Xcel Energy Texas

As we continue to experience extremely dry conditions and actively battle wildfires in our communities, we would like to take a minute to thank our crews, customers and community partners. To our customers: We know being without power is disruptive and can be frustrating, so we take the decision to implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) very seriously, and only take that step in the most extreme situations. Your patience and support as we worked to protect the safety of our communities the past few days is deeply appreciated. Your reports of downed lines and outages also helped us respond more efficiently, and the kindness and support you showed our line workers helped them get their work done as safely as quickly as possible. We are grateful for your partnership. We would also like to thank our dedicated field crews who worked in difficult weather conditions to get the lights back on once it was safe to do so, sometimes in remote locations. And we are grateful for the partnerships with local and state agencies including the Texas Division of Emergency Management, fire departments, community leaders and more, who all worked together to respond to community needs during dangerous conditions and 70 mph winds. Public Safety Power Shutoffs are a vital tool for protecting the communities we serve during periods of highest wildfire risk, and we are committed to continuing to improve how we implement them, ensuring that our communications are as accurate and timely as possible. We know our communities rely on us to provide an essential service, and we are focused on always improving the service we deliver.

Yesterday we implemented a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) impacting about 15,000 Texas Panhandle customers. High winds with gusts up to 70 mph led to additional power outages. Since yesterday evening, more than 400 crew members and contractors have been working to inspect lines, making repairs and restoring power as it becomes safe to do so. Helicopters are supporting rapid aerial inspections of power lines, and drones will be deployed if windspeeds allow. Power has been restored to 97% of customers affected by Tuesday’s Public Safety Power Shutoff and weather-related outages. As of 3:45 p.m. CT on Wednesday, 526 customers were still affected by outages amid ongoing restoration efforts. High winds that may create wildfire risk and cause outages are expected to continue through Friday. Customers should be prepared for weather-related outages in the coming days. To learn more about the evolving situation, visit xcelener.gy/4aDIeMp

As of 8:45 p.m. CT, crews have restored power for about 11,700 customers affected by today’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) and additional weather-related outages. More than 400 Xcel Energy employees and contract crews are working to restore power as safely and quickly as possible to remaining customers, with some repairs expected to extend into tomorrow. Before power can be safely restored, crews must visually inspect lines and make any necessary repairs. Helicopters and drones are being used where conditions allow for aerial inspections. High winds are expected to continue Wednesday, but crews will remain in the field until all customers are back on. For outage information in your area, please visit xcelener.gy/4rzi8RK

We implemented a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) impacting about 15,000 Texas Panhandle customers in Carson, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hansford, Hartley, Hutchinson, Moore, Oldham, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, and Swisher counties around 9 a.m. CT. High winds with gusts up to 70 mph led to additional power outages for customers. As weather conditions improve, more than 400 crew members and contractors are inspecting lines, making repairs and restoring power as it becomes safe to do so. As crews work to restore power to those affected by today’s severe weather and PSPS event, please remember to give them the space they need to do their job safely and efficiently. Restoring power can be a lengthy process. Crews must inspect power lines and repair damage before they can be safely re-energized. With 2,500 miles of lines de-energized as part of this PSPS, restoration is expected to be complex. Many customers will see their power restored this evening. For some customers, especially those in very rural areas, power restoration may extend into tomorrow. To learn more about the evolving situation, visit xcelener.gy/4cxdejA.

We understand outages can be frustrating, and as we navigate today's severe weather, we’re here to provide information and answers to your frequently asked questions about how we’re working to protect our communities from wildfire risk. Will my lights come back on right away once the Public Safety Power Shutoff is over? No. Although we anticipate weather conditions will fall below PSPS thresholds around 5 p.m. CT, restoring service after a Public Safety Power Shutoff requires us to ensure that power can be safely turned back on. Even after high winds and fire conditions have eased, our crews must first inspect every segment of the lines that were turned off. This includes visually checking equipment, poles, wires and surrounding areas for damage, debris or hazards that could pose a fire risk once re-energized. Because these inspections often occur over long distances, in rugged terrain or in areas where access is limited, the work can take time. If crews identify any issues, they must complete repairs before the line can be safely restored. As a result, power may come back on at different times for different neighborhoods, depending on the condition of the equipment and the complexity of the inspection and repair work. We understand how disruptive extended outages can be, especially after a significant weather event, and we are committed to restoring power safely and as quickly as conditions allow.

