Xcel Energy is warning customers in western Colorado that it may preemptively shut off power on Thursday to prevent power lines and other electrical equipment from sparking wildfires across the region, which could see dangerous fire conditions.
The precautionary blackouts could happen in Garfield and Mesa counties and be made through an automated system that de-energizes parts of the grid if it detects safety problems like a tree branch touching a power line, or through larger manual power-downs, known as public power safety shutoffs.
The National Weather Service in Grand Junction says dry air moving into the region ahead of an expected cold front could combine with strong winds and dry vegetation to create “critical” wildfire conditions on Thursday.
Manually shutting off parts of the power grid is a “last resort” to prevent a wildfire and would only happen if conditions are extremely dangerous, Xcel Energy spokesperson Tyler Bryant wrote in an email.
“The company does not believe that conditions warrant such an action at this time but recognizes that conditions may worsen,” he said.
Xcel Energy, the state’s largest power provider, powered down the grid as a wildfire precaution for the first time in April, leaving 55,000 customers across the Front Range without electricity. Many customers were caught off guard by the preemptive shutdown, which CEO President Robert Kenney acknowledged wasn’t properly communicated ahead of time.
Preemptive shutdowns are becoming more common in wildfire-prone Western states, where power lines have ignited deadly and damaging wildfires across the region. Investigators have linked Xcel Energy’s power equipment to one of two fires they say grew into the 2021 Marshall fire, the most destructive ever recorded in Colorado, a link the utility disputes.
Customers can prepare for potential blackouts by keeping phones and other devices charged and assembling a “blackout kit.” Residents who rely on medical devices powered by electricity should also be prepared for outages and can sign up for extra alerts from Xcel Energy.
