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Update 7/24/2024
As a result of the follow up actions to the initial power shutoff in April, the PUC requested that Xcel submit to the Commission a description of what immediate improvements they will make to customer communication, preparedness and coordination with emergency responders. The PUC has received this information from Xcel which can be found here. We are seeking public input by August 13, 2024. We welcome your feedback.
Summary
Over the weekend of April 6-7, Colorado experienced a weather event that brought wind gusts in excess of 100 mph in some areas of the state and sustained high winds throughout the weekend. The outages and weather impacts were concentrated in the northern front range. Over 150,000 people across 9 counties were without power statewide during the event. 55,000 of these were the result of an intentional, precautionary outage conducted by Xcel to reduce the possibility of wildfire. The remaining outages were either due to damage to lines or use of another preventative measures..
While power outages are a frequent impact of Colorado weather events, the April storm was the first time that Xcel pro-actively deployed preventative safety outages. In addition, a significant portion of the distribution system that would normally be set to attempt to automatically re-energize was not re-powered until visual inspection by utility crews. This precautionary measure meant a longer down period than usual as field crews had to manually inspect lines that had been de-energized. These measures are used in other western states including California and Oregon.
Please share your input and personal experience so the PUC can determine whether new regulatory approaches are necessary for precautionary outages.
Update 7/24/2024
As a result of the follow up actions to the initial power shutoff in April, the PUC requested that Xcel submit to the Commission a description of what immediate improvements they will make to customer communication, preparedness and coordination with emergency responders. The PUC has received this information from Xcel which can be found here. We are seeking public input by August 13, 2024. We welcome your feedback.
Summary
Over the weekend of April 6-7, Colorado experienced a weather event that brought wind gusts in excess of 100 mph in some areas of the state and sustained high winds throughout the weekend. The outages and weather impacts were concentrated in the northern front range. Over 150,000 people across 9 counties were without power statewide during the event. 55,000 of these were the result of an intentional, precautionary outage conducted by Xcel to reduce the possibility of wildfire. The remaining outages were either due to damage to lines or use of another preventative measures..
While power outages are a frequent impact of Colorado weather events, the April storm was the first time that Xcel pro-actively deployed preventative safety outages. In addition, a significant portion of the distribution system that would normally be set to attempt to automatically re-energize was not re-powered until visual inspection by utility crews. This precautionary measure meant a longer down period than usual as field crews had to manually inspect lines that had been de-energized. These measures are used in other western states including California and Oregon.
Please share your input and personal experience so the PUC can determine whether new regulatory approaches are necessary for precautionary outages.
Share Major Financial Loss Due to Outage on FacebookShare Major Financial Loss Due to Outage on TwitterShare Major Financial Loss Due to Outage on LinkedinEmail Major Financial Loss Due to Outage link
My electric water heater was damaged or destroyed, likely when the power was restored. I have checked the breaker and pushed the reset button on the control panel (tried everything multiple times) but I still no hot water a week later. I don't know when I will have enough money to call someone in to diagnose the actual damage, and I have to shower at a friend's house. I'm stuck in this situation with no recourse or outside help. And, once I am able to have the exact diagnosis of the problem, I absolutely won't have enough funds to replace... Continue reading
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I live in the foothills and our power was shut offf by Xcel from Saturday 3pm until Monday 5.30pm. last weekend.
By requiring all lines to be inspected in person by an Xccel technician meant a wait of over two days for us. There were no downed lines in our area, had there been residents would have reported them immediately as Xcel had requested. Can they in future turn the power back on as soon as any repairs requiring shutdown are completed?
It's much safer, not just convenient, to have power at our house for the following reasons:
I live in a neighborhood where we experience a lot of power dips as soon as it is even a little bit windy - we can tell because our UPSes switch on when this happens, which is audible, and because things like oven clocks reset themselves. Because of the changed settings on this particular weekend where the power would not automatically reset if there was a dip, it shut off before 6am on Saturday morning when there was a bit of gusty wind (nothing extraordinary for where we live, and not particularly strong at all). We spend the morning (which... Continue reading
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I got the info from XCel that they might turn off the power and I would be notified. I was notifiied at 11 am on 4/6/24 that it would be turned off at 3pm. I am very disabled and getting around my condo, let alone going outside is very challenging for me.
Fortunately my Medicaid helper was able to come at 2pm that day help me get ready to go. I am also on oxygen so I had to leave and bring my jet pack w/me. It only lasts a few hours and has to be plugged in.
They said it was to prevent wildfires, but they only shut down patches of place, grade D
I was down for 24 hrs, no heat, no hot water..........
I have a 92 yr old friend at Brookdale in Boulder who had no hear, lights, hot water for 24 hrs grade F
I have friends in Louisville with a 2 yr old & 4 yr old, they were down for 3 full days!!! Grade F
Thankfully this was a warm April day and it was the weekend, PLEASE stop them from... Continue reading
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We wanted to provide feedback to the PUC regarding the adverse effect Xcel's abysmal handling of the preemptive shut off and reactivation of our power had on us. My husband and I are seniors (76 and 66 years old) who have lived in a 12 year old townhouse in northeast Louisville for the past 9 years. During that time, our power has gone out maybe two times for very brief time periods (under an hour). On April 6, we received an email from Xcel at 10:06 am informing us of a temporary power shutoff beginning at 3 pm and lasting... Continue reading
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I live in an old neighborhood in the Littleton area and my power went out on Saturday, 4/6, approximately 9:00pm due to a tree falling on an electric line. This caused my line behind my house to arc shooting what looked like fireworks for over 2 hours with sparks flying every minute or so. This went on until an Xcel employee was able to come and turn off the transformer down my street which took 2 hours for someone to show up. Fortunately, I did not have a fire at my house. Eventually, Xcel came on Tuesday, April 9 to... Continue reading
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I support Xcel power's preventive move to shut off power in advance of the wind storm. We live in the fire-prone foothills of Boulder County and appreciate planned actions that can reduce risk of wildfire. Climate change will continue to require Xcel and other utilities to increase the resiliency of the grid and manage risks with the welfare of its customers always top of mind. In future events, I do think more advance notice and guidance on preparing for the event of losing power would be helpful. Many of us are willing and able to accept the inconvenience of losing... Continue reading
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Recently Xcel turned off power for 2 days in an attempt to avoid sparking fires, leaving me without heat and light. My house got down to 54F, and I lived in long underwear and a heavy coat. Chinook winds only happen during the coldest months of the year, and the next time Xcel decides to do it, my house could freeze and I could easily have broken water pipes.
As our atmosphere warms, wind speeds increase. Dangerous chinooks are becoming more and more common. It is long past time for Xcel to upgrade our electrical grid to something that is... Continue reading
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In all my previous power outages (localized) my landline never went out (buried telephone lines). I live in the Boulder foothills and rely on my landline when cell service is spotty (Also think a cell tower compromised by wind or fire.)
This time my landline went out when my power went out. I can only conclude that because Xcel turned off power to most of Boulder County it affected a Century Link hub somewhere which then left us without landline service.
I have lived up here for almost 50 years and rely on phone service in case of emergencies.
