Dear Editor,

PSPS could mean Post Spinal Pain Syndrome, but if you see these initials in association with Xcel Energy, it means that your electric company is going to shut off your power whenever they want, and for as long as the wind blows. This could be a real problem for those of us who visit or live in the Foothills of Colorado.

We were without power on December 17 and 18, for 24 hours, and then again for 14 hours on December 20.  United Power distributes our power, but Xcel Energy owns the transmission lines, so they are in charge of all Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) in our area.

If you have never heard of PSPS before, it is because only two have ever been called in Colorado: April 2024 and December 2025. As a common mitigation strategy in California, PSPS is commonly utilized by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to minimize the danger of wildfires during extreme wind events, such as the one we just experienced.

So why cut off our power now? We live with high winds every winter? Could it be that the new President of Xcel Energy-Colorado is from California, and was employed by PG&E for seven years? Robert Kenney states that implementing PSPS is a "team" effort, but as CEO, the approval ultimately comes from him.

Xcel Energy was under investigation by the Power Utilities Commission (PUC) for the April 2024 PSPS, and now Governor Polis reprimanded Xcel for being so disorganized in their recent communication efforts. We never received any warning the first time our power was cut, and living without heat or water for 24 hours was challenging.

When the decision is made for a PSPS, there are significant disruptions to daily life, great financial losses and risks to health. But just maybe…there were no power lines that sparked.

Marlene Murray

Black Hawk