The National Weather Service is predicting another high-wind event on Saturday, March 14 that will produce significant fire risk due to high temperatures, low humidity, and gusting winds.

Members should prepare now for possible outages again on Saturday

• United Power is not planning to implement a public safety power shutoff (PSPS) on Saturday, March 14.
• Xcel Energy has confirmed that transmission to United Power’s system will not be preemptively shut off and is not part of their plans for a PSPS in areas of Boulder and Jefferson Counties; however, protective system settings on the transmission system could affect power delivery to United Power.
• To reduce wildfire risk during high-wind conditions, United Power’s distribution system in the PLAINS will operate under protective system settings (Wildfire Safety Mode). In this mode, if anything contacts a power line, power will immediately shut off.
• Unplanned outages are possible due to damage from high winds or protective settings that may trigger safety outages if debris or tree limbs come in contact with power lines.

What to Expect

• If outages occur, they will be extended.
• For power to be restored, wind conditions must first subside, followed by physical inspections of power lines and equipment.
• Depending on the extent of damage, inspections and repairs can take significant time.

Stay Safe

• Have a plan in place for extended outages and extreme weather. Prepare now for cold temperatures on Saturday night, backup power for medical devices, or possible evacuation for comfort and safety.
• Always stay away from downed power lines and assume they are energized.
• Never remove debris from power lines.

Red Flag Warnings have been issued across the Front Range from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wildfire Safety Mode has been activated across United Power's entire plains territory.