The City of Boulder will host a virtual information session, Powering Boulder 101, on Thursday, Jan. 29, to discuss the recent Xcel Energy Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event and its impacts across the community.

City staff will use the session to listen to community concerns, share what we heard to date and outline next steps focused on education and future preparedness. Several topics will be covered at the event, including:

  • A review of the electric grid serving Boulder
  • Criteria used by Xcel Energy to determine which power lines were turned off
  • An overview of how different areas of town were affected by Xcel’s proactive steps
  • Wind-related damage
  • Information about Xcel projects to reduce both wildfire and outage risk in Boulder

“The PSPS and wind-related outages were tremendously impactful to many in our community,” said Carolyn Elam, Sustainability Senior Manager with the City of Boulder. “We understand that people want answers as to why decisions were made, why it takes time for power to be restored and what is being done to prevent these kinds of experiences in the future. We hope this event will help close the information gap and ensure our community has a meaningful opportunity to be heard.”

The information session will address many of the questions the city has already received and will provide an opportunity for community members to submit questions in advance. Interpretation services will be available and the session will be recorded and posted online following the event.

Powering Boulder 101: Virtual Town Hall on Xcel Energy Public Safety Power Shutoff

When: Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026
Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Format: Online with registration required

Community members are encouraged to participate and engage in this conversation as the city continues to work with partners to strengthen preparedness and resilience.

For more information and updates, visit the Climate Initiatives website.

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