Rocky Mountains get preemptive power shutoffs once reserved for California
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- Xcel Energy will shut off power across parts of nine Rocky Mountain counties Wednesday to prevent catastrophic wildfires amid hurricane-strength winds and dangerous dry conditions.
- Once unique to California, utilities nationwide now employ preemptive blackouts to prevent wildfires, with plans covering about 24 million U.S. homes across fire-prone Western regions.
- Conditions mirror those that sparked the deadly 2021 Marshall fire, with winds reaching 80 mph at higher elevations and temperatures 20 degrees above normal.
Xcel Energy is preparing customers in the Rocky Mountain region for preemptive blackouts to help reduce the risk of wildfires as strong, dry winds threaten to knock down power lines.
The utility said it probably would shut off power starting at about noon Wednesday to some customers in nine counties including Denver, according to the company’s website. A stretch of near-record warm weather and dry conditions has created the potential for blazes in the area.
“It looks like a pretty formidable event,” said Scott Kleebauer, a forecaster with the U.S. Weather Prediction Center. “It is going to be a pretty windy day across Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.”
An Xcel representative said Tuesday that the company is still determining the scope of the shutoffs.
Once a California phenomenon, utilities across the U.S. are now increasingly opting to turn off electricity to prevent downed power lines and other equipment from sparking catastrophic wildfires. Power companies serving about 24 million homes and businesses across the fire-prone U.S. West now have plans to proactively cut electricity at peak fire danger, according to a 2024 report from Stanford University researchers.
Winds will start to rise early Wednesday across the mountains and late morning across lower elevations, peaking in intensity during the afternoon and lasting until Thursday, said Stephen Rodriguez, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Pueblo, Colo.
At higher elevations, hurricane-strength gusts may reach 80 mph, with lower locations seeing them as high as 70 mph. The stiff winds will shake power lines, which can spark fires if they fall.
“We are expecting an active day here on Wednesday,” Rodriguez said.
In addition to the winds, conditions are dry and will be unseasonably warm, with temperatures about 20 degrees above normal throughout the region, Rodriguez said.
Dry weather and high winds have previously caused destructive fires at this time of year. The Marshall fire began near Boulder, Colo., on Dec. 30, 2021, and burned more than 1,000 homes and dozens of commercial structures. It killed two people.
Although weather conditions are projected to improve Wednesday evening, restoring power can take several hours or days, because crews must inspect lines and repair damage before they can be safely reenergized, according to Xcel.
Sullivan and Saul write for Bloomberg.
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