NewsLocal

Actions

Colorado utility companies prepare supplies, beef up staff ahead of weekend storm

Snowplow Denver
Posted
and last updated

DENVER — Utility companies across Colorado are preparing for potentially heavy snow this weekend.

The Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA) has been prepping both equipment and staff for days.

IREA's Chief Operating Officer Pam Feuerstein said the utility company has stocked wires, poles, and transformers in its yard ahead of the storm.

Feuerstein added crews have also been checking all of the vehicles that typically go out when there are power lines down due to heavy storm activity.

"We're looking at all of our vehicles that we'd think we'd need during the event, making sure they're operating correctly and then stocking them with the materials we have on hand and put them into the vehicles themselves," she said.

Preparing for the storm has also meant making sure there are enough crews on hand to help if something goes wrong.

All of IREA's linemen will be working throughout the weekend. The utility company also has others to help.

"We also have relationships with a lot of contractors both from a line perspective and tree trimming perspective, so we've already reached out to them," Feuerstein said.

Both IREA and Xcel Energy said customers can monitor power outages and report power outages on their websites.

You can view and report IREA outages here. You can view and report Xcel outages here.