Xcel Wildfire Power Shutoffs Leave Boulder Businesses With Major Financial Damage

By Anna Coon | KDVR

BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR)— Dozens of Boulder businesses say they lost tens of thousands of dollars after going days without electricity during planned power outages by Xcel Energy in December, and the utility company says it will not reimburse those losses.

Xcel shut off power to thousands of customers on Dec. 17 and again on Dec. 19 as strong winds increased wildfire risk across the Denver-metro and along the Front Range. While the outages were planned as a public safety measure, some businesses say power was not restored for days, forcing closures and the disposal of spoiled inventory.

A survey conducted by the Boulder Chamber of Commerce found that roughly 250 of about 300 responding businesses reported being negatively affected by the outages. According to the chamber, the average Boulder business lost more than $25,000, and more than 9,800 employees lost wages during the days their workplaces were closed.

“There are just a lot of things that work against restaurants, and the one thing we should be able to count on is our utilities,” said Hosea Rosenberg, chef and owner of Little Piggy Hospitality.

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