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yesterday

Xcel to Activate Enhanced Line Settings Wednesday, Weighs Targeted Shutoffs for Front Range Winds

Utility officials cite unusually dry fuels with forecast gusts up to 70–80 mph creating a high ignition threat.

Denver, CO looking east at sunrise in Denver, Colorado, United States
A helicopter puts in rope through transmission structures that will allow lineman to put in larger transmission line cables as part of their work on the Power Pathway project just south of Brush, Colorado on Jan. 8, 2025. Workers with GRD Construction are putting in the structures, cables, and lines that are part of Xcel's Colorado Power Pathway, a $1.7B electric transmission project. The project is slated to take three years to complete. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
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Overview

  • Xcel says Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings will be turned on Wednesday, making lines more sensitive to faults that automatically cut power until crews visually inspect equipment.
  • The company is considering a targeted Public Safety Power Shutoff, with officials saying a noon Wednesday start is likely if conditions warrant, though exact boundaries and durations remain unsettled.
  • Potential impacts could extend from Fort Collins through parts of the Eastern Plains and the Pueblo region, with strongest winds expected along the foothills.
  • Power restoration will begin only after conditions are safe and lines are patrolled, which Xcel warns could take several hours to a couple of days depending on damage.
  • Following a 55,000-customer shutoff in April 2024 and a regulatory review, Xcel is notifying at-risk customers early, coordinating with emergency services and critical facilities, and urging households to prepare emergency kits and charging plans.