at reducing wildfire risk—including replacing over eight thousand distribution poles in 2024 alone—as part of ongoing system improvements across its service area.
