The following is a news release from Xcel Energy:
As the region braces for another day of strong winds on Wednesday, Xcel Energy is reminding its customers to prepare for the possibility of outages in the event of damage to power lines.
Customers are encouraged to sign up for “My Account” at www.xcelenergy.com, which allows them to report outages online and register for updates through email, text or voice messaging. These features are also available on the free Xcel Energy customer app, which can be downloaded from Apple Store or Google Play. Both the website and the app feature an outage map that shows where service has been interrupted and provides an estimate on restoration times.
Customers may also contact Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-1999 to report downed lines or outages. Xcel Energy urges customers to stay away from downed lines because they may still be energized.
High winds could impact customers across Xcel Energy’s Texas-New Mexico service area. In preparation, Xcel Energy is putting field employees and contractors on notice that they could be called in to restore service in the event of outages. Additionally, Xcel Energy has established decentralized dispatching centers around the area that can be staffed quickly if outages begin to escalate.
Xcel Energy also is reminding customers that in the event of widespread outages this week, or any time of year, outage restoration is prioritized by the amount of customers affected by single events, not by geographic area. Damage on large feeder lines can affect thousands of customers at once, and the company will move crews in to repair feeder line damage before assigning them to outages affecting smaller tap lines, transformers and individual service lines. Additionally, the company will ensure the safety of field employees by delaying work if conditions create an unreasonably hazardous environment.
More information on how Xcel Energy restores outages can be found on this page at the company’s website.
(News release from news release Xcel Energy)
