Xcel Energy crews have restored power to more than half of the 89,000 customers in Colorado affected by a severe wind event that occurred on Friday. The company expects that most customers will have power restored by 10 p.m., but some, particularly in and around Evergreen, may experience outages into Sunday due to extensive damage and challenging locations. Crews are continuing visual inspections of lines before making repairs and restoring service.
On Friday, extreme weather conditions increased wildfire risk and prompted Xcel Energy to implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) across Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties. These actions led to additional outages for some customers who were not initially impacted by the PSPS.
“This weather event earned the rare National Weather Service’s rare designation of a ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ and put our customers and communities at risk of wildfire danger, damage and power outage. We understand the hardship of being without power for any length of time and are proud of the work our crews have performed this week to return service as quickly and safely as possible. The work isn’t finished, and we want our customers to know we’re committed to completing the job,” said Robert Kenney, president of Xcel Energy—Colorado.
Throughout the week, Xcel Energy has been communicating with affected customers about restoration progress. Updates will continue as estimates are refined.
The safety of crew members is emphasized during repair efforts. Xcel Energy urges customers to help keep workers safe while they restore power.
Customers are encouraged to report any visible damage such as downed lines or broken poles directly to Xcel Energy and stay away from hazardous areas.
To assist those impacted by outages, Xcel Energy is working with the American Red Cross and local emergency management offices to provide resource centers where residents can access phone charging stations and emergency supplies. Locations include Gilpin County Overnight Shelter in Black Hawk (open 24 hours), Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Golden (open until 6 p.m. Saturday), and Evergreen Fire Station (open Sunday morning). The company’s RED Trucks will also be present at these sites offering support.
Customers needing food assistance can use resources like the Find Food Map for local hunger relief options across Colorado.
Outages can be reported through multiple channels: via the Xcel Energy mobile app available on 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 using an automated system.
Further updates about this weather event will be posted on Xcel Energy’s website. Customers can check outage maps for real-time information and ensure their account details are current for communication purposes. Information is also shared through Xcel Energy’s social media channels on Facebook and X.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs help reduce wildfire risks during extreme conditions such as high winds, low humidity, and dry ground—factors that were present during this recent event. Even neighborhoods with underground power lines may be affected depending on how their area connects to the larger grid.
Since launching its Wildfire Mitigation efforts in 2020, Xcel Energy has made several system upgrades aimed at reducing wildfire risks and limiting disruptions: replacing over 8,300 distribution poles in 2024 alone; inspecting nearly 19,000 distribution poles; examining more than 2,800 miles of transmission lines; completing hundreds of priority repairs; and installing new substation protection relays.
Xcel Energy serves millions of electricity and gas customers across eight states from its headquarters in Minneapolis. The company continues investing in clean energy initiatives while aiming to keep bills affordable for its service areas spanning Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Texas. More information is available at xcelenergy.com.
