DENVER — Xcel Energy announced Sunday that a public safety power shutoff (PSPS) — a planned power outage to mitigate wildfire risk — is not expected ahead of a stretch of dangerous fire weather conditions in Colorado, but cautioned that wind‑driven power cuts are still possible.
Instead, the company said it will activate enhanced powerline safety settings (EPSS) across eastern Colorado over the next 48–72 hours to reduce wildfire risk.
According to Xcel, an EPSS makes lines more sensitive and automatically shuts off power if something comes into contact with the line.
Outages that occur under EPSS are unplanned and may last longer because crews must visually inspect lines before restoring service, Xcel said in a press release.
"Enhanced power line safety settings are one of the operational practices that we can do to help mitigate the risk of an ignition to keep our communities and our customers safe in these extreme wildfire environments," said Andrew Holder, Xcel Energy director of community relations.
The company said the decision not to implement a PSPS was made after consulting with the National Weather Service, which indicated that conditions are unlikely to meet PSPS criteria.
However, the company warned that wind-driven outages remain possible and that operational adjustments could be made as conditions warrant.
"As of right now, the weather does not necessitate for any proactive de-energization, so PSPS is not something that Xcel is looking at doing here in the state of Colorado," said Holder.
These fire safety blackouts, implemented in the wake of the Marshall Fire, have impacted hundreds of thousands of customers on Colorado’s Front Range on at least two other occasions this season.
The outages have caused frustration among several Boulder-area businesses, with one, Beleza Coffee Bar, saying it lost $15,000 after being without power for 61 hours in December.
Some Boulder residents are purchasing generators to stay ahead of any future outages.
"It's faster, smarter and makes it so I don't have to have all this hassle to create my own electricity during these emergencies," said Boulder resident Bart Windrum, who recently installed a generator.
Critical fire weather conditions will persist for the next three days for much of the eastern plains and the southern I-25 corridor.
The National Weather Service says Tuesday’s windstorm is expected to be the most powerful out of this system, with brief pockets of 60 mph gusts and sustained winds of 30-40 mph.
"I think we're starting to see the effects of climate change here in Colorado," said Holder. "The risk of wildfire has exponentially increased year over year going back the last 10 years."
This system will also bring snow to the mountains early Tuesday.
Snow and blowing snow will likely lead to travel impacts across most of the higher elevations beginning Tuesday, according to the NWS.
Xcel Energy has provided the following steps to prepare for a power outage:
- 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.
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