Xcel Energy activates Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings due to high fire danger
High winds and fire danger continues to be a concern across Colorado.
Xcel Energy says they are continuing to monitor a high wildfire risk they believe will arrive Thursday afternoon. The company will active their Enhanced Powerline Safety Setting. This is used to mitigate against wildfire hazard concerns.
Meteorologist Alex Lehnart says you can feel 50 mile per hour winds around the Foothills and Boulder. Xcel Energy says while we have these concerns, everyone should follow these tips including:
• When Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings are activated, power lines are more sensitive and can instantly stop the flow of energy if an issue is detected, like a tree branch or other object touching the line.
• These settings do not mean the company has proactively turned off a customer's power. If there is an outage while these settings are activated, it is the result of an issue on the power line.
• In the event of an outage, power will remain off until our crews can visually inspect power lines to make sure it is safe to turn them back on. This may mean that if an outage occurs, it could last longer.
• Customers are still encouraged to report any damage, such as downed power lines and broken poles to Xcel Energy, and to stay clear.
Customers can help Xcel Energy get a jump on power restoration by reporting outages through the following ways:
• Through the Xcel Energy mobile app, available in the Apple App Store and through Google Play.
• Online at xcelenergy.com/out
• Via text by texting OUT to 98936 to report an outage, or text STAT to the same number to check the status of a power outage
• By calling 1-800-895-1999 and following the prompts—the automated phone reporting system lets customers report outages in less than 60 seconds.
Event updates and tips to prepare, stay safe, report outages and stay informed when severe weather strikes can be found on the Xcel Energy Event Update webpage.
Xcel Energy will provide updates for this specific weather event on its website. Customers can check the outage map for up-to-date information on outages and estimated restorations times, when available. They should make sure their account information and communications preferences are up to date in My Account.