Public Safety Power Shutoff

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  PUC - Supporters of the Cartel

  by Joe Roessler, 5 months ago

  It took acres of fires, destroyed homes, and untold misery for the PUC to take any action. What will it take next?

  
  

  The PUC and Xcel Energy lie to us. Based on population figures, the numbers simply don't add up. How can a power outage that harmed Boulder, a city of over 250k people, only affect 50k customers? The vast majority of the city did not have power. I am not even accounting for the surrounding areas. Their metric is egregiously flawed. Does a grandmother living with her family, who's oxygen machine suddenly turned off escape measurement simply because her... Continue reading

  It took acres of fires, destroyed homes, and untold misery for the PUC to take any action. What will it take next?

  
  

  The PUC and Xcel Energy lie to us. Based on population figures, the numbers simply don't add up. How can a power outage that harmed Boulder, a city of over 250k people, only affect 50k customers? The vast majority of the city did not have power. I am not even accounting for the surrounding areas. Their metric is egregiously flawed. Does a grandmother living with her family, who's oxygen machine suddenly turned off escape measurement simply because her name is not on an Xcel bill?

  
  

  While the PUC lies to us, the truth is that the PUC fails to do its job. We have aging infrastructure and an impotent, anemic enforcement body that fails to compel Xcel to perform any meaningful updates. These situations are entirely avoidable with proper investment. However, corporate greed and ineffective government that serves the interests of corporations and not citizens. The fact that aging railroad ties put in place during segregation are the backbone of our power grid is shocking and embarrassing. Where are the increased rates going?

  
  

  Xcel energy profits to the tune of 14% leave state to line the pockets of billionaire CEOs. These profits, unjustly collected through a PUC-endorsed cartel, go to the CEO's gambling in the stock market, to islands, to jets, and to yachts. Not to our power lines. Not to local businesses and schools. Not even to the State, as Xcel calls Minneapolis home. We support a cartel and we don't even get the benefit.

  
  

  Our state is NOT advocating properly for the regulation of Xcel Energy. The PUC clearly serves Xcel's interests. At best, the PUC is a farce. At worst, it's clear who they serve and it is NOT the citizens of the great State of Colorado.
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  Beyond Furious - Borderline Criminal Behavior

  by frontrangepilot, 5 months ago

  This planned power outage, done "for my safety", has been one of the most unbelievable things I've ever experienced. Wind has existed since the beginning of time, and Colorado has had a power grid for over a century. Yet not until 2024/2025 has the power ever been intentionally shut off because it is windy.

  I work from home full time and not have any power was extremely disruptive. I lost almost two days of work during 27 hours without power. My mom, who lives with us, has neck and back issues and, due to the temperature of the house decreasing... Continue reading

  This planned power outage, done "for my safety", has been one of the most unbelievable things I've ever experienced. Wind has existed since the beginning of time, and Colorado has had a power grid for over a century. Yet not until 2024/2025 has the power ever been intentionally shut off because it is windy.

  I work from home full time and not have any power was extremely disruptive. I lost almost two days of work during 27 hours without power. My mom, who lives with us, has neck and back issues and, due to the temperature of the house decreasing to 55°F, she was shivering and was awake all night starting at midnight. My wife uses a CPAP machine and she could not even stay in her own house for the night as she had to have electricity. I stayed at the cold and dark house with my mom and our pets, making sure they were staying warm.

  To add insult to injury, for the vast majority of the day, there was barely even a breeze outside. The wind was stronger on Tuesday than it was on Wednesday. Xcel said they shut off the power because the winds were forecasted to be strong. That is like canceling school when snow is forecasted, and the next day is just rains.

  But whether it was windy or not, intentionally shutting off the power to tens of thousands of residents, particularly in December, is beyond unacceptable and, in my opinion, borderline criminal behavior. The disruption, challenges, and difficulties caused by intentionally shutting off our power in 2025 is ridiculous.

  Fires are a risk, true. But life comes with risks. We do not need Xcel Energy "protecting us" by sending us back to the 19th century. They should be using their record profits and burying powerlines susceptible to high winds and/or adding equipment to shut off the power instantly if there is a downed power line. Xcel Energy is a power company. Their job is not to provide for our "safety" in this situation. Their job is provide power to their customers.

