DENVER — On Sunday afternoon, a significant power outage in the southeast Denver metro area left hundreds of thousands without electricity, disrupted airport operations, and affected local emergency services.
Initial reports indicate that over 145,000 Xcel Energy customers experienced a loss of power shortly after 3 p.m. By 4:45 p.m., approximately 40,000 customers were still without power, though the full extent of the outage remains unclear as Xcel Energy’s outage map is currently inaccessible for some users.
CORE Power reported that more than 40,000 of its customers were also impacted. The outage notably affected the 911 service in Aurora, disrupting emergency communication temporarily. However, authorities have confirmed that the 911 service is operational again. At Denver International Airport, operations were similarly impacted, with concourse trains halted while crews worked to restore service.
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) is providing shuttle bus services to replace H Line and R Line train routes during the outage. Furthermore, amid reports of a transformer explosion causing the outage, Aurora police clarified that these claims were likely incorrect, attributing local disturbances to a separate incident involving shots fired during a parking lot fight, which resulted in no injuries or explosions.
As the situation unfolds, Denver7 is actively seeking additional information from Xcel Energy to determine the cause of these outages. Updates will be provided as more details come to light, highlighting the community’s resilience in navigating unexpected disruptions.