Boulder officials demand better communication from Xcel for power outages

DENVER (KDVR) — On Tuesday morning, about 2,000 Xcel Energy customers still did not have power after the company preemptively cut power to thousands of customers Saturday to prevent high winds from sparking a wildfire.

The preemptive power outage this weekend affected about 55,000 customers, with damaging winds impacting another 100,000 across the Front Range.

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“It’s one thing if you lose power for just a couple of hours, but for two days, you’re looking at a big financial hit,” Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy said.

On Monday, Boulder County commissioners and other local leaders spoke with Xcel to demand better planning in the future. Commissioners asked what this means for future wind events in the community and questioned the necessity for the extent of the preventive outages.

“What we emphasized within our call with Xcel Energy on Monday morning is just the need for much more communication, with not just residents but government entities, with businesses, so that people can plan for it and understand what the impacts might be to them,” Levy said.

It’s the first time Xcel turned off the power in Colorado to prevent wildfires. During Monday’s meeting, Xcel told commissioners it’s part of their wildfire mitigation strategy that they already use in Texas and California.

Xcel will only use this strategy during “extraordinary circumstances,” the company said. It will not be used every time there’s a red flag warning.

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“What was really lacking, and this is the first time Xcel has done this in Colorado, was that proactive planning so people had some understanding of what this meant,” Levy said. “If this is going to become a part of their response and wildfire prevention mitigation plan in Colorado, they need to be equipped not only to de-energize but re-energize on a timely basis.”

Levy said local leaders urged Xcel to meet with local residents to hear their concerns, although there are no plans for that at this time.

In the meantime, Boulder County residents on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, who were impacted by the Xcel outages can complete an online form to request replacement benefits for spoiled food.

At nearly the close of business Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis shared that he sent a letter to Xcel expressing his and many Coloradans’ frustration with the power shutoff, slow restoration and insufficient communications.

“I share the disappointment and frustration of many fellow Coloradans who were and continue to be impacted by Xcel Energy Colorado’s decision to proactively de-energize parts of the electric system in anticipation of a significant wind storm the weekend of April 6, 2024,” Polis wrote to Xcel.

Polis also directed the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to implement measures to protect customers in a future public safety power shutoff, suggesting that the commission:

• Ensure such shutoffs are made in the best interest of residents, including adequate communication to allow individuals and businesses to prepare

• Ensure Coloradans have timely, simple and relevant information about outage locations, support services and expected restoration timelines

• Provide residents with updated and actionable maps showing anticipated or current outages and service restoration activities.

• Investigate how Xcel has fallen short in informing and protecting customers and communities during the power shutoff, and what additional strategies can improve operations in the future.

“Shutting off power to customers is a serious and challenging decision that should only
be done as a last resort,” Polis wrote to Xcel. “Customers deserve transparency, real-time information, and accountability if these events occur. While I applaud your staff and front line crews for restoring power in a challenging situation where major infrastructure damage did in fact occur, this incident has further harmed Xcel’s reputation and social license.”

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