  I sincerely hope the Colorado PUC and/or Colorado legislature will take steps to prevent Xcel from being allowed to intentionally shut off our power in the future because it is windy. This is going to set a precedent in which they can shut off our power whenever they arbitrarily decide there is a "safety risk" to keeping it on. Whatever they decide that means. And Coloradans will have to navigate life in a third world equivalent of "I wonder when the power will be on and when it will be shut off". Something we've never had to deal with in the past.

  My disappointment in Xcel Energy cannot realistically be expressed in a post. But I hope and pray this is the last PSPS that is every allowed to take place. It is the 21st century and this is the richest country on earth. We should never have to deal with intentional power outages. Period.
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  A Medical Device

  by Sabertoothbuffalo, 5 months ago
  My name is Sam. I use a medical device to breathe for me while I sleep. Without this device I will die.

  
  

  While not overly complicated in design this device does require power to use. For emergencies I have a battery that can handle the requirements of the machine but only for a couple of days. I would buy a better one but I can't really afford it.

  
  

  I was given roughly a days notice by text regarding the outage. Which is long enough to charge the battery, but not necessarily long enough to prepare other things in our home... Continue reading

  My name is Sam. I use a medical device to breathe for me while I sleep. Without this device I will die.

  
  

  While not overly complicated in design this device does require power to use. For emergencies I have a battery that can handle the requirements of the machine but only for a couple of days. I would buy a better one but I can't really afford it.

  
  

  I was given roughly a days notice by text regarding the outage. Which is long enough to charge the battery, but not necessarily long enough to prepare other things in our home such as ready to eat non-perishables and other emergency supplies. I'm also having to shop along with every other person in the area who is doing the same thing.

  
  

  My wife also works from home, and without access to power, she can't do her job. This also puts our lives at risk.

  I'm tired of having to throw out $100's of dollars worth of food. I'm tired of being afraid of wildfires. I'm tired of fearing that XCEL energy is going to kill me in my sleep while I suffocate from my device not having electricity.

  Bury the power lines before XCEL buries me.

  
  
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  Terrible Communication, Zero Customer Service

  by JamesDoMo, 5 months ago

  On Dec 16 we heard of the possible power outage on local news without any communication from Xcel whatsoever. On the morning of Dec 17 close to 10 AM the power was cut with very little to no wind blowing. In fact I went outside for a few hours because it was so nice and calm. When I checked the Xcel website soon after the outage started it indicated the outage was unplanned. This was a lie. They planned it. At about 4 PM the wind finally started picking up. Not horrible for the front range but blustery. Normal for... Continue reading

  On Dec 16 we heard of the possible power outage on local news without any communication from Xcel whatsoever. On the morning of Dec 17 close to 10 AM the power was cut with very little to no wind blowing. In fact I went outside for a few hours because it was so nice and calm. When I checked the Xcel website soon after the outage started it indicated the outage was unplanned. This was a lie. They planned it. At about 4 PM the wind finally started picking up. Not horrible for the front range but blustery. Normal for this time of year.

  At no time was the Xcel website updated. At no time was the pre recorded message updated. At about 10 PM we finally received a text stating the reason for the outage. The wind calmed down but still no power. The outage lasted for 24 hours and at no time was the truth communicated to us. We lost a refrigerator full of food.

  Now we received a text that starting at 5 AM on the 19th they will again shut off power. No “maybe” this time, they’re just going to shut it down regardless of weather conditions. Pathetic is the best word I can use to describe Xcel. They should be heavily fined and found liable for damages to every customer they lied to.
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  incompetence

  by tommyt, 5 months ago

  We were told we MIGHT have a power outage by 11:00 A.M. We lost power at 10:30 while we were trying to get things done before the outage MIGHT happen.

  
  

  Excel knows where and when these planned outages are going to take place. It is their responsibility to let customers know way in advance. They can't just say power MIGHT be shut off in Weld County - where in Weld County?

  
  

  Excel needs to explain the process of which areas are chosen and why. Why are some houses on a block shut off while houses on the same block still... Continue reading

  We were told we MIGHT have a power outage by 11:00 A.M. We lost power at 10:30 while we were trying to get things done before the outage MIGHT happen.

  
  

  Excel knows where and when these planned outages are going to take place. It is their responsibility to let customers know way in advance. They can't just say power MIGHT be shut off in Weld County - where in Weld County?

  
  

  Excel needs to explain the process of which areas are chosen and why. Why are some houses on a block shut off while houses on the same block still have power?

