Five Colorado counties in metro Denver and along the Front Range on Wednesday endured power outages that could extend several days as Xcel Energy cut power ahead of a storm packing wind gusts topping 100 mph.
Utility crews started restoring power where it was safe to do so Wednesday evening, but still thousands remained without electricity.
As of 8 p.m., there were around 120,000 weather-related outages — about 50,000 connected to the shut-off and another 68,500 related to severe weather, Xcel said.
Wind gusts topped 100 mph at Keystone (110 mph), Marshall in Boulder County (109), Winter Park (103), Berthoud Pass (102) and Rocky Flats (102), according to the National Weather Service in a 9:30 p.m. Facebook post. Other gusts along the Front Range included 91 mph in southern Boulder, 83 in southwestern Broomfield, 78 in Lyons, 74 at Floyd Hill and 66 at Denver International Airport.
The utility company warned of a second windstorm Friday that could overlap with restoration efforts and result in some areas going without power for more than three days. Xcel said it is still evaluating the need for a second power shut-off Friday in mountain communities and the Front Range, starting as early as 5 a.m.
“You might need to prepare for a multiday event,” Robert Kenney, president of Xcel, said during a news conference Wednesday morning.
Utility officials cut power around 10 a.m. Wednesday in Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties as a safety measure amid critical wildfire danger, Kenney said.
“Public safety power shut-off is a tool that we use when the most extreme weather conditions exist,” Kenney said. “So, in conjunction with all of our other wildfire mitigation efforts, we’re taking this step to protect public safety.”
The Colorado Department of Transportation closed several roads due to safety concerns, including Colorado 93 from Golden to Eldorado Springs, Colorado 128 from Indiana Street to Colorado 93 and U.S. 36/North Foothills Highway from north of Boulder to Lyons.
CDOT also restricted high-profile vehicles from driving on Colorado 72.
Winds that began to pick up in the afternoon caused downed power lines and traffic signal outages, Boulder County’s Office of Disaster Management said. Downed trees are also blocking some roads.
Meanwhile, the winds weren’t strong enough for Eldora Mountain Resort to close.
“Until it isn’t, the plan is still to operate as scheduled,” the resort west of Nederland said on its website. “It’s windy up here, but not so extreme that the lifts can’t run. The few folks that are here are stoked—bluebird skies, empty slopes, endless parking, and immaculate corduroy!”
In Nederland, public health officials warned that ash and debris from a fire that tore through the Caribou Village Shopping Center in October could become airborne and could lead to potential health risks.
Boulder County Public Health urged residents to keep windows closed during high winds, use HEPA air purifiers indoors and replace furnace filters if they appear dirty.
Those with respiratory conditions should consider leaving areas where they can be exposed to particulate matter from the fire. Officials suggested residents avoid disturbing ash or debris, remove their shoes before going into their homes and wear an N95 mask. Cloth masks and surgical masks do not protect against fine ash, they said in an advisory.
Forecasters predicted widespread wind gusts between 45 and 60 mph Wednesday across the Interstate 25 corridor and localized gusts up to 85 mph in areas west of the interstate. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for critical fire weather conditions. If a fire sparks, the severely dry and windy conditions will cause it to become extreme.
A surge of the strongest winds was expected between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., the National Weather Service said.
Nearly 400 utility workers will work to restore power as weather permits, but 678 miles of power line must be visually inspected before doing so, Kenney said.
“If there’s a line that’s damaged during the wind event and it’s laying on the ground, we can’t just remotely re-energize that line without inspecting it visually because then you’ve just created the very risk that you’re seeking to mitigate,” Kenney said. “So we have to physically inspect what we’re anticipating just from the (public safety power shut-off) — 678 miles of line, miles of line on top of any additional damage that’s done during the storm.”
Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission is drafting new rules to establish permanent requirements and standards for public safety power shut-offs and is asking for feedback from Xcel customers on their experiences this week.
“This information will help ensure that the PUC’s rules are comprehensive,” the commission said Wednesday. Feedback can be submitted through this survey.
Wednesday’s shut-off is Xcel’s second after the utility company conducted its first in April 2024. The PUC received “extensive public input,” with customers lamenting over lack of notice, inadequate communication during the event, poor mapping of impacted areas and insufficient planning to identify and protect critical infrastructure and facilities, the PUC said.
Since then, the PUC took several steps requiring Xcel to coordinate in advance with state and local emergency agencies, including holding practice shut-offs and working with local governments to develop lists of critical infrastructure, like hospitals and water treatment facilities. Utilities are also required to prioritize power restoration and to give at advance notice to customers, as early as 72 hours ahead of a potential outage.
The PUC also required Xcel to reach out to customers who have told the utility company they depend on electric-powered medical equipment and provide accurate and detailed mapping to help customers understand the scope of the outages.
American Red Cross and county emergency management offices set up community centers where residents could charge their phones, get water and get warm, Kenney said.
Many schools called a “wind day” and cancelled classes Wednesday, including Jeffco Public Schools, University of Colorado in Boulder, Poudre School District in Fort Collins and Clear Creek School District.
Some RTD bus lines were also be impacted due to the shut-offs.
Xcel began analyzing forecasts and meteorological data, with officials from emergency management, starting Sunday, Kenney said.