Xcel Public Safety Power Shutoffs

Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Public Safety Power Shutoff required in Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties beginning 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Xcel website updates can be found here.

Current Situation as of 9:35 a.m., MT, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

We will implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) for about 50,000 customers in Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties, Colorado beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17. Customers can look up their address on our outage map to find out if they will be affected by this PSPS event.

Resource Centers

The American Red Cross and Jefferson County are opening resource centers with access to phone charging for those who need it. These centers will be open Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at these locations:

Evergreen Library – 5000 County Hwy 73, Evergreen
Belmar Library – 555 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood

Please visit this web page for the latest resource center updates.

Weather conditions necessitating a PSPS are expected to start improving around 6 p.m. Wednesday. However, high winds and low relative humidity that may create wildfire risk and cause outages are expected again on Friday.

Due to changes in weather forecasts Xcel Energy is evaluating the potential need for a second PSPS event impacting mountain communities and the Front Range on Friday, Dec. 19, beginning as early as 6 a.m.

Friday’s storm may overlap with some communities impacted by today’s severe weather, which could mean that certain areas could be without power for more than three days.

Hundreds of Xcel Energy crew members and contractors are positioned along the Front Range, ready to restore power due to a PSPS as well as any other outages caused by high winds.

We stress that those who are not expected to be part of the PSPS event may still experience outages due to the high winds associated with this dangerous weather system or Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings, which will be active across affected areas.

Restoring outages from a significant weather event or PSPS may take several hours to several days. This is because crews must inspect power lines and repair damage before they can be safely re-energized.

We encourage customers, especially those who have medical equipment that relies on electricity, to make final preparations for outages now. More tips for how to prepare for an outage are available on our website.

During extreme or critical wildfire risk conditions, or if we’re working near active wildfires, we may need to temporarily turn off electric service to customers in targeted areas. This is a risk reduction strategy known as a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).

Proactively shutting off power is not a step we take lightly. We consider weather, wind speeds, relative humidity, fuel moisture and temperature as well as critical customers and infrastructure before deciding to implement a PSPS.

Extreme Winds: wind speeds greater than or equal to the 99th percentile at specific locations.
Relative Humidity: low relative humidity.
Low Fuel Moisture: presence of drier fuel sources, calculated by considering day length, hours of rain and daily temperature and humidity ranges.

PSPS Communications

We start communicating with customers when the forecast includes extreme weather that may require a PSPS.

Up to 48 hours (or more if possible) before a PSPS event. We will contact impacted customers using a phone call and/or email, depending on their notification preferences. Updates will be provided daily.
Up to 4 hours (or more if possible) before a PSPS event. We will decide whether a PSPS is needed and send an updated phone call and/or email.

Please note that in emergencies, we may not be able to provide advance notice of a PSPS to customers.

If a PSPS is necessary, we will make every effort to minimize the size and duration of the event. Other wildfire mitigation strategies, such as activating Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS), engaging in preventative brush and tree clearing, pole and wire inspection and replacement and integrating advanced technologies – like AI-powered panoramic cameras and sophisticated risk modeling – also help to limit the size and duration of a PSPS.

Staying Informed During a PSPS

To stay informed via text, phone and email when wildfire risk is high and a PSPS event is possible, ensure your communication preferences and contact information are up to date by signing into My Account opens in a new window.
If a PSPS event becomes likely, we will provide updates on our PSPS event page.

Restoring Power After a PSPS

Safety is our top priority. We take measures to ensure our communities are safe when we need to de-energizing power lines.

If a PSPS is needed or there are other weather-related outages across our system, power restoration efforts will begin after high winds and elevated fire risks have ended.
It may take several hours to several days for customers’ power to be restored because a crew must patrol the entire power line to ensure it’s safe before it can be re-energized.

More safety and preparedness resources are available on our Wildfire Preparedness webpage.

How to Prepare for PSPS

The first step in preparing for potential power outages is updating your contact information in My Account and signing up for outage alerts and alerts from your local emergency responders, if available. Also consider taking these additional steps:

Prepare Your Home

Set your fridge and freezer to the coldest setting to keep food cold for up to four hours in the fridge and up to 48 hours in the freezer.
Turn off or unplug electrical appliances or equipment that could surge when power returns.
Consider purchasing portable charger banks and stock up on batteries.
Designate a dedicated outdoor space for generators, grills and stoves, and make sure they are functioning properly. Do not operate these items indoors or in partially enclosed spaces.
Practice opening garage doors without the electronic motor.

Prepare Yourself and Your Community

Write down emergency numbers and critical contact information.
Acquire a first aid kit of sufficient size for your household and keep it stocked.
Keep an emergency supply of prescription and non-prescription medications on hand, and plan for medications, like insulin, that require refrigeration.
Fully charge personal medical devices and ensure a backup power source is available for electrically powered medical equipment.
Check in with your neighbors, especially the elderly and those with disabilities.
Keep your pets’ needs in mind when obtaining supplies.