Xcel Energy to start power restoration on Public Safety Power Shutoffs

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) — Xcel Energy has begun restoring power following a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) and weather-related outages that affected around enacted a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) earlier today.

Wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour, and extremely low humidity levels created critical wildfire risks across the region, especially in the Texas Panhandle prompting the shutoffs.

As of 5 p.m., about 16,500 customers were without power, including 14,277 affected by the PSPS and another 2,223 impacted by weather-related outages.

You can check the Xcel Energy outage map for the latest outage information.

More than 400 Xcel Energy crew members and contractors pre-positioned around the area are now working to restore service.

Three helicopters are supporting rapid aerial inspections of power lines, and drones will be deployed if windspeeds allow.

Following the weather event, power will not immediately be restored as crews must patrol and inspect lines and repair any damage to make sure it’s safe to turn power back on.

With 2,500 miles of power lines de-energized as part of this PSPS, restoration is expected to be complex and may take several hours, and in some areas, possibly into Wednesday.

This impacts customers in Carson, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hansford, Hartley, Hutchinson, Moore, Oldham, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman and Swisher counties.

The PSPS started around 9 a.m.

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