  
  

  I have never seen such a large operation carried off with such incompetence, inneptness, and lace of professionalism.
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  This was just wrong!

  by Schneika, 5 months ago

  We live in Berthoud 80513. we received voicemails indicating we MIGHT be impacted from Noon until 6PM on Wednesday. Power was shut off at 9:56 am. and was not turned back on until 11:50 PM (14 hours?!!!) Our neighborhood was the ONLY houses without power! We could see less than 1 mile in both directions unaffected neighbors with their lights on (their power had not been shut off at all). Power was also on in both Loveland, Longmont and the rural areas in between.

  Why is a power company allowed to force a shutdown because something “might” happen? Excel should... Continue reading

  We live in Berthoud 80513. we received voicemails indicating we MIGHT be impacted from Noon until 6PM on Wednesday. Power was shut off at 9:56 am. and was not turned back on until 11:50 PM (14 hours?!!!) Our neighborhood was the ONLY houses without power! We could see less than 1 mile in both directions unaffected neighbors with their lights on (their power had not been shut off at all). Power was also on in both Loveland, Longmont and the rural areas in between.

  Why is a power company allowed to force a shutdown because something “might” happen? Excel should set up affected customers with an alternate power source instead of just telling us to “plan ahead" for any meds, medical devices, heating which need power. (so sad. too bad. sucks to be you attitude)

  There was no real “risk” in our area in the first place, and Xcel was endangering peoples' lives by cutting off power to protect THEIR Liability due to a previous fire where they were found responsible!

  WE have had much stronger winds recently. NOW there is another potential shutdown again starting at 5 AM Friday morning???

  Let me know where and how I can file an official complaint!
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  Frustrating Lack of Communication During Outage

  by cforestk, 5 months ago

  Our household was affected by Xcel Energy’s recent Public Safety Power Shutoff in Northern Colorado. We understand and support the need to prevent wildfires during extreme wind and drought conditions. The issue we experienced was not the shutoff itself, but the lack of clear and timely communication during the event.

  Power was shut off at the announced time in the morning (10am), but throughout the entire day the outage status page provided no restoration estimate, displaying only “Invalid Date.” There were no meaningful updates on Xcel’s website, app, or social media as conditions changed. As a result, customers were left... Continue reading

  Our household was affected by Xcel Energy’s recent Public Safety Power Shutoff in Northern Colorado. We understand and support the need to prevent wildfires during extreme wind and drought conditions. The issue we experienced was not the shutoff itself, but the lack of clear and timely communication during the event.

  Power was shut off at the announced time in the morning (10am), but throughout the entire day the outage status page provided no restoration estimate, displaying only “Invalid Date.” There were no meaningful updates on Xcel’s website, app, or social media as conditions changed. As a result, customers were left without any way to assess whether restoration was hours away or not expected until the next day.

  Our household includes medically necessary equipment, which forced us to make a difficult decision in the evening to relocate overnight to another residence. Had Xcel communicated even a broad or qualitative update (such as “conditions improving” or “restoration likely late evening”), we would likely have made a different decision and avoided significant disruption. Power was ultimately restored around 10:15 PM, but by that point we had already relocated based on the absence of information.

  It was also unclear why certain homes or small sections of neighborhoods were included in the shutoff while immediately adjacent areas retained power. More transparency about how shutoff boundaries are determined would help customers better understand and plan during these events.

  Public Safety Power Shutoffs may be necessary, but their success depends heavily on communication. Regular, time-stamped updates and clearer explanations would go a long way toward reducing unnecessary hardship, especially for households with medical or accessibility needs.
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  Planned power outage December 17

  by rushalev, 5 months ago
  We live in Golden, right by South Table Mesa. We understand that the risk of wildfire is high with the dry weather and our proximity to the open space. We do not want to lose our home and are mindful of the anniversary of the Louiseville fire. We knew we would have a power outage because Xcel started sharing this with us 5 days ago. What we didn't know was that Xcel would not have an acceptable plan for how to get the power back on once the wind event was over. We didn't know schools would be closed. We... Continue reading

  We live in Golden, right by South Table Mesa. We understand that the risk of wildfire is high with the dry weather and our proximity to the open space. We do not want to lose our home and are mindful of the anniversary of the Louiseville fire. We knew we would have a power outage because Xcel started sharing this with us 5 days ago. What we didn't know was that Xcel would not have an acceptable plan for how to get the power back on once the wind event was over. We didn't know schools would be closed. We didn't know we would lose our power for 36 hours. We didn't know there would be no further updates on restoration of service. It seems the schools were also caught off-guard with this new policy of preventative power shut offs.

