DENVER — Xcel Energy is telling its customers to prepare for possible power shutoffs as the potential for critical fire weather looms over the Front Range and most of eastern Colorado next week.
In an email sent to customers Saturday, the utility company encouraged the public to “take steps to prepare for potential wildfires and power outages now.”
NWS
Xcel has not yet confirmed whether it plans to implement any public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) in the coming days. And if so, where will they occur?
These fire safety blackouts, implemented in the wake of the Marshall Fire, have impacted hundreds of thousands of customers on Colorado’s Front Range on at least two other occasions this season.
This latest threat may hit the Front Range Sunday, with strong winds and dry conditions lasting until midweek.
NWS
The National Weather Service says Tuesday’s windstorm is expected to be the most powerful out of this system, with brief pockets of 60 mph gusts and sustained winds of 30-40 mph.
The expected windstorm, along with the dry conditions, is a recipe for extreme fire weather, prompting the NWS to issue a fire weather watch from Sunday through Wednesday.
Xcel Energy has provided the following steps to prepare for a planned outage:
- Set your fridge and freezer to the coldest setting to keep food cold for up to four hours in the fridge and up to 48 hours in the freezer.
- Turn off or unplug electrical appliances or equipment that could surge when power returns.
- Consider purchasing portable charger banks and stock up on batteries.
- Designate a dedicated outdoor space for generators, grills and stoves, and make sure they are functioning properly. Do not operate these items indoors or in partially enclosed spaces.
- Practice opening garage doors without the electronic motor.
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