Xcel considering safety power outages during ‘extreme weather’ in Denver

Xcel customers in the Denver area could lose power Monday during critical fire weather according to the company As of Sunday afternoon Xcel functionaries were debating whether to implement preemptive power shutoffs for community safety in Adams Boulder Jefferson and Denver counties according to a news release from the utility The shutoff would begin at a m Monday and last through p m when weather conditions are expected to improve Xcel leaders stated in the release Temporarily shutting off power is not a step taken lightly and is only used when other methods are not enough to help prevent wildfires administrators stated A red flag warning will be in effect Monday from a m to p m for Jefferson Douglas Gilpin Clear Creek Park Boulder Broomfield Adams Denver Arapahoe Elbert Lincoln and Washington counties according to the National Weather Organization Relative humidities as low as and strong winds up to mph across the foothills metro area and Eastern Plains will create conditions favorable for rapid fire spread forecasters stated in the warning The extreme weather conditions may lead to additional unplanned power outages as strong winds impact powerlines Xcel bureaucrats explained Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings EPSS are activated across northern Colorado which means power lines are more sensitive and can swiftly stop the flow of potency if an issue like a tree branch touching the line is detected officers stated Power will remain off until our crews can make sure it s safe to turn back on The settings increase populace safety but can also increase the length of power outages according to the utility Crews will be standing by Monday to patrol facility areas and restore power as promptly as doable Related Articles Colorado weather Denver sees first freeze of the season Hot springs resorts in Pagosa avoid major flood damage return to normal Denver weather Are freezing temperatures coming It s raging Southern Colorado floods that shut schools roads exceptional for fall homes lost dozens damaged by floodwaters in southern Colorado Xcel agents explained customers in the probable outage areas should assemble an outage kit and update their account communications preferences to receive updates This is a advancing story and may be updated Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter