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7h ago

Xcel Warns of Possible Targeted Power Shutoffs Wednesday on Colorado’s Front Range

Enhanced line protections will activate as Xcel weighs shutoffs tied to extreme wind-driven wildfire risk.

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

  • Forecasters expect gusty conditions near the foothills with Denver gusts near 40 mph, while an Xcel official warned some Front Range locations could see 70–80 mph.
  • Xcel will turn on Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings Wednesday, making lines more sensitive to faults that cut power until crews complete a visual inspection.
  • A targeted Public Safety Power Shutoff is under review for high-risk areas, with service restored only after hazards ease and line patrols finish, which may take hours to days.
  • The utility said potential impacts could extend from Fort Collins across the Eastern Plains to the Pueblo region depending on conditions.
  • Customers will be notified if they may be affected and can report or check outages online, through the app, or by texting OUT or STAT to 98936.