Large, fast moving wildfires have broken out across the TX and OK Panhandles. The locations of current fires are indicated below. We greatly urge everyone to avoid travel and do everything in your power to prevent the starts of wildfires as we approach the evening rush. #phwx

We have implemented a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) impacting about 14,500 Texas Panhandle customers in Carson, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hansford, Hartley, Hutchinson, Moore, Oldham, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, and Swisher counties. High winds with gusts up to 70 miles per hour are leading to additional power outages for customers. Weather conditions are forecast to fall below PSPS thresholds at around 5 p.m. CT. Restoring outages from a significant weather event or PSPS may take several hours to several days. This is because crews must inspect power lines and repair damage before they can be safely re-energized. Please note, due to anticipated high winds, outages could take place outside of areas impacted by a PSPS, impacting restoration times. Hundreds of Xcel Energy crew members and contractors are positioned in the Texas Panhandle, ready to restore power due to a PSPS as well as any other outages caused by high winds. As crews begin restoring power to those affected by today’s severe weather and PSPS event, please remember to give them the space they need to do their job safely and efficiently. To learn more about the evolving situation, visit xcelener.gy/4tHPWOg.

We understand outages can be frustrating, and as we navigate today's severe weather, we’re here to provide information and answers to your frequently asked questions about how we’re working to protect our communities from wildfire risk. Why aren’t all power lines placed underground? Like other large, integrated utility companies, we use a targeted approach, placing certain lines underground in locations where it provides the greatest safety and reliability benefit. We have nearly 30 miles of undergrounding projects completed, underway or beginning construction soon for 2026 in Texas and New Mexico, spanning Palo Duro Canyon, River Falls, Timber Creek Canyon, Sunday Canyon, Springlake, Littlefield and Tucumcari. In other areas, we strengthen overhead systems by installing more resilient equipment, upgrading components, enhancing vegetation management and using technologies like Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings. Undergrounding power lines can help reduce exposure to wind and vegetation, but it is not always the most effective or practical approach across all areas we serve. The terrain, environmental conditions and construction impacts in some regions make undergrounding extremely complex, and the cost is substantially higher compared to overhead construction. In addition, underground equipment can take longer to locate and repair when damage does occur, which can extend the duration of outages. Our combination of underground lines and strengthened overhead systems allows us to reduce wildfire risk and improve system resiliency while effectively managing costs and minimizing financial impacts to customer bills.

We understand outages can be frustrating, and as we navigate today's severe weather, we’re here to provide information and answers to your frequently asked questions about how we’re working to protect our communities from wildfire risk. Why is my power off while my neighbor’s power is on? The electric grid is a large, complex system that has been built and expanded over the past century. Electric lines serving one neighborhood may connect to the system differently than those serving a nearby neighborhood. Utilities also divide the power grid into smaller sections or circuits so they can control and isolate parts of the system independently – this is known as segmentation. During a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), utilities turn off power to entire segments that pose wildfire risk rather than individual homes. This means two nearby houses may have different outcomes if they’re on separate lines or on opposite sides of sectionalizing equipment. Factors like overhead lines in high-risk areas, underground lines or proximity to critical infrastructure influence which segments stay energized, so even homes just a few hundred feet apart can experience different outcomes during a PSPS. As we deploy additional sectionalizing devices between now and the end of 2027, our electric system will be broken into smaller segments. This will allow Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings and PSPS outages to be more targeted and should help limit the scope and potentially the duration of future events.

We will implement Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) beginning on Tuesday, Feb. 17 around 9 a.m., impacting customers in Carson, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hansford, Hartley, Hutchinson, Moore, Oldham, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, and Swisher counties. Weather conditions are expected to start improving around 5 p.m. CT, though high winds that may create wildfire risk and cause outages are expected to continue through Thursday. To see if you might be impacted, check our outage map at xcelener.gy/4qGH9JF. Make final preparations for outages now, especially if you use medical equipment that requires electricity. Please note, due to anticipated high winds, outages could take place outside of areas impacted by a PSPS, impacting restoration times. We expect to be able to begin power restoration around 5 p.m. CT, when conditions are forecast to fall below PSPS thresholds. Restoring outages from a significant weather event or PSPS may take several hours to several days. This is because crews must inspect power lines and repair damage before they can be safely re-energized. To learn more about the evolving situation, visit xcelener.gy/4ao0ESo.

