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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.
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Unfortunately with limited cellular services in some areas impacted by the shutoff emergency communication, shutoff updates and other essential communications could not be received at our location reliably. Additional coordination with service providers is needed to ensure public safety. For example, cellular service for several providers in our area became slow and unreliable as the shutoff continued. After 4 hours the landline service also failed as it is connected over fiberoptic lines and the transceivers lost power. Even using a backup power source was unable to connect until power was restored down stream. Cellular service also improved after power was... Continue reading
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The tragic fire that engulfed a residence in Jefferson County this week should be a giant red flag about the XCEL PSPS events. Had that home been located in a more densely packed neighborhood we could have very well had another Marshall fire on our hands… the very thing a PSPS is supposed to prevent. When power is cut to 100’s of thousands of homes what you really accomplish is transferring the responsibility for safety (and the liability of an accident) from XCEL over to thousands of individuals who may or may not be equipped to handle it. The customer... Continue reading
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We have been without power for 6 days, and a total of 10 days for the 22 days of December. In all instances of power outages we have not received any clear communications from Xcel. We have lost thousands of dollars from spoiled food, to alternative heating, to lost wages, and there is no end in sight. As much as I understand the need for fire prevention and safety, there is no transparency on when they will be needed, and with our town having 50-60mph wind gusts daily, these recent weeks have led us to believe that we won’t have... Continue reading
Share XCEL you really missed the mark! on FacebookShare XCEL you really missed the mark! on TwitterShare XCEL you really missed the mark! on LinkedinEmail XCEL you really missed the mark! link
We are a family of 5 and rent a small space to another person. We lost communication to the world. We live just outside of Nederland Co and rely on WIFI to be able to communicate. The risk of a wildfire was HIGH, as we all know, and IF there was a fire, we would have had no way to be informed, nor would we be able to inform as the closest cell service is 15 minutes from our home! This fact alone is complete negligence on XCELS part.
Second, We lost a ton of food that I had just... Continue reading
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We lost power as part of the PSPS at 10am on Wed Dec 17th, even though the lines in our neighborhood are underground. Power was not restored until Thu Dec 18th at 12:30pm. Then on Friday we lost power for the next PSPS at 6am, power was restored at 2pm Sat.
Each time, I had to periodically use Xcel's outage checker and report that out outage was still ongoing even though Xcel listed our address as having power. We had the same issue with the PSPS last April.
The estimates Xcel provided as to when power would be restored were... Continue reading
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I understand the need for wildfire safety when we have these red flag days. I am most concerned with the school impacts that occurred this week. I have lived in this neighborhood for 8 years, and we have never experienced anything like this, despite have days with MUCH stronger and higher wind. It was clear Xcel did no teaming with JEFFCO school district ahead of this, based on the irresponsible blanket closures- some areas absolutely needed the power off and closed buildings- we were not one of them, experiencing literally no wind. Jeffco and Xcel should have exercised delayed starts... Continue reading
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I find it disgusting that they get away with arbitrary power denials as revenge for lawsuits related to their negligence, even moreso when we are told to prepare for 10 hour power denials that turn into days because they have no plan to turn to power back on. It worse that they blame the weather for their revenge tactics when I live in an area where power lines are UNDERGROUND. We need an alternative to choose and the PUC is the ONLY entity that can regulate competition or at a minimum ALLOW it.
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What went wrong - confusing notifications about when and where the shutoffs would start/end
What went ok - having lived in Evergreen for 38 years, we are used to power outages, up to one week long. We have a 2 kw and 5kw generator that we can use to run fridge and even TV. We store plenty of water ahead of storms (we are on well), and make sure we have food that we need. We have a gas stove and fireplace. So are outages inconvenient? Yes. Are they part of living in the mountains? Yes. So if folks can't... Continue reading
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For a public utility that has amassed billions in profit over the past five years, Xcel is more concerned with making profit for its shareholders than improving what quite frankly should be our infrastructure. Public utilities should not be publicly traded commodities. I had over a hundred thousand dollars worth of medicine in my refrigerator to treat my illness, but I had no means to get ice for my cooler. Xcel’s communication was at best poor. While it was plentiful, the information provided was often inaccurate and outright wrong. They need to do better.
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My wife and I live in Morrison, and were without power from Wednesday morning through Saturday evening.
Because my wife is pregnant and could not safely be without heat, we were forced to stay in a hotel the first night of the outage. We were fortunate to find and purchase a generator the following day, but despite that, we still lost most of the food in our refrigerator.
While I understand and support the goal of reducing wildfire risk during extreme wind events, I am concerned that this approach may be creating new risks while shifting the burden almost entirely... Continue reading
