Golden, Colorado prepares for extended power outage as Xcel confirms another shutoff Friday

Residents and businesses in Golden are bracing for a prolonged power outage after Xcel Energy confirmed a Public Safety Power Shutoff will begin Friday at 5 a.m., driven by what city officials say is a worsening and potentially dangerous wind event.

According to the City of Golden, winds are expected to last 12 to 15 hours, with gusts exceeding 90 mph, significantly increasing wildfire risk across the area. Officials warn residents not to expect power to be restored on Friday and to prepare for outages that could stretch through the weekend and possibly into Monday.

The city says that even after the winds die down, forecast around 6 p.m. Friday or later, Xcel crews must wait for safer conditions and conduct required daylight visual inspections before restoring power.

For Golden resident Patrick Kenny, the warning came as a surprise after weathering Wednesday's outage with his family, including his two-and-a-half-year-old son, Roberto.

"It got cold last night, but we did okay," Kenny said. "We've got a little generator and a gas stovetop, so we were still cooking and had the essentials."

Kenny said the family didn't realize another outage was guaranteed - or that it could last several days.

"I did not realize that," he said when told power may not return until Monday. "So all the way through the weekend could be exciting."

Despite the inconvenience, Kenny said he understands the reasoning behind planned shutoffs.

"With the Broomfield fires and the ones in California, we're just playing it safe," he said. "They don't want an incident like that. It's okay."

At Ace Hardware, shift supervisor Gary Schiel said the rush began earlier this week and intensified as the reality of the outage set in.

"People are looking for flashlights that aren't rechargeable," Schiel said. "We're pretty well sold out."

Batteries, propane heaters and generators have also been in high demand, with many items now unavailable.

"If you didn't prepare, you're kind of in trouble," Schiel said. "People are disappointed when we tell them we don't have generators and they might have trouble finding one."

Schiel said he hasn't seen a surge like this before.

"We haven't had a power outage like this," he said.

Despite low inventory, Ace Hardware in Golden will remain open using a standalone generator to operate registers.

Golden officials are urging residents to limit travel, check on neighbors, and prepare for cold conditions and extended outages.

The city will provide updates at scheduled times on social media and its website. 

Officials say additional alerts may be issued as conditions change.