Customers of United Power, a power company in the foothills southwest of Boulder, are facing a power outage due to Xcel Energy. Approximately 5,000 customers are set to lose power from 11 p.m. Saturday until 1:30 a.m. Sunday because Xcel provides power through a substation that supplies electricity to United Power customers in the area.
One customer, Nico Novelli, who lives in Coal Creek Canton and cares for a variety of animals including wolves, pythons, and anacondas, is among those affected by the outage. Novelli, who needs to keep his animals’ enclosures at specific temperatures with heating pads and heat lamps, expressed concern about keeping his animals warm during the outage, especially on what is expected to be the coldest day in months.
United Power notified Novelli and other customers about the planned overnight outage, but many are worried about how they will cope, particularly those with specific heating needs for pets or medical equipment. The situation has raised concerns about the impact of power outages on vulnerable populations and the importance of preparing for such events.
For more information on this story and others, readers can visit The Denver Gazette’s news partner, 9News. The outage serves as a reminder of the challenges and disruptions that can occur when power companies face issues such as substation problems or maintenance work.
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