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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.
Thank you for sharing your story with us.
Share Some Common Sense Questions. on FacebookShare Some Common Sense Questions. on TwitterShare Some Common Sense Questions. on LinkedinEmail Some Common Sense Questions. link
We live and have a business in the Golden / Jefferson County area with two commercial properties. Here are some simple questions:
1. When building an addition to our one commercial building in Golden CO we were forced to engineer to 150 mph wind loads. If the residents and businesses in the area have to adhere to these criteria is it that difficult to ask that your supporting utilities can carry the same rating? If the City of Golden requires this, why are they not holding Xcel accountable.
2. Does Xcel employees have watches? If you say you are turning... Continue reading
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Twenty fours years of Xcel's lack of power line maintenance and poor customer service is just too much. This PSP episode was unforgivable. We lost power due to extreme winds on Dec 9 and Dec 11th. No PSP then but it moved my 7' x 12' shed 16 inches so not a gentle breeze. 85+mph winds in the early hours of the 19th. No shut down then but at 5 am when the winds were dying down they did their PSP. Since Xcel hasn't being doing regular maintenance for years in our area (Xcel repair crews have told us this)... Continue reading
Share Power cut with underground power lines on FacebookShare Power cut with underground power lines on TwitterShare Power cut with underground power lines on LinkedinEmail Power cut with underground power lines link
Our power was cut off twice, on Wednesday and Friday, even though we live in a community that has underground power lines. But here’s the kicker 1/2 our community was dark but just across the street the houses had power. I guess the winds across the street weren’t as strong😡as ours. So stupid! Explain that Xcel!
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My 3 day power outage was difficult because the was zero communication from xcel. Their website was never up to date. Status reports had no information or estimate as when the power might go back on. Because we were unprepared, we lost everything in our fridge and freezer. One of the nights was absolutely freezing. The lack of updates was very upsetting. We couldn't make plans because of this. My neighbor is on oxygen and had to leave because she had no estimate as to when electricity would be back. There was no need to turn the electricity off on... Continue reading
Share Bury the damn power lines on FacebookShare Bury the damn power lines on TwitterShare Bury the damn power lines on LinkedinEmail Bury the damn power lines link
All these outages and loss of revenues and lawsuits and a thousand damn houses and lives within burned to the ground and still not a peep about actually correcting a root cause. Bury the damn power lines you fools!
Share Had no problems with being proactive on FacebookShare Had no problems with being proactive on TwitterShare Had no problems with being proactive on LinkedinEmail Had no problems with being proactive link
Thanks for potentially not causing a wildfire in the foothills. I understand most people think just because there's no high winds where there located, there power should not be turned off. The problem is we don't have power stations every 10 miles. If power is supplied by a station 50 miles away and there's high winds between it and next 50 miles, well when the power is off, it's going to affect my house.
So it might be helpful to show on a map where the power generator stations are. I know for example, whenever Morrison is offline, were offline... Continue reading
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This power shutoff was frustrating in various ways. 1: we don’t have power lines in our neighborhood and all surrounding neighborhoods to us had power. 2. We were made aware of the Wednesday shut off but not the Friday shut off until our power was already off on Thursday. 3. The communication from Xcel was inaccurate. Originally it said Wednesday 10am-6pm which is easy enough to plan for. When it wasn’t back on Thursday morning that became very frustrating. Then we were told it might not come back on until Sunday due to more high winds on Friday. Luckily the... Continue reading
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I received several restoration time changes knowing they were false. I had reported a tree on my neighbors power line which was a pole to pole line. It created a potential further issue of the pole collapsing and tearing away the power equipment from my home. I made several reports and so did my neighbor. After several days, no one came out to inspect or remove the tree. On Sunday a repair crew was flagged down and told about the tree. They said they were unaware of the report and was about to restore power to the line. They crew... Continue reading
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As is often the case, the impacts fell hardest on the most vulnerable. Many suffered spoiled food they could barely afford to replace, insulin that nearly went bad, and the fear of relying on oxygen or other medical equipment when power was restored only to be shut off again. Local restaurants and cafes, immensely frustrated, faced a weekend of losses during what should be one of the busiest times of the year, just before the Christmas holiday.
In Q3 of 2025, Xcel energy reported profits of $1.915B. That being said, every service truck I saw in our area was
Share Which came first… wind or electricity? on FacebookShare Which came first… wind or electricity? on TwitterShare Which came first… wind or electricity? on LinkedinEmail Which came first… wind or electricity? link
Another shut down on Monday. You mean to tell me after two days of “inspecting” lines a normal wind occurs on Monday and another shutdown occurs. Put a tent over this circus!