We continue to plan for a likely Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) beginning on Feb. 17 around 9 a.m. CT, potentially impacting around 15,000 customers in the Texas Panhandle. Potential areas of impact include Armstrong County, Carson County, Deaf Smith County, Donley County, Gray County, Hansford County, Hartley County, Hutchinson County, Moore County, Oldham County, Potter County, Randall County, Roberts County, Sherman County, Swisher County and Texas County. Weather conditions are expected to start improving around 5 p.m. CT, though high winds that may create wildfire risk and cause outages are expected to continue through Thursday. We expect to be able to begin power restoration around 5 p.m. CT, when conditions are forecast to fall below PSPS thresholds. Restoring outages from a significant weather event or PSPS may take several hours to several days. This is because crews must inspect power lines and repair damage before they can be safely re-energized. Please note, due to anticipated high winds, outages could take place outside of areas impacted by a PSPS, impacting restoration times. Prepare for potential outages now, especially if you use medical equipment that requires electricity. To learn more about the evolving situation, visit xcelener.gy/3OlnjGr.

We continue to closely monitor and prepare for a strong wind and extreme weather leading to a possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event on Tuesday, Feb. 17, beginning around 9 a.m. CT in the northern Texas panhandle and Eastern New Mexico. Unseasonably warm, dry weather combined with high winds, low humidity and very dry vegetation has created elevated wildfire risk across the region, especially in areas that have not seen substantial precipitation in recent days. If a PSPS is implemented, we will work to notify customers who may be affected as soon as possible. Xcel Energy is also contacting customers who rely on electrically powered medical equipment to encourage them to prepare for potential outages. Customers with medically necessary equipment should prepare backup power options. After the severe weather subsides, it may take several hours to a few days to restore power to all customers because crews must patrol each line to repair damage and make sure it’s safe to re-energize. To learn more about the evolving situation and how to prepare for an outage, visit, xcelener.gy/3ZAj502 or visit tx.my.xcelenergy.com/s/outage-safet… to see if you are in a PSPS zone and view current outages.

We understand outages can be frustrating, and as we continue to prepare for severe weather, we’re here to provide as much information and answers to your frequently asked questions about how we’re working to protect our communities from wildfire risk. Why does Xcel Energy use Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) and Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), and under what conditions are they needed? We use Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) and, when conditions require it, Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) to reduce the chance that our electric equipment could spark a wildfire during periods of elevated or extreme risk. As severe weather, strong winds and dry conditions become more frequent, we rely on a combination of real-time weather data, wildfire modeling tools and on-the-ground observations to understand when our system may be exposed to higher fire danger. EPSS allows us to operate power lines with additional protection settings enabled to shut off power more quickly if something contacts the line. This reduces ignition risk but can lead to outages that require inspection before we restore service. PSPS is a step we take only when weather and environmental conditions indicate extreme wildfire risk conditions and keeping certain lines energized poses too great a risk to people and communities. Before taking this action, we evaluate factors such as forecasted wind speeds, humidity levels, fuel conditions, and temperature, along with local infrastructure and customer needs. We know these steps create challenges for customers, and we only use them when necessary to protect public safety and reduce the possibility of wildfires. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions visit and select your state, xcelener.gy/4tFiUy7

We are closely monitoring and preparing for severe weather, including strong wind, in Texas and New Mexico forecast to start Tuesday, Feb. 17. Wildfire risk is expected to increase, and strong winds heighten risk of damage to our power lines and may result in outages. To reduce the risk of wildfire and support public safety, we are planning for a possible PSPS beginning on Feb 17th. Temporarily shutting off power – known as a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) – is not a step taken lightly and is only used when needed to help prevent wildfires. Restoring outages may take several hours to several days, as crews must inspect power lines and repair damage before safely re-energizing. We encourage you to prepare for potential outages now, especially if you use medical equipment that requires electricity. To learn more about the evolving situation, visit xcelenergy.com/wildfire

Wildfire risk is expected to remain high in TX due to dry weather and rapidly drying vegetation, with the highest risk expected in February and March 2026. Begin preparing for potential wildfires and power outages now – especially if you rely on powered medical equipment. Learn more at xcelener.gy/4kjsRgD. More information about Xcel Energy’s wildfire mitigation efforts is available at xcelenergy.com/wildfire

With extreme weather fast approaching, crews are prepared to ensure our Texas communities have the energy they need to stay safe and warm through all conditions. As sub-zero temperatures, freezing rain and significant snowfall make their way in, please ensure your family is ready to face the cold. Report an outage: co.my.xcelenergy.com/s/outage-safet…