Xcel Energy Warns of Power Shutoffs in Colorado

Xcel Energy issued warnings to hundreds of thousands of customers along Colorado's Front Range on Tuesday, alerting them to prepare for potential widespread power shutoffs starting around noon on Wednesday, December 17, as strong winds and dry conditions heighten the risk of wildfires igniting from downed power lines.

The utility's Public Safety Power Shutoff, a measure aimed at preventing electrical equipment from sparking fires during extreme weather, could affect up to 500,000 customers across nine counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld. Xcel representatives stated that the exact scope remains under assessment, with decisions influenced by real-time weather monitoring. Forecasters with the National Weather Service in Boulder predict gusts reaching 75 to 85 miles per hour in the mountains and foothills above 9,000 feet, and up to 60 miles per hour in lower elevations, including areas west of Interstate 25. These winds, driven by a clash between high pressure over the Four Corners region and low pressure across southern Canada, are expected to peak in the afternoon before easing around 6 p.m.