Xcel Energy power outage alert graphic showing power lines with text “Xcel Outage: What You Need to Know” for Denver businesses preparing IT systems for potential outages.

PSA for Denver Metro Businesses: Possible Power Outages Ahead

With high winds forecasted across the Denver metro area, Xcel Energy has shared that they may temporarily shut off power in some areas as a precaution to reduce wildfire risk. While any outages are expected to be brief, even short interruptions can cause headaches if teams and systems aren’t prepared.

Unexpected power outages don’t just interrupt the workday. They can disrupt access to systems, impact productivity, and create unnecessary stress for teams that aren’t prepared. For businesses that rely heavily on cloud applications, internet connectivity, and remote collaboration tools, even a short outage can ripple across operations.

With high winds forecasted across the Denver metro area, Xcel Energy has indicated they may temporarily shut off power in select areas as a preventative measure to reduce wildfire risk. While these outages are designed to be brief and protective in nature, preparation on the IT side can make the difference between a minor inconvenience and a full operational disruption.

To help Denver businesses stay ahead of potential issues, we’re sharing a practical IT readiness checklist focused on protecting work, maintaining access where possible, and ensuring systems recover smoothly once power is restored.

What You Can Do to Prepare

How to Prepare for Xcel Power Outages

1. Save Work Often
Make sure open documents are saved to cloud platforms like OneDrive, SharePoint, or Google Drive.
Avoid leaving important work unsaved on local devices.

2. Laptops vs. Desktops
Laptops: Fully charge devices in advance.
Desktops: Keep in mind desktop computers will shut off immediately if power is lost.

3. Internet & Phones
If office internet goes down, access to cloud apps, email, and VoIP phones may be unavailable.
If you have a mobile hotspot, you may be able to stay partially connected.
Desk phones that rely on office power will not work during an outage.

4. Remote Work Readiness
If possible, plan for employees to work from home using laptops and home internet.
Make sure everyone knows how to log in remotely and access critical systems.

5. Servers & Network Equipment
If you have on-prem servers or networking equipment:
Short outages are typically fine when protected by battery backups (UPS).
Longer outages may result in systems shutting down until power is restored.

6. Avoid Power Cycling Equipment
Avoid repeatedly turning devices on and off during intermittent outages. This can increase the risk of hardware or data issues.

What eCreek Is Doing
We’re actively monitoring the situation and are ready to help our clients if issues arise. If your office loses power and systems don’t come back online cleanly once power is restored, our team is here to support you.

A little preparation goes a long way. If you have questions about outage readiness, backups, or business continuity planning, feel free to reach out. We’re happy to help you stay prepared.