Xcel Energy Outages, Billing and Customer Response

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Beginning in 2024, the Public Utilities Commission noticed a significant increase in complaints and comments from the public regarding outages and billing issues on Xcel Energy's electric system. Media outlets across the state also reported on the outages. In response, the Commission ordered staff to open an investigation into these issues, which found the following:

  • Xcel customers have been experiencing a trend of more outages and outage minutes since 2015, even after accounting for severe weather events
  • System-wide outage minutes in 2024 were significantly higher than the trend between 2015-2023
  • Outages were widespread across Xcel’s service territory in Colorado
  • Wildfire Safety Operations were a significant driver of outages in 2024 but did not fully account for higher levels of outages
  • The 15 worst performing feeders--which transmit power from a power source, such as a substation or distribution point, to consumers--account for a substantial portion of 2024 outage minutes
  • Low staffing levels for customer service personnel corresponded with significant drops in customer service performance
  • Consumers are experiencing a high number of billing complaints with unusually long resolution timelines.

Xcel responded publicly to the Commission investigations, acknowledging the challenges customers faced in 2024 and committing to improving performance in each of these areas. The Commission then ordered Xcel to report quarterly on a variety of outage and customers service metrics.

As the PUC continues to receive complaints from Xcel customers on these issues, we have created this new, easy-to-use platform for customers to share their experiences and ideas. This input will help the PUC better understand the scope of remaining issues as it determines next steps. Information collected here will be added to Proceeding Number 25M-0265E.

As this proceeding moves forward, we will provide updates through this tool.

Beginning in 2024, the Public Utilities Commission noticed a significant increase in complaints and comments from the public regarding outages and billing issues on Xcel Energy's electric system. Media outlets across the state also reported on the outages. In response, the Commission ordered staff to open an investigation into these issues, which found the following:

  • Xcel customers have been experiencing a trend of more outages and outage minutes since 2015, even after accounting for severe weather events
  • System-wide outage minutes in 2024 were significantly higher than the trend between 2015-2023
  • Outages were widespread across Xcel’s service territory in Colorado
  • Wildfire Safety Operations were a significant driver of outages in 2024 but did not fully account for higher levels of outages
  • The 15 worst performing feeders--which transmit power from a power source, such as a substation or distribution point, to consumers--account for a substantial portion of 2024 outage minutes
  • Low staffing levels for customer service personnel corresponded with significant drops in customer service performance
  • Consumers are experiencing a high number of billing complaints with unusually long resolution timelines.

Xcel responded publicly to the Commission investigations, acknowledging the challenges customers faced in 2024 and committing to improving performance in each of these areas. The Commission then ordered Xcel to report quarterly on a variety of outage and customers service metrics.

As the PUC continues to receive complaints from Xcel customers on these issues, we have created this new, easy-to-use platform for customers to share their experiences and ideas. This input will help the PUC better understand the scope of remaining issues as it determines next steps. Information collected here will be added to Proceeding Number 25M-0265E.

As this proceeding moves forward, we will provide updates through this tool.

Share Your Story

Have you had an experience with Xcel's customer service follow up? Or an outage experience? We'd love to hear from you. 

Note: These stories are posted publicly but your name does not need to be included. Please do not share identifying information if you wish to remain anonymous. 

Thank you for sharing your story with us.

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  • Share Xcel doesn't care on Facebook Share Xcel doesn't care on Twitter Share Xcel doesn't care on Linkedin Email Xcel doesn't care link

    Xcel doesn't care

    by Aubrey Allmond , about 21 hours ago
    Xcel doesn't care about outage impacts to customers. I'm in Columbine Hills in unincorporated Jefferson County. There are currently multiple ongoing outages in a different part of our neighborhood. They just get told lies from Xcel. A year or so ago our part of the neighborhood had regular outages anytime there was the slightest breath of a breeze. Xcel took over a year to fix the issue; never telling residents what was going on. Xcel is either intentionally lying to people or they are completely incompetent in running their system. Either way they do not care. Where else are you... Continue reading
  • Share Outages w/o Severe Weather on Facebook Share Outages w/o Severe Weather on Twitter Share Outages w/o Severe Weather on Linkedin Email Outages w/o Severe Weather link

    Outages w/o Severe Weather

    by kyboy, 1 day ago

    All our utilities are underground. We’ve lived in our home for 46 years. We’ve experienced more outages in the last 2 years than collectively all previous years. We lost a refrigerator full of food when then turned off the power for a wind event and couldn’t get it back on. We had to use our car to warm up. With the ups and downs trying to fix that problem, it took out our expensive OLED TV. And, then after the outages during the high temps this year, it took out our A/C system. They’ve replaced all the electronics including the... Continue reading

  • Share Gillian Acosta on Facebook Share Gillian Acosta on Twitter Share Gillian Acosta on Linkedin Email Gillian Acosta link

