Xcel Energy Initiates Second Colorado Power Shutoff to Mitigate Wildfire Risks
Boulder, Friday, 19 December 2025.
Xcel Energy implements a second safety shutoff Friday affecting 69,000 Colorado customers, warning that mandatory physical line inspections will extend outages up to 72 hours.
Strategic De-energization Across the Front Range
Xcel Energy (XEL) initiated the de-energization process as early as 05:00 on Friday, December 19, targeting high-risk zones across the Front Range and mountain communities [1][2]. The strategic shutoff affects approximately 69,000 customers spanning six counties: Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld [1]. This proactive measure responds to severe weather forecasts predicting dangerous wildfire conditions driven by low humidity and high winds [2]. This event marks the second significant service interruption in less than 48 hours, compounding logistical challenges for the utility and its customer base. Just days prior, on Wednesday, December 17, strong winds with gusts exceeding 161 km/h forced a similar operational response [1]. While the Wednesday event peaked with over 160,000 customers losing power due to a combination of safety shutoffs and weather-related damage, nearly 6,000 remained without service late Thursday night as the new Friday protocols began [1].
Operational Constraints and Restoration Protocols
The timeline for restoring power remains fluid and is dictated by rigorous safety protocols rather than immediate grid availability. Robert Kenney, president of Xcel Energy Colorado, emphasized that re-energization is not instantaneous once weather conditions subside [1]. To prevent the very ignition risks the shutoffs are designed to avoid, crews must physically inspect lines for damage before power can be restored [1]. The logistical scale of this inspection process is substantial. As of Thursday morning, Xcel had deployed approximately 375 crews, comprising more than 1,000 workers, to assess infrastructure via helicopters, drones, and foot patrols [1]. Consequently, the utility has advised customers that restoration efforts could extend over several days, with some outages potentially lasting longer than 72 hours depending on the extent of physical damage found during inspections [1].
Community Impact and Liability Management
The cumulative effect of consecutive shutoffs has necessitated significant community mobilization. On December 17, approximately 120,000 weather-related outages were recorded by 20:00, with 50,000 specifically attributed to the PSPS and another 68,500 linked to severe weather damage [2]. To mitigate the impact on residents facing extended periods without electricity, Jefferson County established resource centers at locations such as the Belmar Library to provide essential services like phone charging [2]. For vulnerable populations, particularly those reliant on medical equipment, the utility has issued urgent advisories to prepare for prolonged downtime [3]. Xcel Energy’s strategy reflects a broader industry shift where utilities increasingly prioritize pre-emptive de-energization to manage catastrophic wildfire liability. Kenney acknowledged the difficulty of these disruptions, stating that the company does not take these events lightly but views customer safety as the paramount priority [2].