by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Xcel Energy outage to affect about 9,000 customers Friday; PVREA and Platte River report no planned shutoffs
A planned power shutoff will affect parts of Larimer and Weld counties beginning around 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 16, as extreme fire weather conditions threaten Northern Colorado. Xcel Energy says the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is intended to reduce wildfire risk during forecasted high winds, low humidity, and critically dry ground conditions.
The shutoff is expected to impact approximately 9,000 Xcel Energy customers. Residents can check whether their address is affected using Xcel Energy’s outage map. The decision follows a Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service for Friday, citing strong winds, very low humidity, and extremely dry fuels across the region.
Xcel Energy officials say weather conditions may begin improving late Friday afternoon, but restoring power could take several hours to several days once conditions are safe. Power restoration cannot begin until wildfire risks have passed and crews can inspect lines and make any necessary repairs. Hundreds of utility workers from across Colorado are expected to be staged and working extended shifts through Friday night and into Saturday.
Xcel also cautioned that customers outside the PSPS area could still experience outages due to high winds or Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings, which automatically shut off power when potential hazards are detected.
In a statement posted Thursday, Jan. 15, Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association said it is not planning any preemptive power shutoffs and reported no outages in its service territory as of Thursday afternoon. PVREA customers are not included in the PSPS announced by Xcel Energy.
PVREA said it has activated enhanced power safety settings in response to Red Flag Warning conditions, making its system more sensitive during extreme fire weather. Under these settings, power may remain off until a crew can inspect a line in person, which could lead to longer restoration times. Enhanced safety settings are currently in effect in foothill areas near Wellington, Bellvue, Masonville, Carter Lake, Lyons, and Longmont. PVREA also reported suspending construction and maintenance work in high-wind zones, staging additional crews for rapid response, and closely monitoring fire-risk forecasts.
As of Thursday afternoon, Platte River Power Authority had not issued alerts on social media or posted information on its website indicating planned power shutoffs. During previous Red Flag Warning events, Platte River has stated that preemptive shutoffs were not necessary, and no such action has been announced for this weather system.
All utilities encouraged residents—especially those who rely on electrically powered medical equipment—to prepare for possible outages by having backup power or an emergency plan in place. Anyone encountering downed power lines or damaged equipment should stay clear and report the hazard immediately.
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Source: Xcel Energy; Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association
