Xcel Energy has announced that they will be implementing a public safety power shutoff in northern Colorado, affecting 9,000 customers. This precautionary measure comes ahead of strong winds and high fire danger in the region. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for critical fire weather conditions in the northern Colorado foothills on Friday, with low humidity and winds up to 75 mph posing a significant risk for rapid fire spread.
The power cuts will begin at 8 a.m. for Xcel Energy customers in Larimer and Weld counties, including areas in Fort Collins, Loveland, Kerns, and Bellevue. The outage area spans from Wellington to the north, Windsor to the east, Horsetooth Reservoir to the south, and Ted’s Place to the west. Notably, central Fort Collins, including Old Town and neighborhoods near Colorado State University, will not be affected by the planned outage.
In Loveland, planned outages will impact neighborhoods north and south of 14th Street/U.S. 34 between Glade Park and North Wilson Avenue. While weather conditions are expected to improve later in the day, restoration work will only commence once the high winds and fire risks have subsided. Xcel Energy officials caution that it may take several hours to several days for power to be fully restored, as crews need to ensure the safety of the entire power line before re-energizing it.
Customers are encouraged to report outages and damaged power lines through the Xcel Energy app, online portal, by texting OUT to 98936, or by calling 1-800-895-1999. This is a developing story and updates may follow. For more Colorado news, sign up for the Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.
