With a potential to see two to three feet of precipitation and wet, heavy snow, Xcel Energy is preparing to increase the number of employees and contractors they can call on to quickly and safely repair any damage that may be caused by heavy snow. Spring snowstorms have the potential to cause tree limbs to break, causing damage to power lines.
Xcel Energy has called on hundreds of employees and contractors to be ready for the storm which is expected to dump most of the precipitation over the weekend and is also working with neighboring utilities to coordinate outage restoration efforts across the state. The forecasted amount of snow could affect road conditions and how quickly crews can respond. They are being asked to make sure they have chains available to help them move quickly and safely through the snow.
“We’re currently monitoring this storm and preparing our crews to handle potential outages due to heavy snowfall and ice,” said Mark Newby, control center and trouble operations director in Colorado. “We have a seasoned crew well versed in quickly and safely restoring power in the most extreme conditions and this storm is no different. We are ready to respond.”
Xcel Energy’s electric and natural gas systems are expected to perform as usual. It performed very well during the February cold snap that impacted the Midwest last month. However, we always encourage customers to monitor their heat and electricity use and any conservation efforts will help lower their energy bills.
See the full release from Xcel Energy for more on how prepare and stay safe, how to conserve energy during the storm, how to report your outage and how to stay informed.
See the full release from Xcel Energy, in Spanish.
