KEY POINTS
- Approximately 148,000 Xcel Energy customers initially lost power roughly 40,000 remained affected by late afternoon.
- CORE Electric reported 44,350 customers without power across Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Elbert counties, down to 32,051 as repairs progressed.
- Emergency services lines, including Aurora 911 and Parker Police Department, were temporarily impacted but are now largely restored.
DENVER — On Sunday afternoon, tens of thousands of residents across the southeast Denver metro area experienced widespread power outages, officials said.
Xcel Energy confirmed that multiple substations were involved, making the disruption one of the largest in recent local history.
The outage, first reported around 1:00 p.m, affected homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure, including Denver International Airport.
Xcel Energy crews remain on site working to restore service, while airport officials said systems such as the automated train service were temporarily disrupted.
The outage highlighted vulnerabilities in the regional electrical grid and stressed emergency response infrastructure. Officials urged residents to follow safety instructions and limit calls to emergency lines to critical situations.
Xcel Energy, the primary utility in the region, operates multiple substations across the Denver metro area.
While power interruptions occur periodically, simultaneous failure across several substations is rare.
CORE Electric, which serves parts of the southeast metro, confirmed a significant portion of its service area was affected.
“Multi substation failures can stem from both equipment issues and external stressors such as extreme weather,” said Dr. Linda Chen, senior energy systems researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
“These outages underscore the need for grid resilience planning.” Jim Folsom, spokesperson for Xcel Energy, emphasized safety “Our teams are methodically restoring power.
Coordinating across multiple substations is complex but essential to prevent further damage.”
| County | Customers Served | Initially Affected | Remaining Outage | Percent Affected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | 4,866 | 4,866 | 0 | 0% |
| Arapahoe | 26,866 | 18,052 | 18,052 | 67.2% |
| Douglas | 99,138 | 13,307 | 13,307 | 13.4% |
| Elbert | 10,332 | 692 | 692 | 6.7% |
“I was stranded at the airport when the trains stopped running,” said passenger Maria Gutierrez. “Staff were helpful, but it caused major delays.”
Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock encouraged residents to use non emergency contacts for service updates.
Xcel Energy expects gradual restoration throughout the evening. Officials noted ongoing inspections will determine the root cause and prevent similar disruptions.
The outage underscores regional grid challenges and the need for coordinated response strategies as urban areas face growing infrastructure demands.
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