No Electricity Til Thursday: Xcel; 200,000 Homes Without Power

DENVER, CO – Electricity outages in metro Denver are so vast that Xcel Energy now says it's likely that 200,000 Denver area residents will not get their power back until Thursday, the company said.

UPDATE: Bomb Cyclone Aftermath: 89,000 Still Without Power In Colorado

"We are still assessing the damages and do not yet know when your power will be restored, but we do expect that restoration in some areas may take at least one day or more," Xcel posted on their website at 4 p.m. "Over 500 crews are engaged in restoration efforts, but dangerous conditions and road closures related to the storm may limit those efforts. Additionally, we are currently seeking assistance from neighboring utilities, though this storm is occurring over multiple states and many utilities are facing similar issues. We appreciate your understanding as we work safely and as quickly as possible to restore power to customers affected by these weather conditions."

The "bomb cyclone" that hit the Colorado Front Range has featured winds up to 70 mph and freezing snow, which will continue overnight, weather forecasters said.

At 3 p.m. in Denver alone Xcel Energy was working to address almost 400 separate power outages, affecting 121,524 customers. Other metro Denver suburbs also reported power blackouts including 32 separate outages in Thornton, affecting 2,500 customers and a significant outage in Littleton affecting almost 2,000 customers. In Broomfield, 4,356 customers wee without power, the company said.

If you have a power outage, report it to Xcel as soon as possible. Text OUT to 98936 to report an outage or text STAT to check the status of your outage.

Is your food safe?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the following guidelines for if your power is out for more than four hours (if it is out for less than four hours, the food in your refrigerator and freezer will be safe to consume).

• Freezers A freezer that is half full will hold food safely for up to 24 hours. A full freezer will hold food safely for 48 hours. Do not open the freezer door if you can avoid it.
• Refrigerators Pack milk, other dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, gravy, and spoilable leftovers into a cooler surrounded by ice. Inexpensive Styrofoam coolers are fine for this purpose.
• Food Temperature Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of your food right before you cook or eat it. Throw away any food that has a temperature of more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

If your power is out and it's possible, the company asks customers to check for damage to the mast – the electric service connection to your home. It is a pipe mounted to your home that holds electric wires and is connected to your meter. "If there are damages to the mast, a licensed electrician must make repairs before service can be restored," the company said.

"For your safety, please stay away from any downed wires or poles and stay on the line to report these urgent issues," the company said.

The company reminded customers that if they ever detect a sulfur or “rotten egg” smell inside or near your home, "it could be the odorant we put in natural gas to help detect leaks. If you notice that smell, leave your home immediately. Do not turn any electrical devices on or off and never use any phone until you are outside and safely away from the area. Then, call us at 1-800-895-2999. In a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1."

You can check the status of your power outage at the Xcel Electric Outage Map.

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