Maggie Bryan joined the Denver7 team in June 2025 as a morning reporter.
The Boulder Chamber said it's working toward short-term and long-term solutions to reduce the impact of planned power outages after meeting with Xcel Energy representatives and business owners this week.
A recent survey conducted by the Boulder Chamber shows 258 businesses reported operational disruptions during Xcel's public safety power shutoff in December. The survey reports the average financial loss for businesses was more than $25,000 each.Xcel said the proactive shutoffs are meant to reduce the risk of wildfire during extreme fire danger. The planned power outages in December affected tens of thousands of customers across six counties: Boulder, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Weld and Larimer.'During the busiest time of the year when you're dependent on that, on that income, this is really, you know, a critical situation that needs to be alleviated,' said Jonathan Singer, Boulder Chamber's Senior Director of Policy Programs.He said Boulder Chamber leaders are working to get better communication from Xcel about planned power outages while pushing the company to make infrastructure upgrades.'Communication is key, right? When a shut off is coming, you want to know where the shut off is coming, when the shut off is coming, and how people can respond. And so there are new opportunities to create better communication standards to make sure that we're talking to the right businesses at the right time,' said Singer. 'We need to harden our power lines, bury them where we can... create opportunity to set up micro grid opportunities. 'That way you don't see this domino effect that sometimes you see with larger grids.'Singer said the Boulder Chamber is also looking at solutions to help business owners during power outages, like providing refrigerated trucks to reduce food waste and supplying generators.Another issue Singer said the chamber is looking at revolves around business insurance. Several businesses that lost power along the Front Range in December told Denver7 they were not able to get any help from their own insurance companies after filing business interruption insurance claims. This type of insurance generally covers lost revenue when a business is forced to close temporarily.'I think what is being sold and what consumers need, need to line up,' he said. 'We're going to be going down as the Boulder Chamber to the Public Utilities Commission to say, 'You need to sit down and work with our Division of Insurance to get clear communication on what products are out there.''In a statement to Denver7, Xcel Energy said it does not reimburse businesses for lost revenue during a power outage, whether it's planned or not:Tricia Jamison, the owner of KT's BBQ in Boulder, said she was forced to throw away thousands of dollars worth of food when the power went out during planned outages in December. She said the restaurant also lost thousands in sales as its doors were closed for several days.'We couldn't cook our meats over the weekend,' Jamison said. 'We couldn't prep over the weekend. So on Monday, when we had Christmas pickups, we were like, 'Oh, we got to work.'' She said she believes it's unrealistic and too expensive for Xcel to bury its power lines across Boulder and said she understands the risk of wildfire, especially after the Marshall Fire.'I was a block and a half away from the end of the Marshall Fire. I have a lot of friends that lost their homes, and watching them go through losing their homes and having to rebuild all that was, it's just, to me, it's worth it to turn the power off,' she said.A few doors down, Greg Lefcourt, who co-owns Beleza Coffee Bar, said his business suffered a $15,000 loss as they were in the dark for 61 hours during the power outage.'We haven't had an offer of any kind of relief from anybody at all, so we're kind of left here as a small business to try to figure out on our own what to do when we suffer a $15,000 loss at a coffee shop,' he said. 'We need leaders to step up. We need power company to step up. We need small business owners to step up.'The City of Boulder is hosting a virtual information session today from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to discuss the recent Xcel power shutoffs. City staff said they will be listening to community concerns and sharing next steps to prepare for any future outages. To register for the event, click here.
Boulder Businesses Boulder Restaurants Business Insurance Colorado Business Interruption Insurance Kt's Bbq Kts Barbeque Power Shutoff Colorado Power Shutoffs Power Shutoffs Colorado
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Best used sports cars, £25k coupes...... and owning a left-hand drive car in the UK
Read more »
Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission to hold feedback session on Xcel planned power outagesLauren Lennon joined the Denver7 news team in August 2025 as a morning reporter.
Read more »
N.J. wedding venue kept couple’s $25K deposit during COVID lockdown, lawsuit saysThe couple says their special day was canceled due to New Jersey's stay-at-home order.
Read more »
Vandals hit Yosemite National Park with graffiti on boulder, moreFox News Channel offers its audiences in-depth news reporting, along with opinion and analysis encompassing the principles of free people, free markets and diversity of thought, as an alternative to the left-of-center offerings of the news marketplace.
Read more »
Sundance parties go out in style at Park City and Boulder bashes are already being scoutedBlake Lively’s driver claims Justin Baldoni made disturbing comments during a car ride on the set of “It Ends With Us,” according to a deposition tied to their ongoing legal battle.
Read more »
Customers push back on Xcel power shutoffs during Public Utilities Commission feedback session WednesdayAllie Jennerjahn joined the Denver7 news team in March 2024 as a morning reporter. She was born and raised in Hartford City, Indiana.
Read more »