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Colorado energy providers prepare for possible power outages from weekend subzero temperatures

The Gore Range, Back Bowls and blue skies make for a beautiful Thursday in Vail. The weekend will change drastically with snow and arctic cold.
Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily

Xcel Energy and Holy Cross Energy crews are preparing for extremely cold weather expected in Colorado during Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, consisting of snowfall on Friday and subzero temperatures beginning Saturday through Monday.

Xcel Energy — which services counties across the Western Slope — said it will have crews stationed across the state ready to respond to power outages if they occur, according to a Thursday news release.

Members of Holy Cross’s operation crews — servicing customers in Eagle, Pitkin, Garfield, Mesa and Gunnison counties — are on-call 24 hours a day and ready to dispatch help, said Jenna Weatherred, vice president of Member & Community Relations at Holy Cross Energy. 



“Holy Cross actually plans long in advance,” Weatherred said. “We’re in good shape. We have procured all the energy we would need for a weekend like this.”

Cold weather can affect the production of and demand for natural gas, therefore sometimes resulting in price increases. Xcel Energy said it will notify customers if the cost of wholesale natural gas increases significantly.

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The following are some safety and energy-saving tips for the upcoming cold weather.

Steps to minimize the cold weather’s impacts on your energy bill:

  • Lower your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower
  • Adjust your thermostat to lower the temperature while you are away or asleep 
  • Open drapes to maximize sunlight warmth during the day
  • Run ceiling fans clockwise to push warm air down from the ceiling
  • Open interior doors to circulate air and maintain constant heating levels.   

Steps to safely prepare for the cold weather:

  • If you come across a downed power line, leave the area and report it to 1-800-895-1999
  • Frequently clear snow and ice from natural gas meters to avoid natural gas buildup indoors
  • Build a home emergency kit equipped with flashlights, batteries, backup phone chargers, and more
  • Inspect space heaters for damage, never go to sleep with a space heater on
  • If energy is lost, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to preserve food for a full day

If outages occur, customers can stay informed by using Xcel Energy’s outage map, which displays where outages are located, the number of customers out of service and the anticipated time for restoration when possible. To view the map, visit co.my.xcelenergy.com/s/outage-safety.

Holy Cross Energy also provides resources on its website for responding to power outages and saving energy during extreme weather conditions. To view Holy Cross’s power outage map, visit holycross.com/our-system/outage-center.

“We work really closely with our members to try to save money and save energy whenever possible,” Weatherred said.


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