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 is horrible on Facebook Share Xcel is horrible on Twitter Share Xcel is horrible on Linkedin Email Xcel is horrible link

    Xcel is horrible

    by Brooklyn, about 9 hours ago
    I have had nothing but issues and especially this Summer. Every week there seems to be an outage and for hours. I have been stuck at home due to my car being stuck in the garage. I have not been able to do my actual job because I need the internet to work. Food has gone bad in my fridge and freezer. Have had kids trying to do homework in the dark. It’s real upsetting it keeps happening and nothing is done about it. When I went to submit feedback the domain doesn’t even work.
  • Share Xcel doesn’t care at all on Facebook Share Xcel doesn’t care at all on Twitter Share Xcel doesn’t care at all on Linkedin Email Xcel doesn’t care at all link

    Xcel doesn’t care at all

    by Skutts62, about 9 hours ago

    I am from the westlake neighborhood we had many power outages here since May. And of course the one when they turned off power for the winds to supposedly be safe. Which I had to stay in a hotel lost over a thousand dollars of food and no reimbursement from them at all. And since these other power outages happen I did do another complaint and they denied me that the transformer went bad in golden and they can not since it landed under the utility commission thing sorry don’t remember what it’s called. I did tell them I think... Continue reading

  • Share So Tired of the Outages on Facebook Share So Tired of the Outages on Twitter Share So Tired of the Outages on Linkedin Email So Tired of the Outages link

    So Tired of the Outages

    by Chrissy , about 10 hours ago

    I seriously understand outages. They happen. But the excessive amount that Columbine Hills has experienced is so many I can't even count them on both hands. Some we get warning. Some we don't. We never get communication on why this is happening. Some last hours and some last days. My neighbors behind our house never seem to loose it. I have had to throw away food and even clothes that get stuck in the washer because once a load gets started, the lid can't open until power is back on. Xcel sucks. I wish we had choices with different electric... Continue reading

  • Share Columbine hills power outages on Facebook Share Columbine hills power outages on Twitter Share Columbine hills power outages on Linkedin Email Columbine hills power outages link

    Columbine hills power outages

    by Tel, about 11 hours ago
    I live at 6191 W Alder Ave, Littleton CO 80128. I work from home 9-5 m-f.

    As you are aware, these power outages also cause Xfinity internet to fail. My work hours had to be made up due to lack of internet
    many of these days had very high temperatures. On two particular days with temps almost 100 degrees, I was onsite and had my window ac on for my dog. My house was obviously closed up. I had to have my daughter drive over to put my dog in the downstairs family room to keep cool.
    another time my... Continue reading

  • 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 , 1 day 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.
Page last updated: 08 Sep 2025, 04:07 PM