Largest Utility In Colorado Shuts Down Parts Of Power Grid

Xcel Energy, the state of Colorado’s largest utility, shut down parts of its power grid Saturday as a precautionary measure due to expected strong winds and low humidity.

“Xcel Energy, the state’s largest utility, is the primary provider of electricity and natural gas in the Metro Denver area,” according to Metro Denver EDC.

“With winds of up to 100 mph expected in Colorado on Saturday, Xcel Energy pre-emptively shut off power to some customers in northwest Fort Collins, Laporte, Larimer County and beyond due to fire danger,” the Coloradoan reports.

“Safety of our communities, customers and crews is our top priority. Due to the exceptionally high winds and the high risk of wind-driven wildfires, we will be shutting off power to a limited set of customers in the areas of Boulder, Gilpin, Jefferson, Douglas, Broomfield and Larimer counties beginning this afternoon and extending into Sunday, April 7. Affected customers are being contacted,” Xcel Energy Colorado announced.

“This is an action taken to decrease the risk of wildfires, though outages may persist beyond the heightened wind and fire risks.”

Safety of our communities, customers and crews is our top priority. Due to the exceptionally high winds and the high risk of wind-driven wildfires, we will be shutting off power to a limited set of customers in the areas of

— Xcel Energy Colorado (@XcelEnergyCO) April 6, 2024

This is an action taken to decrease the risk of wildfires, though outages may persist beyond the heightened wind and fire risks. For more information please visit: https://t.co/9kf1Q5pIfx pic.twitter.com/pvWojWGBNy

— Xcel Energy Colorado (@XcelEnergyCO) April 6, 2024

The Coloradoan reports:

When Xcel announced on social media that it planned shutoffs of power Saturday afternoon, it was met with a flurry of responses asking the utility for a map showing where the planned shutoffs were going to be. Xcel said it didn’t have one.

Late Saturday, it released one. Magenta brushstrokes show shutoff areas west and northwest of Fort Collins, west of Loveland, in and west of Boulder, and to the east of Boulder.

The map can be found here.

Here are the highest wind speeds reported as of 9 p.m. Saturday to the National Weather Service in Boulder’s storm report:

Breckenridge: 91 mph, 83 mph

Buckhorn, Larimer County: 91 mph, 85 mph

Near Rocky Flats: 89 mph, 87 mph, 85 mph, 83 mph

Near Sterling: 84 mph

Interstate 35 and Buckeye Road: 82 mph, 81 mph

Niwot Ridge: 81 mph

Crisman, Boulder County: 80 mph

Colorado Public Radio reported the power outages could impact about 55,000 customers.

Xcel Energy, a power company in Colorado, announced on Saturday that it was cutting power to roughly 55,000 customers over wildfire concerns as powerful winds battered the state. https://t.co/0S1SPYr4pz

— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 6, 2024

From Colorado Public Radio:

The safety shut-offs started at 3 p.m. Saturday and are expected to last until noon Sunday and could affect about 55,000 customers, primarily those in Boulder County and parts of Broomfield, Douglas, Gilpin, Jefferson and Larimer counties, the company said.

Tyler Bryant, a spokesperson for Xcel — Colorado’s largest utility — said in an email that de-energizing power lines is a “last resort measure” to reduce wildfire risk.

“We will not turn the power back on until the high fire risk has passed, conditions are safe and crews have visually inspected the line,” he said.

Restoration times will depend on how much damage the wind does, he said. Customers can check the status of the outages on the utility’s website. Emergency officials say customers with medical problems that require oxygen should make sure they have enough bottles to last until Sunday and warned residents not to heat homes with gas or outdoor stoves.

National Weather Service forecasters have issued high wind and wildfire warnings for much of the Front Range and Interstate 25 corridor due to the high wind, which has gusted as high as 75 miles per hour southeast of Boulder and 69 mph near Broomfield. In the meantime, fire crews in Pueblo are making progress containing a grass fire and a separate blaze at the EVRAZ steel mill that ignited Friday.