Xcel Energy officials cut down the number of Front Range customers who may lose power during a wind storm on Wednesday from half a million to 52,000, according to a news release sent Tuesday afternoon.
The utility initially estimated up to 500,000 customers could lose power during a public safety power shutoff in Denver, Adams, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Douglas, Broomfield, Boulder, Larimer and Weld counties.
As of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Xcel officials said a precautionary power cut will likely start around 10 a.m. Wednesday, with most impacts to customers in the foothills, including Jefferson, Boulder, Clear Creek, Larimer and Weld counties.
“Risk assessments based on the latest forecast data and advanced modelling tool outputs, as well as recent improvements to grid infrastructure, have enabled us to reduce the size of the affected areas,” company leaders said in a statement.
Xcel power shut-offs ‘likely’ on Wednesday: What you need to know
Public safety power shutoffs are meant to reduce wildfire risks during critical fire weather conditions, which include high winds, warm temperatures and low humidity.
Fire danger will be elevated because of warm, dry weather over the last several weeks, including a recent 10-day stretch of near-record temperatures on the Front Range, the utility said.
Denver tied the Dec. 15 record for daily high temperature at 68 degrees, according to the National Weather Service’s Boulder office. That record was set in 1921.
Similar weather is forecast for Tuesday, and the city could again break a record for daily high temperatures Friday, when the forecast high of 67 degrees would tie the Dec. 19 record set in 2023.
Denver weather: Monday’s high temps tie city record from 1921
Up to 40 mph wind gusts are forecast for the Denver area Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
“Energy crews will restore power as quickly as safe conditions permit,” Xcel officials stated in a news release. “Xcel Energy’s top priority is protecting customers and communities.”
During a public safety power shutoff, Xcel proactively cuts off power to areas with an elevated wildfire risk, according to the utility.
“Proactively shutting off power is not a step we take lightly,” the company stated on its website. “We consider weather, wind speeds, relative humidity, fuel moisture and temperature as well as critical customers and infrastructure before deciding to implement a PSPS.”
If Xcel does pre-emptively cut power, it will be the second time the utility has done so in Colorado. In April 2024, Xcel shut off power to about 55,000 customers. An additional 250,000 lost power because of wind events, Xcel spokesperson Michelle Aguayo said.
Power restoration will begin after the high winds and fire danger subside, according to the utility’s website.
The timeline for restoration can range from several hours to several days, depending on the area, utility officials said. Crews need to patrol the entire line to ensure it’s safe before it can be re-energized.
Even if Xcel does not proactively shut off power, the utility still expects to implement what it calls “enhanced powerline safety settings” on Wednesday.
That means power lines will remain active, but they will be more sensitive and will shut off if issues are detected, such as a tree branch or other object touching the line, Xcel officials said in the release.
Xcel customers can monitor current outages online and report outages from their accounts. Customers may also report an outage by texting “OUT” to 98936 or “STAT” to check the status of an outage.
There is a slight chance for rain and snow on Wednesday, but the recent warm weather means any snowfall is unlikely to accumulate.
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