  I would like to know that Xcel had the teams in place prior to the event to walk the 600 miles of service lines and restore power rapidly. I would like to know that they are thinking about how to compensate families for the work day lost while the kids were at home, in houses without electricity or heat or for the food in freezers that went bad. Its great to be proactive, but the company needs to have a plan for how to fix the mess that results from something like this and be more mindful of the downstream consequences.

  We have to pay our bills, regardless of whether our power gets shut off. We have to miss work when our kids schools are closed. Kids are missing final exams and end of the year parties. Elderly people are trapped inside their homes when elevators are not working. Families with children who have special needs are relying on generators. These are real consequences. Xcel can't just leave everyone hanging once this happens. They should be accountable to rapid restoration of power as they help mitigate the risk of wildfires. This was terrible and its about to happen again tomorrow and the lack of communication and care for what happens after is telling- they don't really care about their customers.
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  Public Comment Regarding Service Reliability and Restoration Communications

  by Maz, 5 months ago

  I am submitting this comment to document my recent experience with repeated power outages and inconsistent restoration communications, which directly contradict claims that recent capital investments have improved reliability and restoration times.

  
  

  Beginning on December 9, my electric service has been unstable, with repeated outages and intermittent restorations continuing through December 18. During this period, I received numerous automated alerts from Xcel Energy providing estimated restoration times that were repeatedly missed, revised, or later contradicted by subsequent messages.

  
  

  Specifically:

  
  

  • I received multiple restoration estimates (including December 9, December 10, December 11, and later dates), none of which proved accurate.
  • I... Continue reading

  I am submitting this comment to document my recent experience with repeated power outages and inconsistent restoration communications, which directly contradict claims that recent capital investments have improved reliability and restoration times.

  
  

  Beginning on December 9, my electric service has been unstable, with repeated outages and intermittent restorations continuing through December 18. During this period, I received numerous automated alerts from Xcel Energy providing estimated restoration times that were repeatedly missed, revised, or later contradicted by subsequent messages.

  
  

  Specifically:

  
  

  • I received multiple restoration estimates (including December 9, December 10, December 11, and later dates), none of which proved accurate.
  • I received messages stating that power had been restored when it had not.
  • I received alerts stating that my area was not expected to be impacted while I was already without power.
  • At times, alerts indicated there was no estimated restoration time at all, only for a new estimate to appear hours later and then be missed again.

  
  

  
  

  This was not a major storm event. While there were periods of high wind, conditions were clear and typical for this region and altitude—conditions utilities routinely cite as justification for infrastructure hardening investments.

  
  

  The cumulative effect was not just loss of service, but loss of confidence. The outage itself was disruptive; the repeated issuance of inaccurate or contradictory restoration estimates made planning impossible and undermined trust in the information being provided.

  
  

  Xcel Energy has stated that recent and proposed rate increases are necessary to fund capital improvements intended to reduce outages and restore service faster. Based on my experience, there appears to be a significant gap between those stated objectives and actual customer outcomes.

  
  

  I am not alleging misconduct. However, I am requesting that the Commission consider:

  
  

  • Whether reliability and restoration performance metrics are being meaningfully enforced,
  • Whether customer-facing outage communications are accurate and accountable,
  • And whether capital investment approvals should be more closely tied to demonstrated, measurable improvements in service reliability.

  
  

  
  

  Customers are being asked to pay more based on promised performance improvements. When those improvements are not evident—especially during ordinary operating conditions—it is reasonable for customers to ask how success is being measured and enforced.

  
  

  Thank you for accepting public comments on this matter.
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  Outrageous

  by Dave P, 5 months ago
  I live in Genesee Colorado. We received notice that power would be out on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. the wind died down Wednesday evening and it rained and snowed. It is now Thursday and there was no wind and I just received the text saying that power will not be restored until Sunday the 21st. This is clearly not a safety decision but an economic decision where Excel Energy is simply looking to save money by not sending out the required Crews to turn the power back on. It is an outrage.

  I live in Genesee Colorado. We received notice that power would be out on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. the wind died down Wednesday evening and it rained and snowed. It is now Thursday and there was no wind and I just received the text saying that power will not be restored until Sunday the 21st. This is clearly not a safety decision but an economic decision where Excel Energy is simply looking to save money by not sending out the required Crews to turn the power back on. It is an outrage.