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The PUC regulates Black Hills Energy and Xcel Energy, which both have Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) plans that have been or could be implemented, impacting consumers. PSPS events have planned outages for customers and may also have other storm-related outages.
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 Black Hills or Xcel Energy the use of proactive shutoffs; however, the PUC 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 Black Hills and Xcel Energy 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.
Please take a few minutes to give us your feedback through the survey or comment links below.
The PUC regulates Black Hills Energy and Xcel Energy, which both have Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) plans that have been or could be implemented, impacting consumers. PSPS events have planned outages for customers and may also have other storm-related outages.
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 Black Hills or Xcel Energy the use of proactive shutoffs; however, the PUC 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 Black Hills and Xcel Energy 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.
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 How to make things better on FacebookShare How to make things better on TwitterShare How to make things better on LinkedinEmail How to make things better link
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
Share Corporate disaster longer outage then the 2003 record snowstorm in Evergreen, CO on FacebookShare Corporate disaster longer outage then the 2003 record snowstorm in Evergreen, CO on TwitterShare Corporate disaster longer outage then the 2003 record snowstorm in Evergreen, CO on LinkedinEmail Corporate disaster longer outage then the 2003 record snowstorm in Evergreen, CO link
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
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Xcel should be required to build microgrids in communities impacted. Not only would this provide backup during planned and unplanned outages but also support the use of renewables.
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This power shut off in my opinion was absolutely unnecessary. Starting with the wind was no worse than most normal wind days in my neighborhood.
I am low income and medical equipment dependent. I can't afford a generator. If I could I would resolve the problem of power shut offs.
I have my equipment registered with xcel but it doesn't matter even though it says online to register that you need medical equipment and they won't shut your power off. Not!
Xcel's refusal to reimburse for all of the lost food, and the cost to get a motel during the... Continue reading
Share “The Wind Advisory That Ate Four Days” on FacebookShare “The Wind Advisory That Ate Four Days” on TwitterShare “The Wind Advisory That Ate Four Days” on LinkedinEmail “The Wind Advisory That Ate Four Days” link
I live in a rural area, which means I know three things:
How to spot real danger
How to prepare for bad weather
How to tell when something is wildly overblown
This outage falls squarely into category #3.
We were without power for over four days due to a concern about wind. Not sustained wind. Not ongoing hazardous conditions. Just the possibility of wind — which, in our specific area, showed up once for about 30 minutes and then moved along.
Now, to be fair: we understand that parts of the grid did experience higher winds. That happens... Continue reading
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Single worst experience of my life. No Internet for 3 hours. Luckily I have gas appliances so my wife and I were able to make some chicken picatta. No capers though, so that definitely left me with some PTSD. It did get a little warm in the house because I couldn't turn on a fan to get airflow. Xcel needs to pay for every single inconvenience that was caused to me and my family. Couldn't even watch the Grinch while we ate that night. Unacceptable.
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This is an absolutely unacceptable situation. I live in Leyden Rock and lost power twice for over 50 hours combined. I understand that this was necessary to prevent wildfires and I am not upset that it was done. Communication was also abysmal, but again is not why I am so upset. The reason I am upset is that I can see when driving along Highway 93 that our power lines are being held up my flimsy wooden poles that look to be decades old. Of course they are at risk of being blown down. They clearly weren't designed to withstand... Continue reading
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We had power shut off for over 30 hours during the second high wind warning in December, yet we felt that the first wind event was more severe and we never lost power. Most frustrating is seeing neighborhoods 1/2 mile away and closer to the foothills with higher fire risk never loose power? I would love to hear the explanation for that.
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The information provided was power would go off at 11:00 a.m. and it went off about 9:30. I have worn oxygen for 15 years and cannot live without it. I was able to go to my sons and take my concentrator thanks to my son. It was very stressful for myself and my husband. Our neighbors stayed in their house and they were cold in the house during the night. I understand Excel was protecting our homes from fires and appreciate that. I hope Excel thinks about those of us who have special needs. Thank You.
