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Xcel Cuts Power to 9,000 in Northern Colorado During Red Flag Winds as Restorations Begin

The shutoff is part of the utility’s wildfire-safety program during dangerous wind with very low humidity.

Overview

  • Xcel de-energized circuits serving parts of Fort Collins, Loveland, LaPorte, Timnath and Windsor, with most affected customers shut off by 9 a.m.
  • The National Weather Service issued high-wind and red flag alerts with gusts forecast near 65 to 75 mph, creating critical fire conditions across Larimer and Weld counties.
  • The utility said re-energization would begin once winds eased late afternoon, and required line inspections pushed many restorations into the evening and overnight.
  • Several outages occurred before the planned shutoff as downed lines in Boulder and Weld counties cut power early Friday, which crews repaired and largely restored.
  • Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings were activated, multiple schools closed in the Poudre and Weld RE-4 districts, and businesses reiterated concerns about limited advance notice.