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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.
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I was without power for 5 days and received NO notification of the planned outage. A text message, like the ones sent after the outage was in its 3rd hour, would have been ideal in order to prepare. I was also working on my Master finals and had no power to Starlink.
I have a small generator that thankfully pulled enough to keep water, food, and heat on. However, it is a pull start and my fused hands to wrist could NOT get it started. After 4.5 hrs someone arrived to pull start the generator for me. Day 3 it... Continue reading
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The Public Safety shutdown caused considerable inconvenience to our family. It was problematic because of the inconsistency of the information on the shutdown. We initially were told that service would shut down early on Wednesday and resume later in the evening. While inconvenient, it did not require special action. Our refrigerator and freezer would maintain temperature for that amount of time. The hot water tank would stay hot and the in-house temperature would stay habitable for that amount of time. The resumption of service time, however, continued to change throughout the day. By end of day, we knew we would... Continue reading
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I am a Larimer County native of 47 years. I have never experienced any power shutoffs similar to Xcel Energy’s PSPS. Colorado is dry and windy. The weather hasn’t changed. Now there have been 2 PSPS “events” in less than a months time! Unacceptable. The head of Xcel Colorado is too risk averse. Xcel clearly needs to update their equipment instead of punishing their customers. I also find it interesting that the wealthy neighborhoods are spared from the shut offs. This is ridiculous. This should not be allowed. Customers should be refunded handsomely for the headaches caused.
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WE lost power on April 24th, and numerous times in December. We lost all of our food in the Freezer in April lost $1000.00 of food and most stuff in refrigerator. They willy nilly shut off the power this December. . No warning given just boom no power . Shut off power numbers times in a day. Could not be sure how to plan holidays and prepare without steady power. Excell needs to stop punishing the Marshall fire people. We could look out our window and see the rest of Louisville with lights. You just gave them another raise in... Continue reading
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I was affected by the non communicated April 2024 shut down as well. At least this time, they communicated this shut down using their pre-built notification system. However, unlike April 2024, there was no wind near me that justified this shut down. I had 40-50 mile gusts.
These ”safety“ shut downs are clearly used because Xcel has not done the maintenance work to harden their infrastructure.
the PUC needs to get off its high horse about renewable energy and focus on reliability. Xcel needs to service ratepayers with reliable energy.
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Xcel should not be allowed to continue to have a monopoly providing energy for the good people of Colorado. For a utility, people have no choice for their power provider. Xcel has proven themselves to be bad at their job and its time to replace them with a non-profit electric and natural gas provider who can get the job done. Xcel is a for-profit entity and I don't believe their focus is in the right place to keep our lights on and our homes heated. They should be re-investing what we pay in to improve the infrastructure. It is unacceptable... Continue reading
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Inaccurate and conflicting messages kept coming through. For the part of Tennessee in which we live was not affected dramatically by winds and the 120 home community we live in has Underground wiring. Was it really necessary to cut our communities power?
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I know a lot of people are upset at the PSPS and I understand. We were reasonably prepared with long term UPSs and a generator that provided essential services. The following is more about how to better handle the situation in the future.
1. Xcel needs some monitoring stations. Relying on weather service predictions isn't appropriate for something this serious. The first shutoff came several hours sooner than it needed to, and the second one did not remove power Thursday night when the winds were strongest. Also a number of people reported loss of power in areas that didn't experience... Continue reading
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I wrote a much longer comment in the survey comments, but will just say here; My family and I have lived in our house in Evergreen for nearly 40 years. The 5 days of this corporate CYA power outage exceeded the number of days we were without power-heat and water during the 2003 snowstorm and we had to 'dig ourselves' out. My wife and I are over 70 now and because of major surgery in early December my compromised system could not take the cold and lack of water and heat so we stayed with friends for 3 nights. By... Continue reading
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Every year our family goes up to Georgetown for the Georgetown loop Christmas train. We always stop at Beau Jo's pizza in Idaho Springs. We went up on Saturday Dec 20th around 4:30. Beau Jo's was shut down due to no power. Half of Idaho springs had no power. We had to call around Georgetown to see if any restaurants had power. Fortunately, power was coming back on to some of Georgetown. We found someplace to eat but had to wait quite a while for the kitchen to get fired up. It was terribly disappointing to us as a family... Continue reading
