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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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If anyone believes this is about safety of their constituents- spoiler alert - it’s not. I have lived here my entire life. I remember how utilities were under of the purvey of “the public service company of colorado”. Here’s all that is needed to be known: 1. I live in a series of neighborhoods with UNDERGROUND utilities. I also live next to a neighborhood that is on a city owned golf course. 2. xcel cut power at 9:45am yesterday and it’s still not on. “they must inspect all of the lines before energizing them” yet in a 2 mile square... Continue reading
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If this is the threshold by which Xcel will decide to shut off our power for long enough to ruin our food and have our temperatures drop inside our homes, then they have no business being a power company. We get worse winds than yesterday on a regular basis. Other than about one hour in the afternoon the winds were non-existent for all intents and purposes. And if they don’t have systems in place to reverse the power outage plan once it becomes clear that the forecast was way off, they shouldn’t be a power company. Furthermore, if they plan... Continue reading
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I lost power at 9:40 am now it’s 22 hours later and I still have no power and there was barely wind. I have had to throw out all my food. Xcel is saying we won’t have power for 3 days when they originally told us 4 hours. This is not ok. This is not because of the wind this is because Xcel has low reserves and they don’t want to buy power at a premium rate from other iso. We have had much worse wind in Arvada with no lost power. This is not about safety but about Xcel... Continue reading
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Inexcusable! I live in Evergreen, 80439Received an email saying we MIGHT be impacted at noon on Wednesday. Power was shut off at 10am. A small breeze started around until 4pm. It was 10x as bad last week, yet not a peep from Xcel!The decision to shutdown at 10am was inexcusable! We lost full days of income at work (we both work from home), kids missed Finals, and the $500 of Xmas groceries are now garbage!! Why can a power company force a shutdown bc something “might” happen? Why - bc they have fancy new lawyers telling them
Share You wiped out a full day of production at my small business! on FacebookShare You wiped out a full day of production at my small business! on TwitterShare You wiped out a full day of production at my small business! on LinkedinEmail You wiped out a full day of production at my small business! link
My business is in Fort Collins, CO 80524. Larimer county.
Received an email on Monday 12/15 saying we MIGHT be impacted at noon on Wednesday. Power was shut off at 10am.
Wind didn't start picking up until 3:00 pm! And seemed much worse a week or two ago.
That 5 hour difference was huge! Heck, those 2 hours would even have been helpful!
We lost significant time and revenue! Do you know how embarrassing it is to tell a customer we can't ship when we said we would because the power company simply decided to shut off our power because... Continue reading
