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On December 17, 2025 Xcel Energy implemented a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) impacting around 52,000 customers in Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties. PSPS events are implemented in order to reduce the risk of a wildfire caused by power lines or other utility infrastructure. The Public Utilities Commission does not approve or deny Xcel’s use of proactive shutoffs however, the Agency does have an important role in ensuring that the communication, preparation and coordination of PSPS events is protective of customers.
This is Xcel's second PSPS, the first being in April 2024. The PUC received extensive public input following the 2024 event, much of it focusing on lack of notice, inadequate communication during the event, poor mapping of impacted areas and insufficient planning to identify and protect critical infrastructure and facilities. Since 2024, the PUC has taken several steps requiring Xcel to improve its actions across each of these areas. These areas of improvement include:
Advance coordination with state and local emergency response agencies including holding practice shut off events (i.e. “table-top exercises)
Work with local governments to develop lists of critical infrastructure and facilities (e.g. hospitals and water treatment facilities) in order to prioritize communication and power restoration
Advance notice (starting as early as 72 hours in advance) to all potentially impacted customers along with regular updates leading up to the outage
Accurate and timely communication to customers during the outage
Tailored and advanced outreach to individual customers that have informed Xcel of dependence on electric-powered medical equipment
Accurate and detailed mapping both to help residential and commercial customers understand the scope of outages
The PUC also committed to create a new set of rules establishing permanent requirements and standards for public safety power shutoffs. Staff is currently working to draft these rules and welcomes input from Xcel customers on their experiences with the December 2025 event. This information will help ensure that the PUC’s rules are comprehensive.
Please take a few minutes to give us your feedback through the survey or comment links below.
On December 17, 2025 Xcel Energy implemented a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) impacting around 52,000 customers in Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties. PSPS events are implemented in order to reduce the risk of a wildfire caused by power lines or other utility infrastructure. The Public Utilities Commission does not approve or deny Xcel’s use of proactive shutoffs however, the Agency does have an important role in ensuring that the communication, preparation and coordination of PSPS events is protective of customers.
This is Xcel's second PSPS, the first being in April 2024. The PUC received extensive public input following the 2024 event, much of it focusing on lack of notice, inadequate communication during the event, poor mapping of impacted areas and insufficient planning to identify and protect critical infrastructure and facilities. Since 2024, the PUC has taken several steps requiring Xcel to improve its actions across each of these areas. These areas of improvement include:
Advance coordination with state and local emergency response agencies including holding practice shut off events (i.e. “table-top exercises)
Work with local governments to develop lists of critical infrastructure and facilities (e.g. hospitals and water treatment facilities) in order to prioritize communication and power restoration
Advance notice (starting as early as 72 hours in advance) to all potentially impacted customers along with regular updates leading up to the outage
Accurate and timely communication to customers during the outage
Tailored and advanced outreach to individual customers that have informed Xcel of dependence on electric-powered medical equipment
Accurate and detailed mapping both to help residential and commercial customers understand the scope of outages
The PUC also committed to create a new set of rules establishing permanent requirements and standards for public safety power shutoffs. Staff is currently working to draft these rules and welcomes input from Xcel customers on their experiences with the December 2025 event. This information will help ensure that the PUC’s rules are comprehensive.
Please take a few minutes to give us your feedback through the survey or comment links below.
Have feedback for the PUC about the December 2025 Public Safety Power Shutoff? Feel free to share here. Please note: This info will be public for other users to see.
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Share Xcel needs a scalpel, not a cleaver on FacebookShare Xcel needs a scalpel, not a cleaver on TwitterShare Xcel needs a scalpel, not a cleaver on LinkedinEmail Xcel needs a scalpel, not a cleaver link
These public safety shutdowns cannot become the new normal. It's extremely disruptive and beyond inconvenient and frustrating. Years of Xcel management neglect to maintain and harden vulnerable infrastructure can't be born by the public. It's not fair to us.
Additionally, this wind event was NOTHING. To be clear, it was a non-event here in Solterra (470 and Alameda - west Lakewood area).
Xcel must get more surgical with both cutting power and their communications. Broadly cutting power to thousands of customers who aren't even experiencing high winds is unacceptable. Because of their broad - one size fits all approach... Continue reading
Share Cell service during emergencies on FacebookShare Cell service during emergencies on TwitterShare Cell service during emergencies on LinkedinEmail Cell service during emergencies link
I believe PUC has authority over cellular services in Colorado, and this comment is related to the public safety power shutoffs. When power is shut off during weather emergencies, and home wifi networks no longer work, it's critical that residents have reliable cellular service to receive communications. I live in a residential neighborhood within the city limits of Boulder, and my cellular reception is terrible (I've had both Verizon and T-Mobile, and both are equally bad). This is not an issue when wifi is working, but is a critical safety issue when power goes out. PUC should investigate the adequacy... Continue reading
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The first planned outage on December 17 went into effect pretty much right on time. Here in Golden, businesses and residence were without power for 28 hours - I believe that was well over the estimated restoration time that was initially quoted. Updates were seldom and inaccurate; basically the amount of time we had planned for having an outage was stretched double or triple the amount of time which really does affect things. During the first outage, there was wind, and there were gusts, but we had worse, way worse, a week before and there were no shut offs.
