Xcel Energy prepares for potential power shutoffs in Northern Colorado for extreme fire risk

Xcel Energy prepared for potential power shutoffs in Northern Colorado this week due to extreme fire risk. The likely Public Safety Power Shutoff could happen on Friday, Jan. 16, according to Xcel officials. 

The utility company is encouraging customers to be prepared for the outages. 

First Alert Weather Meteorologists have called for First Alert Weather Days for Thursday and Friday due to Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches that could result in extreme fire danger combined with Colorado's already dry conditions and lack of snowpack. 

According to Xcel, the utility is planning for a power shutoff around 8 a.m. Friday, impacting about 9,000 customers in portions of Larimer and Weld counties. That includes parts of Fort Collins and nearby communities. Xcel said weather conditions are expected to start improving around 4 p.m. Friday. 

Xcel said just like the planned power shutoffs that occurred last month, power restoration efforts will begin after high winds and elevated fire risks have ended. Xcel said it may take "several hours to several days for customers' power to be restored because a crew must patrol the entire power line to ensure it's safe to turn service back on before it can be re-energized."

Xcel said it will continue to reach out to potentially affected customers and will update customers about outage and restoration information. Customers can look up their address online to find out whether they may be subject to a planned outage.