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Tag: Public Safety Power Shutoff

San Luis Valley Faces Power Shutoffs As Drought And Winds Intensify Fire Threat
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

San Luis Valley Faces Power Shutoffs As Drought And Winds Intensify Fire Threat

By Scott Weiser | The Denver Gazette Xcel Energy will implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff for some customers in parts of western Colorado and the San Luis Valley on Wednesday because of extreme wildfire risk driven by strong winds, low humidity, hot weather and very dry conditions, the company said. The shutoff will start around noon Wednesday in portions of Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla and Rio Grande counties, Xcel said in a Tuesday afternoon news release. Conditions are expected to improve around 7 p.m. Wednesday, with restoration beginning as soon as lines can be safely inspected. About 7,100 customers are expected to be impacted by the shutoff, Xcel said. Much of the region is in extreme to exceptional drought following a record warm and dry winter, accord...
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Xcel Energy Prepares Shutoffs In Drought Stricken Regions In Western And Southern Colorado
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CBS Colorado, Approved, State

Xcel Energy Prepares Shutoffs In Drought Stricken Regions In Western And Southern Colorado

By Christa Swanson | CBS Colorado Xcel Energy announced that customers in parts of western Colorado and the San Luis Valley should prepare for possible power shutoffs on Wednesday. Strong winds, combined with dry conditions and low humidity, will result in high wildfire risk. "To reduce the risk of wildfire and support public safety, we are planning for a possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) beginning on Wednesday, April 22, around 9 a.m. MT for some customers in Garfield, Mesa and Pitkin counties, and around 11 a.m. MT for some customers in Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande and Saguache counties," the company said. Many of these areas are already experiencing extreme or exceptional drought, and the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag...
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Tens of Thousands Still Without Power as Xcel Eyes Another Front Range Shutdown
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CBS Colorado, Approved, State

Tens of Thousands Still Without Power as Xcel Eyes Another Front Range Shutdown

By Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado For just the second time in Colorado state history, Xcel Energy shut off power to thousands of people pre-emptively due to dangerous wind and fire conditions on Wednesday. At the height of the windstorm, 150,000 customers were without power.  More than 55,000 customers were still without power at midday on Thursday. There are delays in the power restoration process because Xcel crews are working with drones and helicopters to make sure there are no downed power lines in any areas where they are set to bring the lights back on. Xcel officials said they are also evaluating the need for a second public safety power shutoff this week -- starting at 5 a.m. Friday, when wind speeds are expected to reach hurricane or near-hur...
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Second Xcel Shutoff Looms as Evergreen Seniors Struggle Without Heat
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Second Xcel Shutoff Looms as Evergreen Seniors Struggle Without Heat

By Claire Lavezzorio | Denver7 With a second planned shutoff looming as part of Xcel Energy's fire prevention strategy, a group of Evergreen seniors reached out to Denver7 to voice their concerns. EVERGREEN, Colo. — Seniors at Green Ridge Meadows Apartments in Evergreen reached out to Denver7, worried about a second Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) by Xcel Energy. Residents of the HUD-assisted property just spent more than 24 hours without power, heat or hot water. A generator only powered their community room, hallway lights and elevator. The lights came back on around 5 p.m. Thursday, but now residents are preparing for a second preemptive power shutoff early Friday morning with high winds expected. "Our food is rotting in our re...
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What Xcel promised regulators and what customers were told before Dec. 17 shutoff warnings
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

What Xcel promised regulators and what customers were told before Dec. 17 shutoff warnings

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Coloradans are being asked to prepare for the chance of a planned outage on Dec. 17. The company’s public alerts tell people to watch the map. The filings tell a fuller story about thresholds, timelines and who is supposed to be in the loop when a shutoff is on the table. That framework was not created overnight. It was built through years of filings with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and formally approved in 2025. As of Dec. 16, the documents already on record allow for a clearer picture of what Xcel committed to regulators and what customers were actually told as the wind event approached. Dec. 17 was not an improvisation Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are not ad hoc emergency decisions. They are a s...
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