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Xcel is planning a potential PSPS for parts of Larimer and Weld on Friday January 14, 2026.
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. Again on December 19, 2025 Xcel Energy implemented a second PSPS event that impacted approximately 69,000 customers in those same counties. Total outages across these days were higher due to damage from this storm and other protective measures implemented by Xcel.
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.
The PUC is creating 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 most recent PSPS events. 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.
Xcel is planning a potential PSPS for parts of Larimer and Weld on Friday January 14, 2026.
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. Again on December 19, 2025 Xcel Energy implemented a second PSPS event that impacted approximately 69,000 customers in those same counties. Total outages across these days were higher due to damage from this storm and other protective measures implemented by Xcel.
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.
The PUC is creating 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 most recent PSPS events. 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 a recent Public Safety Power Shutoff? Feel free to share here. Please note: This info will be public for other users to see.
Thank you for sharing your story with us.
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I want safety for everyone, but Xcel is taking limiting their liability over the top. This entire event should be a case study in CYA gone awry.
Xcel overcommunicated and WAY overestimated the areas that would be included in the PSPS in their original communication causing our family and probably others to needlessly worry and spend our time prepping for what their communications made seem like a certainty but never materialized. I spent my time prepping and stressing about something that became a non-event. I have enough other stuff in my life to deal with rather than worrying about an... Continue reading
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Communication is never going to be perfect. Communicate an outage too early and the weather forecast might change. However, we live in an area that is defined as a "high wind" area. So what is the criteria for an outage? 75 mph winds and high fire danger as defined by the NWS and then agreed to by Xcel lawyers? I get 75 mph winds at my house 6 times a year and it is dry every fall. What is the plan going forward to alleviate a 3-day outrage for 6 hours of wind? The NWS already has wind monitors up... Continue reading
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There is no discussion that turning off power in these instances is a good idea. What is wrong with the system is that it is being used to an extreme. In north Loveland, we received a notice on Wednesday that it would be shut off, then not more than 30 minutes later a notice that "power has been restored". It had never been off and never was on Wednesday during a much higher wind event than Friday. Then received a note that power would go off Friday at 5am, which it did. However, the wind subsided here mid-day and Xcel... Continue reading
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Let me start by saying this power shutdown cost my business about $20,000 in sales. We work very hard to ensure that our business runs well and something so brutal as a $20,000 loss is not foreseen in our business plan, anybody's business plan!
While we all want to avoid wildfire and disaster, the way this particular situation was handled was completely unacceptable. The power to our business was shut down for over 56 hours straight, not including a few hours on Wednesday afternoon.
We lost the ability to make any sales over the busiest weekend of our entire year... Continue reading
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We live in Evergreen and were without power AND water from Weds to Saturday night. We have livestock animals that very nearly ran out of water and finding water became increasingly difficult. The conditions in our home became unsanitary and dangerous, but we couldn’t leave due to the animals we’re responsible for. The total lack of community outreach from Xcel, a profit-rich organization, was shocking. They failed to coordinate with local authorities to deliver water to well users, create community shelters, or organize resources in any meaningful way. While none of us want our homes to burn down, a reasonable... Continue reading
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We lost power from 10am Wednesday to midnight, then again from 6am Friday to 8:30am Saturday.
We were well informed that the power was going to be shutoff, but there was absolutely zero information DURING the shutoff, which is when you want information the most. A lousy non updated website leads to another lousy website just telling you why they did what they did. Says to call for more info, but when you call you get the same runaround, and a pre-recorded message tells you to go to the website. Then, there was communication after the power came back on... Continue reading
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I work fully remotely, and access to reliable power and internet is essential to my ability to do my job and earn a living. I have a limited amount of paid time off, and with the holidays and my son’s school schedule, my husband and I had already planned our time off around the two week school break.
Weather conditions may have been more severe in Boulder, but in our immediate area the conditions were not unusually severe. Our neighborhood has buried power lines. Despite this, we lost power while nearby neighborhoods remained fully operational.
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I understand Xcel's need to turn off power to prevent fires and CYA. It must be hard.
Wednesday, they did a great job, shutting off power around 4:30pm within moments of the wind kicking up really high in Niwot. And the power went back on a couple hours later. All made sense.
But Friday, they really jumped the gun for Niwot! They warned us on Thurs they'd shut it off on Fri from 5am - 6 pm. And they did shut it off at 5am on Fri. But there was no wind. Not even a breeze.
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I gave birth last Friday. I am freshly postpartum, physically healing, emotionally raw, and caring for a newborn and a toddler. Instead of being able to recover at home in peace, my family lost power for a combined 72+ hours from Thursday through today.
I was recently laid off and unable to find work before giving birth. Because of that, we are currently SNAP recipients. We couldn’t even afford Christmas this year. Every dollar matters. For months, I carefully budgeted, waited for sales, and bought meat and frozen items in bulk to make sure my family wouldn’t go hungry. That... Continue reading
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My parents live in Clear Creek County, Evergreen off Upper Bear Creek Road. They have been without power since WEDNESDAY. I dont know if any of you know this, but in some parts of Colorado, people have wells for water. In order to run a well pump you need electricity.
My parents have been without electricity, heat, water and phone for FIVE DAYS. NO ONE CARES.
My mother is undergoing treatment for cancer and had a chemo treatment she HAD to attend on Friday. She is now back in her home because she... Continue reading
