Xcel to Suspend Electricity for 9,000 Customers in Northern Colorado Due to Strong Winds

Xcel Energy to Cut Power in Northern Colorado

Xcel Energy has announced plans to cut power to approximately 9,000 customers in northern Colorado starting Friday morning due to anticipated strong winds and fire danger.

Forecast and Safety Measures

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for critical fire weather in the northern Colorado foothills, effective from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday. Conditions are expected to include low humidity and wind gusts up to 75 mph, creating a high risk for rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior.

Outage Details

• Power outages will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday.
• Affected areas include parts of Fort Collins, Loveland, Kerns, and Bellevue, as well as regions in Larimer and Weld counties.
• The outage footprint roughly extends from Wellington in the north to Windsor in the east, south to Horsetooth Reservoir, and west to Ted’s Place.
• Notably, central Fort Collins, including Old Town and neighborhoods near Colorado State University, is excluded from the outage plan.

Restoration Timeline

While weather conditions are anticipated to improve around 4 p.m., Xcel officials have stated that restoration work cannot begin until high winds and elevated fire risks have subsided. Once conditions are deemed safe, it may take several hours to days for power to be fully restored, as crews will need to patrol the entire power line to ensure safety before re-energizing.

Customer Support

Customers can report power outages and any damaged lines through the Xcel Energy app, online at xcelenergy.com/out, or by texting OUT to 98936. Customer service is also available at 1-800-895-1999.

This situation is developing and further updates are expected.

Original source: Open the source