Although Denver has not yet experienced a public safety power shut-off, the Mile High City came close in December, according to Xcel Energy officials who briefed the city’s Transportation and Infrastructure committee Wednesday.

Representatives from the utility company briefed members of the Denver City Council’s committee on wildfire mitigation efforts on Wednesday, highlighting a $1.2 billion investment over five years in Denver’s electric grid. 

After the National Weather Service issued Colorado’s first “particularly dangerous situation” red-flag warning for the Front Range, Xcel Energy instituted two public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) on Dec. 17 and Dec. 19, 2025 for areas west of Denver after winds of up to 96 mph and dry, warm conditions.

The event impacted more than 135,000 customers, with 12,000 residing in Jefferson and Boulder Counties alone.

But as drought conditions continue and temperatures warm, Xcel officials said it’s not always extreme winds that trigger fires.

Car crashes, severe weather, wildlife and overgrown vegetation are also culprits.

But public safety power shut-offs have increasingly been used along the Front Range, which perennially sees strong wind gusts that, utility officials said, are the main reason for the deliberate power disruptions, leaving tens of thousands of people without power and businesses scrambling to operate.

Officials note that the use of a PSPS is a difficult decision and is considered only when three factors are present: extreme winds, relative humidity of 20% or lower, and low fuel moisture content.

“The PSPS is something that is a last resort for us,” Lyle Moore, Xcel’s community resiliency manager, told the committee. “We really do not want to be shutting off the electricity for people, because we know the consequences that go along with that de-energization as well.” 

Moore explained that Xcel uses five specific stages when implementing or considering a PSPS.

Xcel officials note that they have added more than 100 weather stations, drones, and artificial intelligence to help predict and prevent events sooner.

“We’re using AI to detect smoke and detect those wildfires quicker,” Moore said, “but also providing this information to fire and public safety out there as well, so that then we can get fire units on this situation before it becomes out of hand as well.”