Xcel considers safety power outages in Denver

Xcel customers in the Denver area could lose power Monday in the event of “critical fire weather,” according to the company.

Sunday evening, Xcel officials announced that the company would not implement proactive public safety power outages in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Jefferson, Larimer and Denver counties, according to a news release from the utility. Safety closures were discussed earlier in the day, but were canceled after updated forecasts indicated a decrease in wind speeds.

“Temporary power shutoff…is not a measure taken lightly and is only used when other methods are insufficient to prevent wildfires,” Xcel officials said.

However, residents in those counties could lose power due to high winds that shake power lines starting Monday morning, according to Xcel.

A Red Flag Warning will be in effect Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for Jefferson, Douglas, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Park, Boulder, Broomfield, Adams, Denver, Arapahoe, Elbert, Lincoln and Washington counties, according to the National Weather Service.

Relative humidities as low as 15% and strong winds up to 50 mph over the foothills, metro area and eastern Plains will create conditions “favorable for rapid fire spread,” forecasters said in the warning.

The “severe weather conditions” could lead to unplanned power outages as high winds impact power lines, Xcel officials said.

“Enhanced Power Line Safety Settings (EPSS) are enabled throughout Northern Colorado, meaning power lines are more sensitive and can quickly stop the flow of power if a problem, such as a tree branch touching the line, is detected,” officials said. “The power will remain out until our crews can ensure it is safe to turn it back on.”

These settings increase public safety but can also increase the duration of power outages since crews must visually inspect lines before restoring power, according to the utility. Crews will be ready Monday to patrol service areas and restore power as quickly as possible.