LITTLETON, Colo. — Many Coloradans found themselves frustrated and rushing to search for alternatives after Xcel Energy shut down power on Saturday to tens of thousands of homes in areas prone to wildfires due to high winds.
This marks the first preemptive power shutdown ever conducted by Xcel in Colorado. Power lines were deactivated in six counties including Boulder, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, Douglas, and Broomfield starting Saturday afternoon around 3 p.m., affecting over 55,000 customers. The shutdown is expected to last into Sunday.
While Xcel said they did make efforts to notify customers Friday night, many residents in the outage zones report receiving minimal notice, if any.
Mike Raabe, a resident of Littleton, said he received a notification about the outage via automated phone call only four hours before it occurred. The late notification left him and his wife scrambling to find a solution due to his reliance on electricity at night for medical reasons.
"We got four hours’ notice, and you know, there are people who have a family, medical situations, family financial situations in these 55,000 customers. What are they going to do?" said Raabe.
Despite managing to secure a hotel accommodation for the night, Raabe expressed concern for others who might not be as fortunate. Xcel, in response, directed customers needing immediate assistance to call 911.
"I would say that I was a little taken aback by the response… They're basically saying, it's not my problem, you’ve got to deal with that. So just go ahead and call 911," Raabe remarked.
Homeowners across the Front Range, seeking clarity and specifics, were particularly frustrated by Xcel's failure to provide a map of the planned outage areas when the shutdown was initially announced. By the time the map was released, at around 8:00 p.m., many had already been without power for five hours.
Having lived in Colorado for nearly 50 years and experienced the threat of wildfires firsthand during the Marshall Fire in 2021, Raabe said he understands the importance of preventative measures. However, he questions whether such preemptive power shutdowns will become the norm during windy conditions.
"We need much more advanced notice than what we got... This was a preemptive plan, and they knew they were going to turn the power off. They need to let people know so they can prepare," Raabe emphasized.
Xcel Energy aims to restore power by midday Sunday, contingent upon the fire danger risk. The company advised customers to prepare for potentially extended outages.
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