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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.
Share When “Public Safety” Becomes Public Harm on FacebookShare When “Public Safety” Becomes Public Harm on TwitterShare When “Public Safety” Becomes Public Harm on LinkedinEmail When “Public Safety” Becomes Public Harm link
I am submitting this statement to formally document my experience with Xcel Energy’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) during the week prior to Christmas. I reside in the Morrison/Golden area and am a stay-at-home mother of two young children. What occurred was not a single, weather-driven emergency event, but two extended PSPS events within three days, resulting in significant hardship, financial loss, and disruption to basic living conditions.
What was initially communicated as a one-day power shutoff on Wednesday ultimately lasted approximately 36 hours. Power was restored briefly, only to be shut off again early Friday morning at approximately 5:30... Continue reading
Share Multi-day planned outage with insufficient notice on FacebookShare Multi-day planned outage with insufficient notice on TwitterShare Multi-day planned outage with insufficient notice on LinkedinEmail Multi-day planned outage with insufficient notice link
I live in Evergreen (80439). My household received less than 24 hours’ notice about the recent Xcel Energy public safety power shutoff. We have been without heat, running water, electricity, or reliable cell service for several days while sick. Elderly and medically vulnerable residents nearby have been displaced and put at serious risk. Local stores have closed and businesses have lost thousands of dollars in spoiled product and lost business.
The limited notice, lack of communication, and lack of accommodations for vulnerable residents raise serious safety concerns. I’m requesting a review of Xcel’s protocols for planned shutoffs and improved communication... Continue reading
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As a resident who has no ability to choose an alternative electricity provider, I rely entirely on the PUC to ensure that Xcel delivers reliable, and responsibly managed electric service. What occurred during this December 2025 PSPS event was unacceptable by any reasonable standard, and I expect the PUC to provide clear answers and accountability.
My power was shut off before Xcel said it would be and hours before any significant wind activity began, and it took hours after conditions improved for power to return. This raises serious questions about the criteria, planning, and operational execution behind this PSPS. How... Continue reading
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
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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.