The December PSPS shutdown in December 2025. What a joke. I live on the border of Golden and Arvada. Between the 2 shutdowns I have been without power for over 48 hours. The wind over the past 24 hours has been non existent. You couldn't fly a kite if you tried. This isn't the first wind that colorado had experienced and it won't be the last. It seems to me that there should be a better approach to managing fire risk than simply cutting power to a large swath of customers who live on the west side of town and... Continue reading
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Obviously the PUC chair and commissioners are on the side of Xcel, letting XCEL raise the rates and not give us power and doing nothing about it. The PUC is set by the governor and he picked wrong. Eric Blank needs to resign or be fired he makes close to $200k a year gets kick backs from Xcel and has been in charge of holding xcel responsible since he started in 2020 and has yet to do so. We need a new PUC, one that doesn’t take kickbacks from Xcel.
Share Power Outage December 19, 2025 on FacebookShare Power Outage December 19, 2025 on TwitterShare Power Outage December 19, 2025 on LinkedinEmail Power Outage December 19, 2025 link
I certainly don’t have access to the “whole” picture with this outage which adds greatly to the frustration. Companies say the right thing, but what their concerns are profits to the company. Review the grid failure in Texas a few years back, event was larger and maybe more catastrophic but causes of the event are similar. ERCOT only was focused on “standard” days, 60 degree temperatures etc. Facts were different a winter storm did not produce “standard days” that the system design evolved to. New power sources were not winterized for non standard weather, older sources were shutdown and dismantled... Continue reading
Share Stop wasting money on climate hoax on FacebookShare Stop wasting money on climate hoax on TwitterShare Stop wasting money on climate hoax on LinkedinEmail Stop wasting money on climate hoax link
Upgrading the grid to be more resilient to wind and fire risk should be the only thing that the PUC and Excel Power should do for the next several years. Spending billions to swap out gas furnaces with heat pumps made in a coal powered factory in China accomplishes exactly zero for climate change. If the PUC isn’t technically capable of understanding how energy systems works they should quit and be replaced with engineers.
Share Apple Meadows, same old wind, just no more power on FacebookShare Apple Meadows, same old wind, just no more power on TwitterShare Apple Meadows, same old wind, just no more power on LinkedinEmail Apple Meadows, same old wind, just no more power link
I live in north Golden, close to highway 93. I grew up in Colorado in the foothills, and have lived on the west side of town for close to 54 years.
I understand our high winds, dry conditions, fire danger. I live just 10 miles south of Marshall. I even appreciated and prepared for the Planned outage yesterday (12/17/25, from 10am - 6pm), that Xcel warned me about for days on end leading up to the wind event.
I appreciate the precautions due to the fire concern, however, we are now in day 4 of what was only supposed to... Continue reading
Share An absolute nightmare on FacebookShare An absolute nightmare on TwitterShare An absolute nightmare on LinkedinEmail An absolute nightmare link
This was nothing short of an absolute nightmare all to protect Xcel from liability. I feel absolutely take. Advantage of by my public utility company. I live in golden right above the school of mines and had my power shut off for two multiple day stretches beginning on Wednesday and Friday morning. On both days of the shut off the wind wasn’t even that bad, especially for the majority of the day. I have seen way worse in golden and it’s never caused a fire before. My kids had their school and preschool canceled for 3 consecutive days. I pay... Continue reading
Share Unanswered Questions & Lack of Accountability on FacebookShare Unanswered Questions & Lack of Accountability on TwitterShare Unanswered Questions & Lack of Accountability on LinkedinEmail Unanswered Questions & Lack of Accountability link
I'm writing to join the voices of dismay and disbelief at this incredibly disruptive and unproductive shutoff. Very little about this incredibly disruptive shutoff passes the smell test. Why is the power off for so long in neighborhoods with buried power lines? Why did so many schools in non-impacted areas need to be disrupted? Why does it take Xcel longer to restore power from a planned outage than an emergency? And further, why are the Xcel work hours so limited (emergency or not, this is a crisis for many families)?
So many families have had disrupted work & school due... Continue reading