    Gillian Acosta

    by AcostaG , 2 days ago
    I live in columbine hills, since last year 2024 we have experienced multiple power outages, including one that last for 3 1/2 days. We were running our refrigerator off a generator just to keep our food from going bad. Most of our neighbors were using some kind of generator to keep their homes at a certain level of function for those couple of days with no update on when exactly we would regain power. Trying to maintain a job with no power was very upsetting, you can’t cook, the food possibly could have gone bad. You have to shower in... Continue reading
  • Share Littleton Power Outages on Facebook Share Littleton Power Outages on Twitter Share Littleton Power Outages on Linkedin Email Littleton Power Outages link

    Littleton Power Outages

    by Eyecycle, 2 days ago

    I sent an email to their executive escalation team after multiple outages. When I asked the about all the outages including the 52 hour+ outage that was reported in the original article, they reported no trouble found.


  • Share Regretting buying a house in this neighborhood because of Xcel on Facebook Share Regretting buying a house in this neighborhood because of Xcel on Twitter Share Regretting buying a house in this neighborhood because of Xcel on Linkedin Email Regretting buying a house in this neighborhood because of Xcel link

    Regretting buying a house in this neighborhood because of Xcel

    by Kat S., 2 days ago
    Most days, I work from home. I moved to Golden I 2022 and suffered a single outage in my nearly 3 years living there. I January 2025, I was finally able to buy my first home and landed on a house in an otherwise great neighborhood, Columbine Hills. Since May, I've lost power 10 times, nearly all of which happened during my work hours. I've never received a warning about a planned outage, including this past Friday (September 5), where the planned outage lasted 7 hours.

    I'd love to know why Xcel continues to be allowed to run a monopoly... Continue reading

  • Share Xcel outage on Facebook Share Xcel outage on Twitter Share Xcel outage on Linkedin Email Xcel outage link

    Xcel outage

    by Melloyd, 2 days ago
    It was ironic to read this story after we had several outages today as well.
  • Share Missing breakfast on Facebook Share Missing breakfast on Twitter Share Missing breakfast on Linkedin Email Missing breakfast link

    Missing breakfast

    by MSingleton, 2 days ago
    I live in Northwest Aurora and have noticed a large uptick in power outages over the last couple years. I have an alarm system at home that lets me know every time there is a power outage and when it returns. Just before the 4th of July last year we had a power outage because of a squirrel. Since then, I have lost power on 10/16/24, 11/10/24, 12/11/24, 1/11/25, 5/26/25, 6/28/25, 7/8/25. The outages happen a lot in early morning times for a couple of hours. This is actually the worst time for my husband because he makes breakfast at... Continue reading
  • Share The story of trying to opt out of the new meters on Facebook Share The story of trying to opt out of the new meters on Twitter Share The story of trying to opt out of the new meters on Linkedin Email The story of trying to opt out of the new meters link

    The story of trying to opt out of the new meters

    by Joan from Lakewood, 2 days ago
    I just received another letter stating I had to make an appointment with a new contractor within five days. We have been trying to tell Xcrll we have 2 meters because we are with solar panels and a program that is now administered by Tesla. We have told them that we want to opt out of the smart meters. We sent a fax mail letter stating that we would pay the monthly fee and we did not want their smart meter. We have had a contractor show up with the non-smart meter but only have one and needed to have... Continue reading
  • Share Just our little street on Facebook Share Just our little street on Twitter Share Just our little street on Linkedin Email Just our little street link

    Just our little street

    by Bananapancakes, 2 days ago
    We are one small street in Highlands Ranch with 11 homes adjacent to a major road. Although we haven’t lost power recently (knock on wood), we have had 5-10 outages in the past 2 years..definitely an increase over what we experienced when we first moved here 10 years ago. The outages have not occurred during weather events. They are random and when we look out, the major street and businesses across all have power, and neighbors behind (on a different facing street) also had power. When I have called Xcel in the past I don’t get any reasonable explanation and... Continue reading
  • Share Disruptions to my Work-at-Home Job on Facebook Share Disruptions to my Work-at-Home Job on Twitter Share Disruptions to my Work-at-Home Job on Linkedin Email Disruptions to my Work-at-Home Job link

    Disruptions to my Work-at-Home Job

    by Hedydoy42, 3 days ago
    One disaster after another! I work from home full-time. The power outages since I moved to Columbine Knolls in June has been very disruptive to my job.

    I had to move here because there was a fire in my condo (in another county), and we had to move while it's being restored. My primary requirement for the insurance company looking for a rental home is that I MUST have a place with Wi-Fi and a dedicated work space so that I can work and keep my job. We had no knowledge of the ongoing power issues when we agreed to... Continue reading

Page last updated: 08 Sep 2025, 11:49 AM